To Improve Radio

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 44, 17 May 1929, Page 7

To Improve Radio

No Rush of Complaints HE general invitation we issued to listeners in our article last week when discussing the action of the Electrical Federation has not brought a fiood of correspondence. As a matter of fact, at the moment of writing (Saturday morning), the only letter .we have received is a very long one from Mir. R. Leslie Jones, a well-known and enthusiastic exponent of views on radio. Although it may be a little early to draw conclusions, it would seem that the comparative silence of listeners indicates a considerable degree of satisfaction with the programmes and trans‘missions as now obtaining. It is unoubted that had general dissatisfacgion existed, listeners would have voiced their feelings freely apart from our specific invitation to do so. The views of Mr. Jones run to three closely-written foolscap pages, and must necessarily be condensed. Mr. Jones attributes the advance made by. the Broadcasting Company to the "consid. erable shaking up" emanating from many quarters. As an ordinary listen. er-in, he confesses that much improve: ment has been made, although personally he had complained bitterly at times about transmission. There were periods when transmission was all that could be desired, and lately he had noticed a decided improvement. My. Jones accepts the view that many valve set owners in Wellington may have overloaded their sets, but apart from that: he considers much trouble has been due to "rotten loudspeakers," In connection with programmes he could not express satisfaction. Many were good, but at the same time many were "rotten." In some cases performers treated the public to songs which were a scream and a farce, the said songs being only suitable for male voices, whereas a female attempted them. He considered that the class of performer could be improved by a more liberal scale of payment-wed-ding cakes could not be purchased at the price of plain cakes," The fault of artists failing to appear best on the air was not entirely due to the Broadcasting Company. These artists might show up fairly well on trial auditions, but go to pieces when put before the microphone. That, of course, irritated listeners and created complaints. The best part of the programmes were the gramophone reord dealers were quite entitled to organise to improve radio as they paid & substantial license fee. Finally, Mr. Jones suggested that the chief engineér of the Radio Broadcasting Company, Mr. Bingham, should reside in Wellington, in contact with the most important of the YA stations. He appreciated that radio was a boon to all, and wished to see radio installed in every home possible. It was the cheapest form of entertainment cep serene emerenenereeeneeenenerene