Auckland Notes

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 38, 5 April 1929, Page 8

Auckland Notes

(By

Listener

THE Good Friday morning service at St. Mary’s Cathedral, which was put on the air by 1YA, rendered a splendid devotional cause in several other churches, where, through the medium of receiving sets, the service from the centre of the diocese was picked up and made audible to many congregations. HERE is no doubt that there is developing in local programmes a definite and marked improvement. It would be difficult to decide upon any particular phase which marks this trend, but on all hands one hears the cheery comment, "Programmes have been better lately." New artists have certainly appeared and have given excellent items, but it is not to these alone that the improvements are due. There has been a recent betterment of transmission, but the main contributing factor seems to have been a more efficient handling of the programme material so that it is presented with the maximum of attractiveness. In other words, there has been more attention to showmanship, and this has undoubtedly reacted tpon listeners. This is indeed a _ good augury for the new radio year. PON this new radio year listeners are speculating. Even the most optimistic do not anticipate that the first month will show for our district a renewal of the fifteen thousand licenses now existing. There are bound to be some crystal set owners who will not renew, and these, in the main will be responsible for a temporary decline, but a decline whcih will be overtaken in a couple of months. From then onwards we may expect a steady increase, and this postal district alone should reach the twenty thousand mark well before the end of the year. The winter time usually marks a big increase of country listeners in a dairying district. It is only in midwinter that a dairy farmer finds opportunity for holiday, and, during that holiday, for the purchase of many improvements for the home. Wireless sets rank as important items among such improvements, and dealers in the city know well when the milking season has ended. WNERS of valve sets, if reports of the radio trade are a reliable indication, must be a rapidly increasing percentage of licensed listeners. Business has been remarkably brisk of late, in many cases the purchasers of valve receivers being those who previously owned only the humble, but efficient. t

crystal. There has been a heavy inquiry for A.C. sets, and for the all-wave types, several kinds of which are manufactured locally, and the demand has been so great that difficulty has been experienced in meeting it. HE last gramophone lecture-recital by Mr. Karl Atkinson demonstrated forcibly how very attractive a well-ar-ranged programme of records, suitably introduced and explained, can be, Even chronic grumblers who find cause for complaint in the use of records over the radio, must have been converted from their pessimism by Mr. Atkinson’s hour. A further recital for Friday next will be equally welcome. TPHERE has been little of moment for broadcasting of sports during the past two months, and the ban still operates against facilities for describing the Baster racing carnival, but football will soon be resuming, and those who cannot see the actual play will welcome the thrilling descriptions which are a Saturday afternoon feature of 1YA. O-NIGHT the City Council will further consider proposals for resumption of broadcasting the Municipal Band. From casual remarks heard, it appears that the Council are still trying to foist upon listeners the acceptance of organ broadcasts. On one point listeners are alinost unanimous. They do not want the Town Hall organ, or its generally unsuitable programmes. If the Council does not realise this, and give facilities for relaying the band at moderate charges, much is likely to be heard of the matter at the forthcoming municipal election meetings.