General Manager's Mailbag

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 40, 19 April 1929, Page 27

General Manager's Mailbag

Interesting Points Raised in Correspondence

"I HAVE purchased my license for this year," wrote one listener recently, "but unless 1YA and New 'Zealand stations generally do not place a little variety for country listeners I will soon drop out. I appreciate good music of any sort, opera included, a little comedy and plenty of sporting news. I have cut out listening-in to IYA on account of one lady and her troupe practically monopolising the whole programme on the evening I tuned ad Hoping your company will vary the programmes more, even if only by using good gramophone records." In reply to this the general manager wrote: "In regard to our programmes, you will appreciate that although we endeavour to utilise the means at our disposal to the very. best advantage, it is not practicable for us, owing to the limitations of a broadcast service, to please everyone all of the time. Our service is a public utility, and as for that reason in arranging our programmes we must bear in mind the varied requirements of our numerous listeners, we must be guided by the wishes of the majority. At the same time we cater as far as we possibly ean for the individual by arranging and co-ordinating the programmes at eur various stations in such a manner

that a listener with a sufficiently powerful receiving set can choose from four different types of programmes on each night of the week. In respect to variety, you will appreciate that some little difficulty is experienced owing to the limited talent available in the Dominion, but we are endeavouring to meet the position to some extent by introducing specially selected gramophone records into the evening programmes,"

OMB correspondents place before the company their set problems. Effort is made even in these cases to give the most practical service possible. "In June last year I had a wireless set installed by a wireless set constructor," states one letter recently, "For about three months I had fair results from 2YA, and sometimes even Australia. Since October I have not had any use for my receiver. I have had expert opinion and find I was supplied with a dud machine. As I paid for the set (a five-valve) when it was put in, and the maker does not even bother to answer when I write to him, what would you suggest I should do? I write to you as I am sure you are interested in license-holders and ‘Radio Record’ subscribers who are not getting a return for their money."

"Unfortunately it is beyond our province to undertake servicing work in connection with receiving sets," states the company’s reply. "If you were to. forward us full particulars of your set and the trouble which you experience, it might be possible for us to suggest a remedy, but the better plan would, of course, be for you to call in the services of an expert, who could assist you to very much greater advantage than we could by means of correspondence. We note that apparently the receiving set which was supplied to you was faulty at the outset, but it is possible that the components could be rewired, and from them @ new set made which would give you some results."

"T HAVE been more than pleased at your broadcasting, which has been equal to that of Australian stations, and considering the talent offering, you have done remarkably well. Also a word of praise is due to the staff on the hill, who have done splendidly."Thus wrote a recent visitor from Aus--tralia.