Broadcasting in India

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 20, 30 November 1928, Page 8

Broadcasting in India

DURING the radio season the Indian stations are able to be heard on sensitive sets in this country and the conditions pertaining there, will be of great interest to listeners. Caleutta (7CA) and Bombay (7BY), working on wave-lengths of 370.4 metres and 357.1 metres respectively, are the real broadeasting stations of India, each serving a wide surrounding district. The bulk of the population of Bengal speak Bengali, while the Huropean and Hurasian portion of the hinterland on the Calcutta station talk English, A programme under these conditions is doubly difficult; it presents the same:problem as is faced by the English listener to the Continental programmes. Should an all-English broadeast be given, it appeals only to that section of the listeners conversing in English; to the remainder it is entively -foreign. With Bengali programmes the same applies to the Eng-lish-speaking populace.

When Caleutta carried out regular transmissions it was usual to allow three nights of an all-English version, while the remainder of the week was given in the language of the country, principally Bengali. Programme Difficulties. "THE providing of programmes in English is somewhat restricted, available artists are few and cannot be repeated too often. In consequence of this the gramophone plays an important part in the construction of programmes. With a Bengali broadcast this. difficulty does not arise, since local artists are more or less national artists, and the gramophone is used only to fill in spaces. It might be said, however, that from an English point of view Bengali music is not appealing, but it cer tainly pleases the native listener. , ™he license issued in India is very similar to that issued in this country, giving freedom to use a set for the purpose of a broadcast receiver. The set builder who desires to build a set for

the sake of wireless, will find a fair amount of diversion in logging the smaller stations as well as a few of the more powerful overseas stations. In addition there are a good number of amateur transmitters operating on the short waves. ‘ Constructors Handicapped. HE greatest handicap to the setbuilder is the procuring of mate-’ rial, since to bring wireless apparatus into the country one requires a special importer’s license. This license is sparingly granted, and without it any apparatus may be regarded as contraband and, as such, may be confiscated. It is, therefore, necessary ‘to purchase the parts unobtainable locally through a dealer with an import certificate.