TOTAL WAR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 October 1941, Page 6

TOTAL WAR

BETWEEN EUROPEAN RADIO SERVICES WHOLESALE JAMMING STARTED. “VON DONALD” INTERRUPTING 8.8. C. , (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.45 p.m.) LONDON. October 16. “Total war” has broken out between the radio services of the warring Powers, says the “Daily Mail.” Last night there was a wholesale jamming of European radio stations. Some announcers were furiously heckled by ghost voices. This radio warfare threatens to reduce all broadcasting to chaos. Just before 10 p.m. last night, every German medium and long-wave station was jammed, apparently at a given signal. The news broadcasts were reduced to faint voices against a blaring' background or scraks and whistles. The Rome radio introduced a novelty —an announcer who broke off his talk from time to time to answer'back at the heckling voice. The interrupter of the 8.8. C. services is known as “Von Donald,” because he qiiticks angrily at times. He was audible in the British 9 p.m. news bulletin. A 8.8. C. official statement last night indicated that before serious action was taken against “Von Donald,” listeners would be asked to state their views on his entertainment value. A. Berlin spokesman denied that the voice came from any German-control-led station.