1YA Sessions

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 40, 19 April 1929, Page 10

1YA Sessions

A Suggested Change -_-_---- Interesting Correspondence ) RECENTLY the secretary of the Auckland Radio Society, by instruction of his committee, wrote to the Radio Broadcasting Company ‘suggesting a rearrangement of the evening schedules of 1YA. ‘These suggestions were advanced by the society with the thought that adoption of the proposal would be in the interests of Auckland listeners and give improved service, The suggested rearrangement of evening schedules was as follows :- 5.30 to 6.30 p.m., Children’s Session. 6.30 to 7.30 p.m., Dinner Music. 7.80 to & p.m., News Session. In reply to the letter making the suggestion, the general manager of the Radio Broadcasting Company wrote stating that the company was now introducing a dinner music session at 2YA, Wellington, between the hours of 6 and 7 p.m., commencing from April 29. This would necessitate bringing forward the children’s session to Detween 5and6p.m. The general manager proceeded :- "The question of introducing a dinner session from 6.30 to 7.30 p.m. would not, we are afraid, be generally acceptable, as we find it impracticable to restrict our news session to half an hour. Our investigations show that the most convenient time for the farmer is 7.30 p.m., and we endeavour to provide all lectures that interest the ‘man on the land’ to commence at that time. We also find that immediately after the dinner hour is the most acceptable time for information generally

of an instructional nature, whereas later on in the evening only items of an entertaining value and wide interest are wanted by the majority of listeners. "jhe information handled at our news session has become so wide and varied to meet the requirements of the majority of our listeners that we find we cannot handle it all in thirty minutes, and in this respect propose to pring our Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin stations in line with our Wellington station to allow a whole hour hetween 7 and 8 p.m. for this service." It was further explained that it was the company’s policy. for the immediate future to improve the service at 4YA, Dunedin. in order to bring that station on to a greater parity with he stations at 1YA and 3YA. In the past the service at Dunedin hac approximated 22 hours weekly, as compared with 80 to 82 hours’ service on the average at Auckland, Wellington and Christehurch. Accordingly the position at Dunedin had been examined, and the decision reached that any further extensions to the company’s service should be centred on that station until such time as it was brought into line with the other centres of the Dominion. In these circumstances it was proposed to introduce to 4YA the same hours of service as were in operation at the other centre This would commence as from April 30, when it was expected the erection of towers on the "Evening Star" building would be completed. The existing plant would then be transferred to the same site, and the programmes transmitted from the old studio by means of a land line, In addition to this temporary arrangement. arrangements were being made to proceed with the installation of an entirely new transmitter at Dunedin and new and up-to-date studios. "We hope to have the official opening about September next, and its completion will bring this station into line

with our other three stations, which centres have been enjoying a some what better service for some time than has beensthe case at Dunedin. In doing this, we are anticipating a considerable increase in the public patronage of the service, and in the circumstances you will appreciate our position at the present time in respect to introducing a further extension of the service at Auckland." Finally it was advised that, as soon as the company had brought the Dunedin station into line, and had tried out the dinner music session at the Wellington station, it would be glad to give consideration to the question. of introducing a Christchurch and Auckland dinner music session.