Our Mail Bag

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 39, 13 April 1928, Page 5

Our Mail Bag

Auckland Criticisms, I. Workman, Adelphi Hotel, Kaikoura, writes.-At last I’ve had to give in to the impulse to express my views on the mad criticism which .continues to flow from the Queen City. As far as the actual transmissions from 1YA are coucerned, they are received on a 5-valve set working off an aerial with no insulators whateyer and running over a metal waterpipe 12 feet before entering the set. The programmes are quite all right, to, but as we know, it’s useless to try to please everybody. Somebody complains of the same artists being put on again and again, but it was not long ago that there was great outery in Christchurch that 3YA | was being used for the encouragement of budding amateurs because ‘there were no set artists. As far as I am concerned, the programmes are the best balanced I’ve ever heard, They knock the Aussies out by miles, ma) ae Soe coco 0

DaawL-aaa_>_-_w1» 2 res ‘Then somebody raised a,wail alout the State taking over the stations. Australia has a State controlled station, and anybody who listens to Australia will know which one I mean when I mention the dull roar which comes over with a programme which quite often is not worth battery power. As for our dear friend who is going to have great fun pulling to pieces the Broadcasting Company, let him have a shot; he must be a very influential bird, too, by what we hear of him. Somebody told me that we only got the broadcasting Company’s view through the ‘Record,’ but I said no, because our sets tell us our side of the story, and they tell it well, too, if they are decent sets. Wishing the "Record" and Broadcasting Company every success. ~ The Programmes, N. S. Francis, Lower Hutt.-Seeing

that it is the end of the financial year, and all radio licenses have to be renewed, I would like to tell you why I, for one, am not going to renew mine. At the start 2YA used to put on a very etitertaining programme, and I was always sotry when ten o’clock came. Then they started to "educate" us to appreciate, in their opinion, better music. What have they done with "Bill Hart,’ the Studio Orchestra, the jezz evenings and other pleasing and popular items. We don’t want gramophone items. We have our own gramophones, and one is apt to get a little tired of a gramophone. Well, sir, I could write much more in showing my disliking of the present programmes, but one thing I will say is this: When the company goes back to their old style of programme, I will rebuild my set, re-erect my aerial and willingly pay thirty shillings for what will then he great value for the moncy. Identity of a Station. John E. Banks (Wellington).-While listening-in very early this morning logged before, I had listened to all 00 00 0 I picked up a station which I have not

>00 30 0 "000 the Australian stations close down some time before, and was commencing from zero on the dials, intending to work up, on the off chance of picking up a stray station, when I got the carrier wave of this station at zero on both dials. I could not get low enough to get good, clear reception, but I heard orchestral music, followed

by a lot of talking. More inusic fot lowed, and I was able to recognise the piece they were playing. It was a piece called "Over the Waves," -and the time was ten minutes to 2, New Zealand time. ‘The station was fading badly, one minute being fairly clear and the next hardly discernible. Judging by the dial reading of the stations, I should say that the station was on about 220-240 metres. If any reader has heard this station I would very much like to hear from them as to its location. M. O. Johnstone. (Eittrick).-In a tree cent edition of the New Zealand ‘‘Ra« dio Record" a reader reports having picked up a station on 230 metres. I, too, have heard this station, but never can find out who he is. Another read« er said it was KFON, but he works otf 242 metres, and I am pretty certain the announcer of this station is not an American. At 7.30 p.m. last night (‘I'nesday), I picked him up, and he was giving a speech session. He had a slight carrier wave. The Auckland Position, ‘Pukekohe.""-I observe that in thd latest issue of the ‘‘Radio Record" Mr. Salt, despite the fact that his tactics have been exposed, continues on his same course of action. He still seem to be pursning a policy of presuming to represent the Auckland listeners. I am a close follower of newspaper cor respondence and reports in regard te broadcasting in New Zealand, and there is one question Mr. Salt should © ans+ wer: "How does he reconcile his position when he forwarded remits to the old Advisory Board in the name of the Auckland Radio Society, when a few months later he admitted that this society had heen practically defunct for two years?" He is still posturing in much the same way. I would like to know how many bona fide listenets were present when the Auckland Listeners’ League was formed, and how many were present when Mr. Salt was elected secretary, and the new member, Mr. Tiarks, was appoitited to the execu tive? In brief, by what mandate have Messrs. Jacob and Salt the right te make sweeping statements in the name of the great bodv of Auckland listeners? Auckland listeners, of whom [I am but one, are enjoying broadcasting in this country under the control of & properly constituted national orgatiisation. Getting Thirty Shillings Worth.

2 M.U.C.H. (Nelson): I haye beeti reading some very interesting letters lately in your valuable paper, referring to programmes, good and bad. Persotially I am recciving my thirty shillings worth of entertainment from them, but 1 must confess that there are too many, instrumental trios for my particular taste, and the majority of my listener friends are of the same opinion. I am not complaining about the artists themselves, as they are undoubtedly firstclass musicians, but at the same time I think they are overdone. I feel almost certain that the majority of listeners would prefe~ to hear a few gramophone items instead of so many trios. Now that the winter, with its cold and wet days, is drawing near, I feel sure that a Sunday afternoon concert from 2YA would be very much appreciated, say from 2 p.m. until 3.30 p.m, as the concert from 1YA only fills up a small portion of a dull afternoon. I am pleased to see that 4YA is to broadcast the boxing contest on Saturday night. J heard the last one and must say that it was a great success. How about the other stations doing like. wise ? I am not at all interested in the Broadcasting Company’s -balauce-sheet or their method of engaging artists, aa I suppose they have to get as much talent as possible for the cash available, And that is my reason for writing these lines. I want as much as _ possible for my meney, although I am undoabtedly getting thirty shillings’ worth at present. ° F