Catering for Numerous Requests

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 47, 7 June 1929, Page 7

Catering for Numerous Requests

A Correspondent Reviews the. Broadcasting Service

| eS a recent publication of the "Radio Record," I noticed that listeners were requested to state their views of the programmes of the broadcasting stations. Before stating my own views on the subject, I would like to mention that I have followed with interest the various letters which have been published from time to time, and taking them collectively it clearly shows how utterly impossible it is to satisfy all the time all the numerous and varied tastes included in the listening-in public. A great many complaints that have appeared at various times appear to me to be very childish, and often decidedly selfish, which goes to show how very narrow is the view taken by some of the writers: I have many times been reminded of the old fable of the man and his son who were taking the ass to market, and, incidentally, they were also taking the advice of one and the other met by the way. Some of the criticism, on the other hand, is very intelligent, and no doubt it has proved helpful to the Broadcasting Company. Surely to the large majority of the listeners, who take a proad view of the whole situation, it must appear quite obvious that the Broadcasting Company are doing all they possibly can with the means at their disposal, to cater for the numerous different requirements of the public whom they serve. It is impossible, of course, to suit everybody all the time, so the next best thing is to suit everybody in their turn, and I believe the company are making an hon est attempt to do it. Marked Improvement. HAVE been listening in now for over two years, and during that time the improvement in the broadeasting generally has been very marked. I have many times remarked on the way the various stations pounce down on notable people who may be passing and get them to deliver over the air whatever may be in their particular line. So much we are inclined to take as a matter of course, giving little thought to the amount of trouble and expense involved in giving us perhaps just a few minutes of pleasure. These cases are too numerous to mention, but just to hint at one of them; we all knew, of course, that the description of the taking off of the Southern Cross from Blenheim was broadcast, but did we worry about how much was done and. what it cost to give us just those few minutes?

UITE recently I noticed one writer complaining about the broadcasting of the weather conditions from the various stations in the country. Now, for my own part, I have appreciated that very much. The writer remarks that it is of little interest to anybody. but the shipping people. Surely he must be one of those who still believes in the long ago exploded myth that the moon controls the weather. I have noticed several who are wanting more news in the news session, and us a settler in a very out-of-the-way part of the country, I can quite agree with them, but at the same time, to those who have just read the evening paper, it must be rather boring. Personally I get very bored when all the racing news.is put over, but then there are thousands who are very glad to hear it, so they are welcome to it.

Now a Growl. FROWEVER, just to get on the other side for a wee while, there are one or two little things I would like to growl about, while I have the chance. One is that I notice that one of the announcers at 2YA, when reading out figures, after the decimal point, he reads them the same as those before the point. For instance, not long ago he was giving over the barometer readings, and for, say, 29.96 he read it as twenty-nine decimal ninety-six. It sounded bad to me, and I am sure it is never taught that way in any of the schools in New Zealand. Another thing, the instances I will mention happened months ago, but still similar items may. come along in the future. I allude to the cricket scores at the Australian test matches. They are many of us in the country who do not finish the day’s work until after 8 p.m., summer time, so the only news we get is at 9 p.m. Now, it happened often from 2YA that at 9 p.m. all we heard was the latest progress reports. Say, ‘for example, "England in their second innings had lost two wickets for 110 runs," and we were left to imagine what Australia had made in their first innings. That was probably put over during the news session or at 4.30, and was missed by all who were not tunedin at that time of day. In conclusion, I will take this opportunity of thanking the Broadcasting Company for their very good class and variety of programmes that are put over the air, and also for their many little incidental items of interest that

we hear from time to time.-

A Back

Blocker