Company's High Standard

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 1, 22 July 1927, Page 4

Company's High Standard

MR. DAVIES’S VIEWS COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMME

"Y think this must be one of the best studios in the world," said Mr, Dayies, station direc: tor at 2YA, when showing a "Radio Record" representa: tive around the premises. ‘'} have scen a good many, but I have not seen one that is so well appointed, and with such a splendid transmitting plant. I think New Zealand is very well served with radio sta: tions." "You want to know how this station. is going to be run, do you?" he said, in reply to a question. ‘Well, it is going to be something more than a local station. It is going to be a national station. It will speak for New Zealand, My opinion of wireless’ is that it is the greatest power for ‘amuse-. ment and education known to-day. It is a great utility, and it can provide great entertainment, Tet us not take only one view of it, and use it for only one purpose. It ~ is linman nature to look at a thing from a personally interested point of view. The particular thing one looks at in a newspaper often decides one’s judgment on the journal, It is the same with music, moving pictures, sport, war-~and broadeast" ~-s programmes. Radia, like a newspaper, has to cater for every taste, ‘The question of whether broadeastinge is an entertainment.

or a utility is likely to provide as vexcd a debate as the hoary town v. country issue. Some will look at it one way, and some another. J am going to try to look at it from all viewpoints, and to provide a service which will merit the good opinion of the public, That is the bedrock of the whole radio structure, and the keystone of the New Zealand system is 2YA, We have here one of the most perfect plants in the world, and we intend to provide the best programmes that Wellington can produce, Of course, we will not

Please everyone, I hardly need Say that; but, if we provide a sere vice of a high standard, educae tive, and with as much variety as possible in the way of enters tainment, { think public approval will be gained and kept, . The Sporting Side, "Already a departure has been made with the complete organisation of the sporting portion of the company’s service. ‘That bas met with wonderful approval. ‘The letters and telegrams which have ponred into this office supply the proof. The sporting will not encroach on the service provided for the non-sport-loving -public. . Would not even a‘sport-hater (if there is sueh a person) have enjoyed the broadcast: of the Ranfurly Shield match? ; The Musical Side. "As to the musical side of our service, the Broadcasting’ Company has atranged to secure the advice of an expert, so the public can be assured of the quality of the vocal ond instrumental music which will be broadcast. Everyone who offers his or her services will not be heard from €YA. The standard of this station will be high, and it will be an honour to sing here, I should explain that every accepted singer must have a ‘radio voice’ Many talented singers whose voices charm great audiences in a concert hall have not a ‘radio voice,’ and it is only fair to them that they should be told so before they are ‘put on the air’ That is why auditions are arranged beforehand. Country User Lags Behind. "In New Zealand something like 80 per cent. of the listeners have crystal sets, and these are, of course, in the vicinity of the stations. particularly in Auckland and Christchurch, The valve sets are distributed round the country, with a few hundreds in each of the large towns. The country folk of New Zealand are singularly backward in regard to radio. A receiving sét is no longer a luxury or a plaything, but a necessity to the man out-back. From the point of view of business, the radio news service is of vital importance.’ In this respect the service from 2YA is intended to be specially good. From the point of view of enter= tainment, broadcasting may go a long way to stay the drift into the cities, and may re-establish the happy family life in homesteads. The interests of the farming com: munity are to be well looked after by 2YA. "Broadcasting is still in its infancy, Its definite place in modern life has still to be settled. Only time will do that, just as it has done in other things that are necessities in present: day civilisation. Every new invention has to find its own niche in life, perhaps displacing something clse, but more often causing simply a readjustment; and all for the benefit of mankind, One has only to consider electricity’ in its many forms, the internal combustion engine (on shore, in the air, and at sea), moving pictures, ete. In the last fifty years these three have revolutionised life to a degree that the discoverers and inventors did not dream of. What has the next fiftv years in store? No man can say. This we do know.: we do not know all about electricity yet. Human knowledge of this yreat science is as yet of asi elementary nature, great and wonders ful as that is. No Prophecies. "As to what programmes will develop into I would not attempt to prophesy. Bruedeasting is only still in its infancy --uat about the stage printing was after the first type were invented. Already many novel variety turns have been hroadeast, but the present stage in the development of radio necessarily limits it in its scope of offering dramatic entertainment, We are appealed to wholly through the medium of hearing, and as the motion picture made its demands for the construction of plays to conform with its limitations, so the radio makes its demands. Tor those with the abilitv. a new art, that of. writing for radio audiences, is opening up. This new art will develop. In the meantime, 2¥A will endeavour to provide an entertainment of a hish class and as yaried.as possible, something in which the people will find pleasure and not a little profit. This station. will be heard by a great many millions of people outs side New Zealand, perhaps by more outside than in, and what is broad: cast has to be of a standard that will bring credit to this Dominion.