LICENSED LISTENERS

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 9, 16 September 1927, Page 12

LICENSED LISTENERS

COMMENT ON TUT IIGURES. The following. are the latest official figures giving the numbers of wireless licenses --_

Three months carlier the figures were :-

The increases im receiving licenses | in the four districts in the three months are:-Auckland,. 2463, or 27.57 per, cent.; Wellington, 8804, or 98.72 per cent.; Canterbury, 1819, or 39.49 per cent.; Otago, 820, or 22.22 per cent. Upon these figures the radio writer of the ‘Post’? sensibly comments :- The startling feature of the figures is the Wellington total. In spite of the number having almest doubled, it is still far below that of the Auckland district’ three months earlier It is hardly believable that the number of licenses issued represents ecyen approximately the number of receivers in use in this district. The population of Wellington seems to be far more interested in radio reception than the license figures indicate; it is a ‘topic in almost every group one enters. Consider, also, the «ambers of de-l-ers’ licenses, ‘These are as nearly as possible complete; the radio inspectors are able to keep very close track of traders in wireless apparatus, According to the Wellington figures, there are eleven licensed ilistener- per dealer. When one goes into a radio dealer’s shop and finds a crow! of buyers there, and goes to another to save time and finds another crowd, the Statistics begin to look a little weak. i... It seems probable that We : ton’s high-power station, simply because it is a high-power station, cheats itself of revenue; it is so easy to iv‘all a crystal receiver aud use it witl an indoor aerial; and without an offensive inspection camrpaign such installations cannot be found. It appears that a system of raising revenue from listeners’ licenses must be accompanied by very effective means of ensuring that listeners have licenses, and at present the matter is Icft almost entirely to the consciences of those concerned, and they are elastic. Licenses should be available at least as early as receivers, and soine means. should be found to induce dealers to take an interest in the question whether a purchaser is doing his share in maintaining the broadcasting service.

Listeners. Dealers. uckland 11,396 442 Wellington 6,651 624 Canterisury 6,425 250 Otago 1,760 157 Totals 26 282 1 483

Iiisteners. Dealers; A uckland 8,933 351 Wellington 3,347 475 Canterbury 4,606 197 Otago 1,440 132 Totals 18,326 1,155