Outside Broadcasting

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 30, 7 February 1930, Page 12

Outside Broadcasting

Some Interesting Situations

N our outside broadcast work we, literally, reach the heights of broadcasting. Spectators of some of our more perilous ascents in search of suitable microphone positions (in the roofs of cathedrals and elsewhere) have asked how we manage to avoid accidents. Luck may have something to do with it; but, as a matter of fact, most of our O.B. engineers happen to have served at one time with the R.A.F., and are unaffected by dizzy heights. I have seen my engineering colleagues perform wire-walking feats which would have scared a musie-hall audience. MANY novel and exciting experiences are encountered by the engineers the world over when engaged in presénting "outside broadcasts" to the public. One has only to listen in to a football match to hear a "little Brie of Berhampore," or to a boxing match to be amused by the advice of a spectator who is, and knows it, obviously too near the microphone. 'Thes2 and a thousand other little incidents are ineluded in the routine of the O.B. engineer.

The following story from the "Radio Times," tells of the human element in the outside broadeasts of the B.B.C. Our work in relaying excerpts from the London theatres frequently brings us up against the "human element." The public largely believes that the actors and actresses whom it sees performing their parts, night after night, with such composure and certainty, are quite without ‘nerves’; and that it is only the amateurs who "get the dithers" when performing "The Man from Toronto" in the village institute. On the contrary, professional actors are practically always ‘on edge." The introduction of such an unusual element as the microphone into a theatre has on occasions proved most disconcerting to those on the stage. Some time ago a famous revue actress created quite a scene within a scene ata theatre performance which we were broadeasting. A slight change had been made, with her consent, in the volume of the orchestral accompaniment to one of her songs, in order to preserve microphone "balance." But when the change was made she stopped dead in her singing and rushed from the stage i a flood of tears. This was not a case of "microphone nerves," but a common instance of what may happen in the theatre when any change or contretemps occurs in the course of the play. {LATTERLY-and maybe the success of the talkies has had something to do with it-the attitude of theatrical artists has swung over from indifference, and even distinct hauteur, to benevolent curiosity. When testing from a theatre on a "closed circuit (and these relays require some testing!) we now use, instead of headphones, a loudspeaker installed in 2 room remote from the stage. During these tests we have always an interested, even excited, audience of actors who are not actually "on" at the time. We are only too pleased at this, because by listening they can pick up tips as to what is or is not "coming over," which help to improve the teehnical and artistic quality of the broadcast. i From the broadcasting point of view we divide the theatre-world into the sheep and the goats. Among the sheep

-- we unanimously include the musician who, when an over-energeti¢ chorus lady kicked our microphone across the footlights and plumb on to his devoted "4 head, continued to play with a smiie and without a single imprecation. The microphone takes its hard knocks. For the recent Thanksgiving Service for the recovery of His Majesty the King, at Westminster Abbey, we had one of the "key" microphones suspended, as we thought, well out of reach, above the chancel steps; but as the procession moved up to the altar the large cross at its head gave the microphone a violent bang-and that was nearly the end of that. An accident would have been tragic-for this important broadeast was going out 19 the Empire. As it happened, the engineer in charge foresaw the collision; and with great dexterity "faded ont’ that particular microphone temporarily, so that listeners were not aware that something untoward had. happened. HE human element in an O.B. is not confined either to ourselves or to those definitely participating. There are also the spectators, You may be sure that there is always an interested crowd around the O.B. van or observation hut. During an England v. Wales Rugger international at Twickenham, one @f the Welsh spectators climhed our stand and bore excitedly down upon the hut, demanding the use cf the microphone. He wanted to inform his mother in Penarth that he had reached Twickenham safely! I offered to send a wire for him, but he did. not consider the frigid impersonality of a telegram a suitable substitute, and we had some difficulty in persuading him to give up his project. Many curious applications are received for such personal use of the microphone. Private messages have been broadcast without our agreement -notably from the Savoy Hotel ballroom in the interval of dance music. Here let me call attention to a striking fact-that, although the world is full, not only of cranks, but of thoughtless and hilarious people, there has in seven years of broadcasting been practically no instance of an awkward, mnrehearsed "scene" in front of the microphone.