From the Other Man's Point of View

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 46, 30 May 1930, Page 3

From the Other Man's Point of View

Radio from Different Angles

By

CALLUP

OR want of something to do, I picked up the "Record" and glanced through the "Mailbag" page. I was amused and interested, not by the individual views, but by the diversity when they were taken as a whole. They ‘were remarkable, yt most of them literally tearing the othey .chap to pieces and convinced beyond a doubt that they themselves were right-and that gave me the inspiration. "From the Other

Man’s Point of View’ would make a fine streamer ‘across the page of a "Radio Record," so, picking out half a dozen people of interest jin the radio world in these parts, I pestered them with the question: "What is your view on radio?" As I expected, each was different and hoe Ww* H radio in its widest sense-as a factor of education-I saw Mr. N. M. Richmond, director of the W.B.A., Auckland. "Wducation," he said, "to many people is a forbidding term, but I think that is because few people know what it means. Unless we are mentally dead we cannot stop learning so long as we have experience of life in all its phases. Our daily work (unless if is mere routine), our hobbies, the novels we read, the plays we see, the talkies, travel, our arguments with our wives, all these things and many others are .... aspects of education. Suppose you meet a friend over a fireside and a pipe some winter evening, and enjoy a talk into the small hours on some topic or topics on which each of you is able to draw the other out-it may be the merits of gardening or mountaineering or football, the influence of the

talkies or the remedies for unemployment, or some question of politics, religion, or science. "Whether you like it or not this talk has been part of your education; and the education in which I am interested is largely education by discussion. ‘This kind of education, as a W.H.A. leader said recently, is ‘an adventure upon which a group of men and women are embarked together. For the educational ladder, up which the solitary student climbed alone, we tried to substitute the highway, where there was room for them to meet and march together. "In place of the lecture patiently endured by the audience, the W.H.A. created the tutorial class, a co-operative effort to which every member brought his own contribution of experience. "Now. it is easy to see the immense contribution which broadcasting can make to this ‘common adventure. First is the value of the spoken word. : There are thousands of people who have © little access: to books, and few opportunities

of keeping abreast of what is being thought in the world. But they will listen to intelligent talk which puts them into touch with this larger world. "This widens the field of work for such movements as the W.E.A., since listeners frequently go on to a serious study of the questions they have heard discussed over the air. But the greatest use’for broadcasting in this aspect is through the formation of definite groups of listeners who are prepared to meet and discuss some series of talks on a particular subject, and keep in touch with the speaker all along by correspondence. "It is this method which we are now trying to develop in the W.H.A., and through which we hope to ‘meet’ intellectually many who are beyond the range of ordinary W.E.A. activities."

(GRAMOPHONE and radio have been much associated of late and I have wondered how the gramophone people are regarding the affinity. According to Mr. Karl Atkinson; who expresses his point of view in regard’ to’ radio, there are "gramo-fiends and gramophiles." These latter, among whom le may be numbered, are musical people who value the gramophone as a means of hearing good music, and not, like the gramo-fiend, because it is an easy instrument to make a tune with. Mr. Atkinson is well qualified to express an opinion on radio on behalf of gramophone enthusiasts. His regular record recitals from 1YA are one of the most popular features on that station’s programmes, and he is associated with a leading Auckland gramophone business. Moreover, he is a musician. "Some days ago an old musical friend told me that wireless had some very bitter enemies. Had he added that those. who are against wireless are almost sure to be against the gramophone, I would have believed him. However, the opponents of both these modern utilities are fast growing fewer. They are of a type that bob up serenely every time a new innovation is introduced. Die-hard tories opposed popular education on the ground that we would sr become a nation of forgers; the same -school fought humanitarian legislation and the ‘antislavery movement because they thought such measures might interfere with the profits of industry.. Humanised industry pays the best _ dividends to-day. : "The latest attack on wireless and the gramophone emanates from Sir Charles Beecham, who, despite his many fine broadcast concerts -and imposing array of brilliant recordings, declares that ‘wireless and the gramophone are the merest. parasites on the musical body, and in the essential art of making music they have _never given a farthing’s worth of help.’ He

RAPIO is ever stretching out and embrac ing what was once far beyond its sphere. It is becoming complex and vital to our age. Each new acquisition sees radio from a different anglefundamentally its own, yet unmistakably coloured by the new influence. Each becomes a different part of the new whole and if this. must function perfectly there must be complete harmony between the parts.

