1YA PROGRAMMES

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 40, 20 April 1928, Page 5

1YA PROGRAMMES

TWO POINTS OL VIEW. The following letters forwarded to the headquarters of the Broadcasting Company illustrate two points of view: The first letter says: "1 must express my intense disguest at this afternoon’s programme. Is it not enough to have the main portion of Sunday evening’s frogramme taken up with religious services, without giving us a Sunday school service in the afternoon as well? I look forward to the leisure of Sunday afternoon to listen to the usually excellent selection of gramophone items. Qne has the pleasure of not hearing jazz and other non-musical vulgarities, even if one has to put up with socalled sacred music, some of it too sloppy to be worth hearing. Why should we be bombarded with sermons from uncultured speakers, who murder english, and who are altogether too tedious, nasal, and ignorant to be borne? "And now, after being told with boring repetition that we must renew our licenses so as to assist the company In putting on better programmes, you send us all to Sunday school-a place from which all sensible people escape as. scot as they grow enough mind to act on their own responsibility. May I ask you rather an impertinent question ? Would you, were you not engaged in working for the Broadcasting Company. elect to spend your Sunday afternoon in a Sunday school? Could anyone force you to? On the other hand, you may like Sunday schaol, but thousands do not. ‘Tf this Sunday afternoon discipline is of your doing, it is on a par with the so-called literary exerpts you punish us with during the week. I know there are some people who like that mountebank Chesterton, and even adore (strange as it seems) that pious fraud Dr. Frank Crane, but a little variety could be supplied to please those who don’t. When one considers the wide field of English literature, it is amazing that vou should confine your readings to fhe garbage corner. Why not have a ‘Horner’s Penny Story’ now and then? Hundreds of women (and men) adore thein-wallow in them, and you must try and please all those who pay their thirty shillings. ‘My three children simply won’t take the trouble to listen to the bedtime stories-they took a sample or two and said it was ‘all rot,’ telling lies about sweets in the radio cabinet, etc. TI am just givine won the candid oninion of normal children (not yet in their ’teens). Tt may be the opinion of other children, if one only knew. I suppose it is beeause thev have never been to Sunday school that they can’t stand sloppv oush and palpable lies. Tt is not much use parents trying to inculcate the habit of truth-telling in their children if 1YA does its best to make lying attractive." Another Angle. T.W.: "This is not a complaint, but an expression of appreciation of the general standard you have attained to in 1YA programimes. As the average listener does not bear in mind that all tastes haye a right in claiming to be catered for, then the general satisfaction to-day is high praise.

s "Tam in a position to touch the pulse of the public, and there is general satisfaction. Occasionally a night is struck when we think the programme rather rotten-well, that must be the other fellow’s night! "One of the most marked recent improvements" you have made is in the reproduction of disc records. The result could not be clearer if the orchestras were playing in the local studio, For instance, "Liebestraum’’ put on first item on Saturday afternoon a fortnight ago was wonderful. Records, give you world range for your programmes, and now you are in the position to present the illusion of having the world’s best orchestras and bands at 1YA."