Things Are Too Easy

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 37, 27 March 1931, Page 7

Things Are Too Easy

Says a Correspondent

Radio Should Be Used While Clouds Obscure "The Sunshine Of Prosperity

This article had its origin in a more or less personal letter to "Switch," and for that reason the writer’ name cannot be disclosed. The views expressed will certainly provide food for thought.-Ed.

‘HE Ormandy Orchestra and the International Singers I can dismiss with one wordexcellent. ' The _melody-mak-ers, good light music, but rather much announcer, Hy Wide, we all like his singing much better than his spoken parts,. although his boyish trick of. ang ghost yarns until both his own an@ Yandsome’s hair stood on end wash unny. Do you notice that when he sings he shows no accent? Then with the Lockharts, I think T’ll do a bit of analysis here. Frankly I did not like the very first presentation of them, for I thought it was going to turn into a sickly sentimental tale. It has turned out differently. It is certainly sentimental, a little oldfashioned, very human, and altogether delightful. They seem to hold up: the mirror to each one of us and invite us to have a laugh at ourselves. Now, mother has old dad nieely . wound round her little finger, and unfeignedly enjoying it. Dad is maintaining a strictly judicial air, but at heart. the old sinner i8 enjoying it immensely, and making everyone else enjoy it too. .Wveryone who heard him last night is Wwery anxious to hear how he gets on in the Big Smoke. There should be some really wholesome fun to follow. Last night I followed -Lockharts’ diction very closely,. as. just a little previously I had been listening to the visiting American athletes speaking from 4YA. There was certainfy a marked difference in-favour of the Lockharts. Though Lockharts’ vowel sounds are rather broader than ours he never slurred a consonant, and has a pleasing delivery. I do not think that he diverges any farther from academic English than we do. He is better than his announcer. One thing I do hope is that Cecil and ‘Sally are safely on the road back to Yankee Land. One thing about the programme that should be of assistance to the company is the American way of arranging it. They give variety ranging from the*dlassics to the latest hits, and do not give too much of any one item at once. Now to get down to serious busi-ness-the use of radio in elevat-. ing and sustaining the people while the clouds are obscuring the sunshine of prosperity. We require more of the spirit of the old pioneers. Black as some people would make things appear we have many, many advantages that those sturdy old men :nd women never dreamed of. They had less of the world’s goods than we have nowworked harder for less and yet had more real happiness than. we know. They had their ups and ‘downs the Anme as we, but kept stendily on and did not waste time mourning over the might-have-beens. cs . We have the same blood in onr veins and if we really try.we can do the same again. Lately .we have grown soft because we got things too easily. Now we must realise that

though we cannot afford a ride in motor-cars (foreign and imported) our legs are,still sound and would be none the worse of a little exercise. Honestly I do not think radio is doing anything like what it could do in this direction. I should like to see the company instilling a dour gaiety into our people-a dour determination to get on with our jobs, and do our damdest and an unconquerable gaiety — so that every time we get a bump we come up again smiling and ready © for another go. This spirit, if persevered in, mi ht persuade timorous and bewildered. n-

anciers to ease up the exchange rates and loosen the purse-strings a bitotherwise we might become energetic enough to find a means of doing without them when they would become more timid and bewildered than: ever. Just fancy the high kings of finance being on the unemployed lista joke for the gods. Broadcasting could ‘do much by judicial arrangement of programmes. Musie from the great masters to the pipes, community singing, lectureties

on how to get the best out of ourselves and out of life generally; also lecturettes on technical subjects similar to those for the man on the jJand from 4YA. (I notice farmers doing things recommended by the lecturer.) These technical lecturettes would require two specialists-one who _lectures and another one who is weil acquainted with the difficulties that arise in actual practice so that we could find out the best way of overcoming them. With the exception of community singing a time limit of 15 minutes on any one type of item would be a good idea. By this means we would get variety, for we are just ordinary men and women, and those who are serving us are more or less specialists in their own particular line. The company have no easy job on hand catering for all. Then I should think that from the shape of our land. and its rugged physical features it is mot an ideal one for transmission pur‘poses. Again, we have localities that do not ‘suit for ‘reception. I cannot get results from 4YA after about sunset owing to the air and earth waves not; synchronising. Our company has to run four stations, whereas 2BL and 2¥C can serve a far larger population on two central stations. The former must necessarily be less economical to run. Yet it has its advantages especially to the hardworked farmer. He can get the results of the sales at his local markets of Burnside and Addington straight away, and know without suspense

whether he needs to take another hole. up in his belt or not. Centralisationtends to, efficiency and economy in working, but is apt to give us a stereo-° typed set of programmes. Would it be possible to give 1 and 3YA higher power and for the northern people a bit to 4YA. This brings us to the crux of the whole question-ways and means, ~ Control must rest with a single body-dual control often means no control at all, To give the best the company must have security of tenure over a con--siderable period with no interference from bumbledom. | Its income is & stri¢tly finite amount, and after. pay-.. ing working expenses, upkeep, etc., it. is entitled to a reasonable remuneration for its services, so that we can-. not expect it to make everything perfect at once. For myself, I am opposed to Government control What would happen if broadcasting were controlled by party politicians? In these days one can _ say it is axiomatic that no one would accuse the professional party politician of being a tower of courage and strength. We should be forced to listen to the bletherings of pale pink» or purple whichever happered to. be top dog at the time. . It might have one ‘good ultimate effect in that we should become so tired of them thatwith apologies for misquoting the late O. Cromwell-a mighty voice would go up-‘Blow that frothy bubble _ away. , _ Again as for departmental eontrol if’, we wanted anything we should be referred to Reg. 1995432, Sections A to Z% and Alpha to Omega par. 596, line 7. Everything would be so nicely cuddled in pretty pink tape topped off with beautiful red sealing wax that anything vital and lusty would be reduced to that moribund state which is so dear to the atrophied soul of the bureaucrat. , When the Government can efficiently carry out its primary duty of governing the country it will be so busy: that it will not have time to run other businesses for which it was never intended. .

Concerted Numbers Tuesday, M ar3l