EDITORIAL NOTES.

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 44, 16 May 1930, Page 4

EDITORIAL NOTES.

CONSTANT and interesting developments are taking place in the arena of British broadcasting. The service that has been. given over recent years has steadily expanded and reached a pitch of perfection which now commands the general admiration of listeners and all interested in radio broadcasting. There have, of course, been periods of criticism, but the policy pursued has been so thoroughly sound that this criticism has but served to emphasise the general quality of the programmes. The chairman of the Board of Governors for many years was Lord Clarendon, and ably indeed did he discharge his functions. The necessity for finding a. successor to fill his place recently proved the occasion of some little discussion in Britain. One suggestion made was that Sir John Reith, the able Director-General, should himself. become chairman of the Board of Governors. To this exception was taken by influential critics, and we think rightly so. In discussing the point, the "Saturday Review’ put the matter thus: "The B.B.C. is too vital an element in our public life of to-day for it to be released from all safeguards. Sir John Reith is an admirable administrator and one who has the ethical interests of the public at heart. But it is essential that the chairman of the governing body should have no concern with the administrative cares at Savoy Hill, and that he should constitute a court of appeal in the many differences which are certain to arise between the highly intellectual staff and their highly ethical director." That states the question very well indeed, and it may be taken as certain that some one of those brilliantly qualified and distinguished public men in which England is so rich will be selected to succeed Lord Clarendon. . Following on this comment, the "Saturday Review" adds a few sentences which in their way are illuminating. "The B.B.C., as is inevitable," it says, "is exposed to all the odium which assails the possessor of a monopoly. Yet it must be admitted that it provides the British public with a service far better than that furnished either by the dullards at Konigswusterhausen, for hiccups of Hilversum, or the bright advertisements of Eiffel Tower. We do not wish to see any alteration in the staff or direction at Savoy Hill. But we do wish to see someone appointed as chairman who will be in the position to dominate both the staff and the critics of the staff, and to see the wood above the thick.and prickly trees by which it is to-day encumbered." This is a fine tribute indeed to the standard attained by the British Broadcasting Corporation. It shows that the foundation on which the service was built-with all payments by the public under license-is sound indeed, in that it relieves the service from the stigma

of dependence upon advertising revenue, and places the responsibility upon the administrators of giving the public the fullest possible effectiv service in news and culture. Over recent years the mechanical side of the B.B.C. service ha been remodelled in the direction of providing monster stations at some seven points throughout Britain to operate on two wavelengths. The purpose of this is to provide alternative programmes. to permit of listeners. making a selection of the matter to which they shall devote their attention. .On one wavelength is given a programme of one calibre, and on the other a programme of another., Thus those who appreciate solid and classical matter can make their choice, while those who revel in jazz and light-hearted frivolity can gratify their hearts’ desires. This programme became effective as from March 9 last, and it will be interesting to see just how effectively it appeals to the public. One phase of British programmes, the conversational interview, was discussed over the air. To avoid the monotony of a definite statement from one authority extended over a period of, say, fifte or twenty minutes, the policy now is to secure two performers of some. note, and allow the subject to be elucidated by discussi6én between the two in the form of question and answer, idea and counteridea. This is a bright development which has already been adapted in some phases to New Zealand. Another feature of note is the greater use which is being made of gramophone records. The efficiency of reproduction is now so gréat that very extensive use is permissible of records, This ‘factor has already been emphasised to New Zealand audiences, and as further developments are made it will be possible for even greater use to be made of records of classical import.