What Do Country Listeners Think of Sidey Time?

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 26, 13 January 1928, Unnumbered Page

What Do Country Listeners Think of Sidey Time?

>\OW has "Daylight Saving" affected broadcast listening? From various sources it is becoming increasingly apparent that the Act has not proved an unmixed blessing, particularly to country folk, and some city dealers. Many hundreds of broadcast listeners have discovered that the putting-on of the clock an hour in New Zealand has deprived them of the pleasure they previously derived from listening-in to the broadcast programmes from Australia, and there are also hundreds of broadcast listeners in the southern areas of the South Island, and others in parts distant from stations, who find that the protracted daylight is adversely affecting reception of the broadcast services from the New Zealand stations for which they are paying. To the lay-mind it may not. be apparent how the pufting-on of the clock one hour can spoil the enjoyment of broadcasting. Listeners of course know that daylight seriously decreases the effectiveness of radio over distances, and a measure which artificially extends the hours of daylight must have an adverse effect on both local and distant broadcast reception. AUSTRALIAN RECEPTION WEAKENED. During our summer, daylight effect has always meant poor reception of Australian broadcast stations till about 10.30 p.m. N.Z. time, which was equivalent to 9 p.m. Australian time. With the advancing of the clock to the -extent of one hour under the "Daylight Saving" Act, the Australian stations cannot be heard at their best much before 11.30 p.m. This is far too late an hour for broadcast listeners to commence to enjoy broadcast programmes from Australia. The lure of long-dis-tance reception is present among a large section of broadcast listeners, and even if better concerts are available from a local station in New Zealand, as well as in other countries, the desire of purchasers of multi-valve sets is to occasionally reach out for the long-distance stations. Those who have lately purchased high-priced receiving sets must have been keenly disappointed with their performances under the handicapping effect of the "Daylight Saving" Bill. Many members of the radio industry in New Zealand state that "Sidey" time has put a damper on business with the higher-priced receiving sets, and as they maintain staffs specially for demonStrating this grade of receiver they will feel no regrets when the period of summer-time expires. LOCAL RECEPTION AFFECTED. Apart from the foregoing complaint of accentuated loss of overseas reception, much greater sym- pathy is due to the New Zealand back block listener who, through his isolation from any New Zealand station, finds that the extra weakness of transmission occasioned by "Sidey’? hours robs him of

almost all ordinary touch with broadcasting. The farmer listener relies more largely than the city man upon wireless for weather reports (of prime importance), market reports, and news, and entertainment, to relieve his isolation. Wireless is, to him, a necessity, not a luxury, and to be deprived of its use through the alteration of hours is a real hardship. The case of such listeners is put very strongly by a southern writer in the course of a special plea for a better station at Dunedin. This writer, "A.R.," says:‘Radio Christmas has come and gone, and I trust that everybody who could listen in has’ done so, and enjoyed the varied programmes as printed in the ‘Radio Record.’ The Broadcasting Co., under the management of Mr. Harris, has made great progress during the past year, and I wish to congratulate all concerned on that fact. HAVE HAD A BAD SPIN. "This summer we in Southland have had a bad spin, radio reception has been vile, indeed, so bad as to make it hardly worth while to attempt tuning in at all, no station coming through at all strong until 9.30 p.m.-even under good conditions. The nearest broadcast station to this place, 4YA, Dunedin, is exactly 100 miles distant, yet is absolutely dead as far as reception is concerned. I hasten to assure you, Mr. Editor, that I do not altogether blame the Broadcasting Company for neglecting this station so long. They have logically, spent the money where most licenses have ‘been taken out, but it is time they got a move on. "I believe the following is the correct reason why Otago has made such poor progress in radio. Two years ago a great exhibition was produced by that province, and they were very proud of it. They could not partake of it in moderation, but swallowed it whole, chocolate alley, and all the other money-sinking items. Since then they have been in much the same condition as a boa constrictor, which has swallowed a bullock, and lies in a state of lethargy, until the overlarge -meal has been digested. Their appetites have been satiated with every form of entertainment, but I believe that this state is gradually wearing off, Did I not read in a newspaper the other day, of a circus which, having run a season in Dunedin at a loss, refused’ to make a return visit, but advertised one free and only show to be given at the railwaystation; the cireus band to play two items: ‘Goodbye Forever,’ and ‘Auld Lang Syne’; this, as a mark of their disapproval. An event or two like this will surely’ wake the Dunedinites up. I do not want the Broadcasting Co. to follow that example, but suggest that you supply Otago, the patient with a weak diges_tion, with an appetiser, to take the form of a nice leading article in ‘Radio Record,’ telling all about the new plant ordered for station 4YA, which will make it equally as good as 8YA; when it will be

