The General Manager Expresses His Views on Radio of the Future

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 9, 12 September 1930, Page 7

The General Manager Expresses His Views on Radio of the Future

Impressions of the American Tour

}HILH in America, Mr. Har- | ris’s interest naturally centred jin New York, the metropolis f,of broadcasting in U.S.A. He Hf Visited all studios and was aeiicordially welcomed everywhere. A hearty greeting and & warm reception are typical of American broadcasting stations, When questioned as to his impressions concerning the American stations, Mr. Harris said that the New Zealand studios compared very favourably with those overseas-surprisingly 80. However, upon _ consideration, he remarked, this was not so surprising, as New Zealand, because it had been late into the field, had profited by the experience of other countries, with the result that the New chery Ww stations were up to date in way. '"One’s impressions on first entering an American studio are soon revised," said Mr. Harris. "One has stepped into a veritable hive of busyness. People are hurrying about, here, there and everywhere, officials and artists are there in all stages of dress and desha-bile-of course, it. was very hot when I was there. The fastidiously dressed performed alongside the unconventional in the most democratie way imaginable. But after one has been there for: a while he realises that it is all not quite so chaotic as it seemed, and that the different atmosphere which perwades the studios and infinences the artists is due to the different basis, namely, sponsored programmes, on which the services are run. "For instance. an orchestra which has been engaged to give a programme in the interests of some advertising firm. The members will be practising in a studio. waiting their cue to go on the air. When the warning light shows, they commence immediately. play the ten or fifteen minutes for which they have been engaged, and then stop. Their interest in broadcasting seems to be finished. Al! that has concerned them has been to fnlfil their contract to the satisfaction of the firm sponsoring them and to the advertising agency which engaged them. . "The brordeasting station. its equipment and staff seem to be nothing to them, for they have not been engaged by the broadcasting company. It is this feature that accounts for the difference noticed during the broadcasting of a concert in an American studio." Procramme Rerordings. "NOt all the programme organising is done by the American _ stajons, this being confined tu filling in ne intervals between such portions of the service as were sponsored by advertising firms. Blectrical transcripts play an important part in the service and in addition there were any number of commercial gramophone records. Recordings for sponsored programmes were made and sent to the hundreds of stations throughout the States, so it did not follow that one heard the actual ‘artists when one listened in-it might be the human performer or it might be a recording. Naturally, records containing any reference to advertising would not be acceptable in New Zealand so that limited the supply of such recordings available for | this country. He had, however, been successful in making arrangements which would enable New Zealand listeners to get an idea of the type of programmes broadcast in America. The records to be broadcast from the YA.stations WI) be securdisgs by artists

of wide reputation. After all, all the prominent artists of the world find their way to New York at some time or other, and the recordings to come to New Zealand will not be restricted to performances by American artists." S has been previously stated, Mr. Harris specially interested himself in respect to procuring supplies of recorded programmes for broadcast from the New Zealand stations, The limi-

tations as. regards. the population of this country, together with the nominal license fee paid by listeners, make it financially impossible to consider the matter of importing artists or building up costly professional combinatiuns for broadeast entertaimnent.

On the other hand, it is apparent that if the company can obtain satisfactory electrical recordings of programme matter performed for broadcast in the larger countries, it can give its listeners a diversity of entertainment as great as that in other parts of the world. In addition, and providing satisfactory and acceptable recordings are available as well as efficient reproducing equipment, electrical transcription has much to commend it. In direct studio performance there is a commercial limit to the amount of rehearsing that can be undertaken, as_ the actual studio performance in broadeasting is more or less restricted to one continuous performance; whereas in the ordinary theatre, the same performance may run into days or weeks at a time. Programmes for electrical recording on the other hand can be rehearsed and improved before production, and are

required to be performed only once at their highest rendition to make them available to the public in their very best and highest forms. This applies not only to the standard of actual] performance and the engagement of the world’s best talent, but also to the studio placings and procedure generally. As these are taken care of during the recording, any attention to those factors is quite unnecessary during the

‘actual broadcast performance. It is also made possible ty obtain for local broadcast, material that would not otherwise be available to New Zealand listeners.

With regard to this matter, added Mr, Harris, the company had for the past two years been in continual negotiation, through its consultant in America, with many prospective sources of supply for recordings and . within the last six months the pros pects of obtaining requirements have been very encouraging. Jt was, therefore, with the view to finalising arrangements that he has _ visited America, Trans-Atiantic Telephony. JN New York Mr. Harris inspected the terminal station of the American Telegraph and Telephone Company. This company has available four routes for working London, including one for working the mail steamers and also an extra one for working with Buenos Aires. All are of different wavelengths for use at different times of the day. One of the circuits, however, is a long Morse and is found to be the most reliable. Two-way conversation can be carried on and tele phone subscribers ring up anywhere in the United States or Canada and cone verse with a second party in England. The trans-Atlantic talk costs 30 dollars (£6) for three minutes, plus land-line toll at either end. Interruption on account of fading, distortion and such like is checked up and not charged for. The conversation carried on is not intelligibie other than through the company’s telephone for the talking is re versed at the terminal station at each end before transmission, so that any listener picking up the station would experience considerable difficulty in making any sense of what was being spoken. "Talking with the operator at Buenos Aires, I found conversation as easy as on a local telephone call," said Mr. Harris, "but notwithstanding the results obtained and the clarity of the transmission, I was given to under stand that this method of telephoning is not as satisfactory as a direct line, and the company is at the present time laying an 1800-mile submarine telephone cable from Newfoundland to Wngland so that the company will be in the position to assure telephone conversation between Hngland and America equal to local connections. It was also intimated that the company has proposals for a shortwave commercial telephone service between the United States and Hawaii, and look forward to continuing the system through to New Zealand. ‘

A RELAY OF THE WELLINGTON | RPOLLO SINGERS’ First Concert of the 1930-31 Season will be carried out by 2YA from the Concert Chamber, Town Hall ON SEPTEMBER 20. Conductor: Mr. H. Temple White