Radio New Zealand

New Zealand Listener, Volume 19, Issue 481, 10 September 1948, Page 5

Radio New Zealand

HE fact that New Zealand is about to start shortwave broadcasting will not at first make much difference to New Zealanders themselves, "Radio New Zealand" will not often be heard in New Zealand, and only enthusiasts will try to hear it. But it should be heard clearly in Australia, and in most of the islands ahd bigger land masses lying between south-east Asia and southwest America. It should be especially clear in Fiji, Samoa, and the Cook Islands, and if it Peached only those places in addition to Australia it would be worth the labour and expense involved in establishing it and keeping it going, But communication with our nearest neighbours is just the beginning of the story. It is the special feature ,of radio communication that it goes on once it starts. It is not merely unpredictable physic-ally-2YC has been heard in Alaska: it is umcontrollable in its social and political reactions. No one knows or ever can-know how far a broadcast message may carry, but everyone who has thought of human progress (and retrogression) knows that nothing is so powerful as an idea. New Zealand’ may not intend to do more than make New Zealand’s own outlines clearer to New Zealand’s nearest neighbours. But radio has a habit of over-leaping intentions, unexpectedly and often a little crazily. It is not necessary to remind any listener that the voices of America, for example, have in eight or ten years distorted our conception of America more than the books and magazines of America have done in 50 years. America is big enough, strong enough, rich enough in mind and spirit to be able to afford misunderstanding; but New Zealand is. not. Whether -we realise it or not we are "starting something" on the 27th, and it will require much wisdom and vigilance to axing it under. safe control.