~~ shipped; and when it will be erected; also that if 4YA’s aerial is found to ‘be screened by the tall hills surrounding Dunedin it will be shifted to a. suitable locality, in any case, that the station will be boosted up, to give daylight reception all over the province, under favourable conditions. Then get a few thousand additional copies of ‘Radio Record’ printed, and sent out in the country districts of Otago and Southland, the same as was done in Canterbury a short time ago. Then, when the new plant is in operation you will be reminded of the Scriptural quotation of ‘casting thy bread upon the waters, etc.’ MR. SIDEY INTO OUTER DARKNESS. "To get back to reception conditions this summer; the Dunedinites, as far as radio is concerned, have made two great blunders. The first I have already dealt with, viz., producing the great Exhibition; the second is in producing Mr. Sidey, who produced ‘daylight saving." May Mr. Sidey and his ‘daylight saving’: soon be, figuxatively speaking, cast into outer darkness. "In this district at the present time the sun does not set until twenty minutes past 9 p.m., and daylight lasts till after 10 p.m. Just read Dr. Appleton’s investigations into fading, as contained in ‘Radio Record’ of December 30; and we need not wonder why distant reception is poor before 10 p.m, here just now. . THINK OF THE COUNTRY FOLK MORE. "T think Dunedin listeners-in and radio dealers have been a bit selfish and very short-sighted in not boosting radio a bit more, and seeing that country, listeners-in were getting better reception. Having their tents pitched under 4YA’s aerial, they get their goods handed out to them over the countey, and don’t realise that there is no delivery system to cater for country customers. As an instance. a religious body in Dunedin, a short time ago, sent out quantities of programmes of a radioconcert to be given by them from 4YA to all parts of Southland and Otago, I suppose, and suggested that the listeners-in invite a few friends for the evening, and leaving a place to enter up donations for that body. If this should chance to catch their eye, I would like to assure them of my sympathy. I would have liked to invite a few friends, get in a bottle of the best that wouldn’t disgrace their home town, and make a night of it, with advantage to their funds; but, for obvious reasons, it was no go. (Continued on page 5.)

Sen TSISMIS Us sss lunes Cos x % nme Under the test of experience country opinion seems to be solidifying against summer-time because of involving extra work without compensation. Country listeners situated at a distance from stations enter, in addition to the general complaint, a special objection .to "Sidey" :time.: In the following article we ‘cite, in brief, two main points of view against "Sidey" time-first, that of the dealer who loses trade through reduced effectiveness of summer reception, and, secondly, the country listener who finds himself suffering from: weakened reception to such an extent, in some cases, as to almost put his set out of action. Has radio a real cause of complaint against the aggravation of sum-mer-time evils represented by "Sidey" time. We invite readers, particularly country readers, to express their views. Do you want "Sidey" time again next year? FMS sss SU ssn SI ssn 3 Pee rittiiia

WHAT DO COUNTRY

LISTENERS THINK | OF SIDEY TIME? (Continued from covert.) "T have made inquiries in this little district, and find there are about twenty licensed listeners-in, all with good sets, say at an outlay of about £1000, and all the sets lying practically stone cold, for all the good to be got out of them for the four summer months. I suppose it would take an average sixty of Wellington lis-teners-in to put £1000 into radio. "T have gone into the case of the South more fully than I intended, as I feel sure the Broadcasting Company do not fully realise what our conditions are. This is a good reception district under normal conditions. I got 2YA and 8YA very nicely on New Year's eve from 10 p.m. to midnight," How have country listeners in general fared under daylight saving? We would be glad to receive views of correspondents on this. question.