From Different Angles. Concluded from page 3.

prophesies that the time is coming when broadcasting will fade to an insignificant position as far as music is concerned. In other words: ‘Bxit Beecham enter . Chaos.’ "As a broadcasting gramophone lec-ture-recitalist in a distant domjnion, my experience teaches me to go to the gramophone for musie impossible to hear in any other way ; that it educates the general public to a sense of values somewhat discomforting to the superior musical persons who sneer at ‘mechanical music’; that it is an educational factor with stupendous potentialities; and that its. devotees are impatient of mediocrity, having tasted the joys of finished artistic performance. "With all this to its credit can anyone logically refuse to recognise the fact that it is an almost indispensable adjunct to wireless, specially in a country of -. limited musical talent? For the last three montis I have arranged (apart from the evening programmes) 1YA Brunswick ‘studio programmes for every Tuesday afternoon, and Parlophone studio programmes for alternate Sunday afternoons, using upwards of 500 different items without repetition of a single number, With a list of 15,000 titles to cull from the standard gramophone record catalogues there is no need for monotony or lack of interest, The N.Z. Radio Broadcasting Coy. is following a proven policy in this respect, as the British Broadcasting Corporation pay records a handsome tribute in their liberal use. After all for us in. New Zealand, is it not better to have a -broadcast recital of an opera from records than no opera at all? My occasional .contact with listeners convinces me that despite this latest "pill" from Beecham, it is in the best interests of the musical enlightenment of the public to continue providing the world’s bést .music by the world’s best musicians per medium of the’ gramophone and wireless. ROBABLY the man who is most interested in radio is he who relies on it for livelihood, and into this class the dealer bulks largest. So I went to see one of the livest wires in Auckland, Mr. A. C. Tucker, president of. the Auckland Radio Dealers’ Association. "It is absolutely essential that the radio dealers and the Radio Broadeasting Company work in with each other. The importance of this-'co-operation cannot be too greatly stressed." Mr. Tucker particularly emphasised this point. "I believe that the ‘trade’ can have a very decided influence on the progress of radio in this country, and oir association is certainly doing all it can to help and foster radio here. The trouble and expense which we went to in connection with Rear-Admiral Byrd’s broadcast to school children can be quoted as an example of our efforts. It is against our own interests to pour destructive criticism on the broadcasting authorities, but there are certain in the sérvice which we naiurally desire:

"The most important, from our\, ~ point of view, is the extension of #" the broadcasting. hours. We woul also like to see an increase in power from the local station. "I suggest that, in view of the pre sent large number of unemployed professional musicians, a@ good service would be done to the community if many of these were engaged for broadcasting. Listeners would appreciate new interpretations, and new numbers, and it would be helping a good cause. "In my opinion the time has come for the establishment of a definite advisory board which would give the different interested’ parties more direct; representation in the control of broadcasting in New Zealand. The R.B.C. has several tim stated its willingness to co-operate in any effort to further the interests of broadcasting, and I suggest that one of the best ways they could do so would be by supporting such a commnittee. "The committee should consist of representatives of the R.B.0., the Government, the "B" class stations, the listeners, and the dealers." JN another issue I am going to relate other views that I have encountered. To conclude this part, I shall give you my impressions; I am sure you would like to hear them. I used to consider radio merely @ novel and. wonderful form of entertainment. Like many other listeners I know I first listened because of the novelty and wonder of radio. The music and speech came in poorly-more, » often than not in those old. daysheadphones were uncomfortable, sets were expensive and imperfect, but the fact that one could hear in one’s own home speech or music uttered in a distant place unconnected by even a wire, intrigued me. I was entertained by listening, certainly, but the programmes in those days hardly deserve the credit for that. It was the fact that I was hearing, not what I was hearing, that entertained me. This stage passed. The novelty wore off, and familiarity lessened my wonder, but I still listened. By then I had come to value the actual programmes as a form of entertainment. Naturally I did not find them perfect, but there were always some parts which I really enjoyed, or which brought something fresh into my life. Frankly, however, at this stage I still considered the gramophone superior to thé: wireless as @ source of entertainment. ; Finally came the third and on foe stage. Now I value broadcasting*not only.as a. means of pleasant entertainment, but as an almost necessary amenity in my home. Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but I believe that if I had to choose between a house with no wireless‘and one with no hot water service, I’ would take the latter and have my radio. To me, now, then, radio means a concert chamber, theatre, and lecture hall in my own drawing room. More than that, it acts as a newspaper, an educationalist, and, most important of all, & homemaker.