Dunedin Radio Exhibition

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 42, 1 May 1931, Page 3

Dunedin Radio Exhibition

Series of Relays and Rebroadcasts ‘at Opening

HE third annual Dunedin Radio Bxhibition opened on S| Wednesday, April 21, and SN: continued for three days. It was a display that for general arrangements and variety of exhibits excelled the two previous shows. The exhibition was organised. by the Otago RaFio Association in. co-operation with radio dealers and the. Broadcast‘Company. The whole of the e concert programmes ‘were the responsibility of the Broadcasting Company. As two halls were. required, the exhibition was held in the Pioneers’ and Barly Settlers’ Halls. The display of. sets could. not fail to bring home to.all visitors the present perfection of radio equipment. Sets to suit all pockets were on view-fronm tiny crystal sets to imposing cabinets. ‘While battery sets seem still to be popular, there was .naturally.a marked predominance of the all-electric. . Sitting before a microphone in 2YA studio, the Hon. J. B. Donald, Post-master-General, officially opened the exhibition.. His remarks were broadcast by 2¥A, picked up at 3YA, and en relayed to 4YA. 4YA’s transmission was in turn broadcast. at the exhibition. " "Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen in Dunedin,‘T HAVE much pleasure in responding to the invitation so kindly extended to me, to offer a few remarks upon the opening of the Third Otago Radio Exhibition," said the Minister. "The science of radio communication in all its phases is undoubtedly being developed on sound lines; and today has reached such a stage of progress that it is difficult to forecast what the future may have in store. At the outset I desire to say that it is quite recognised that societies such as the Otago Radio Association perform a useful function in keeping the publiggabreast of advances that are being ii; and in assisting to create interest ia the technique generally of radio comraunication, "In New. Zealand, which may he called one of the outposts of our Hmpire, the immense value of radio as a means of world communication is peculiarly appreciated. I need only refer. to broadcasts of outstanding events in other parts of the world which: are now becoming quite frequent, and may even: be considered to be an established part of our broadeasting system. "Though ‘not altogether germane to broadcasting, the opening of the radiotelephone service between New Zealand and- Australia, and the projected "extension of the service at an early te to the United Kingdom and other cotntries, may be accepted as examples of the progress being made in radio communication and the bridging of the wide distances separating New Zealand from other countries. The broadcasting serviceis now accepted as prac-

tically a permanent factor in our social life. ‘By its means, entertainment ‘and instruction may-~be brought ‘into the homes. of almost every one, no matter how isolated may be their situation. "As an indication of the growth of receiving licenses in New Zealand during the past five years, I would quote the following figures :-

"These figures may be taken as positive proof of the popularity’ of broadcasting as a national service, and may perhaps be regarded as further proof of the fact that the best radio apparatus may be obtained in the Dominion. I am not in a position to view at the present moment the various types of apparatus on view in your exhibition, but perhaps in a few years, or less, the new and marvellous service of television will enable a view to be obtained from this studio. ""T have no doubt that the best efforts of those concerned in the manufacture and supply of radio apparatus will be concentrated upon producing sets which embody the most up-to-date features and at a cost within the scope of moderate means.

"J wish all success to the exhibition, and trust that it will be the means of further popularising broadcasting In the Otago district, and now have much pleasure in declaring the exhibitioa officially open. ? Editor-Announcer of R.B.C. Speake. ME. JOHN BALL, editor-announcer of the Radio Broadcasting Company, then spoke :- "t the absence from the city of Mr. A. R. Harris, general manager of the Broadcasting Company, I would take the opportunity on his behalf of extending to the radio dealers of Dunedin the greetings and best wishes .of the Broadeasting Company for the success of the exhibition which they have organised. In Dunedin, exhibitions always are a success, financially and otherwise, and the one that has been opened to-day by the Hon. Donald will be no exception to the rule. "As usual the Broadcasting Company is co-operating with the radio dealers, and has taken up the responsibility of providing the evening concert programmes. Dunedin is first in the field with the 1931 exhibitions. The dates for Auckland and Wellington have already been announced, and Christchurch will no doubt follow suit. Every year sees increased interest in broadeasting. There are now over 60,000 tae

licensed listeners-or there were, on March 31. Five years ago, when the Broadcasting Company first began operations, there were not as many thousands as could be counted on the fingers of one hand.* That alone is an indication of the growing importance of the broadcast service. "Broadcasting is the greatest economie and social factor in the life of the people to-day.. It is the greatest and most economical of entertainers for the home. In times of prosperity radio shares in the boom, in times of depression it should be more than ever in demand, for it provides entertainment at a minimum of cost-at one penny a day. And entertainment is not a luxury but a necessity. "One of the reasons why people like to listen to the radio is because’ it is cheerful. They can always hear some programme that will lift them out of the gloom that sometimes comes with business depression and unemployment. Rverybody would like to forget that once in a while and think about something cheerful. Radio gives them this something. It is to be noted that all the modern things which make life worth the living have. come as a resut of scientific research. While business has been halting, science has been marching forward, and has been getting (Continued on page 29.) = ae

2YA Listeners bid Au Revoir to Hy-Wide and 1 Handsome _.

Next Week 2YA begins a new series ' of International Programmes, » but these two vaudeville artists _ can still be heard from |YA and 4YA. Listen for the new 2YA series this week. Mons

Dunedin Radio Exhibition

(Gontinued from page 3.) ready a host of new things which" people will want, and which will put_ more people to work. Not the least. of these are in the field of radio. "This year, therefore, we anticipate witnessing a steady advance in radio’ in New Zealand. The service which the Broadcasting Company gives has been steadily keeping abreast of the public’s . response. "BKvery year has seen a great exten- . sion in hours and in the standard of the entertainment and information . broadcast. Last year, for instance, that is, the year ending March 31, the four YA stations were transmitting for ap-

proximately 9400 hours. In that period of time there were 6250 different ses-sions-afternoon sessions, news sessions, children’s sessions, dinner music, evening concerts, church services, sporting relays, overseas re-broadcasts, and others. One-third of the total number of hours were devoted to evening entertainments. The afternoon concerts occupied more than one-fifth of the service. The hours devoted to musical items totalled 5070. "Anyone curious to know how many individual items were sung or played during that period is thus provided with an interesting arithmetical problem. If a total number of items in the vicinity of 70,000 be arrived at, the calculator can consider himself not far wrong. During the past year, 31 rebroadcasts of overseas stations were carried out. Next to the concert programmes, the children’s sessions claimed most time, then came the dinner music, after that the news sessions. Sporting broadcasts, numbering 180 from all stations, represented 6.8 of the total broadcast hours, and church broadcasts 3.3. "The Broadcasting Company’s service is a happy mixture of information and entertainment, and an endeavour is made .-.to cater for all tastes some of the time, for it is not possible to please all tastes all of the time. Lately, the Broadcasting Company has lent its seryice to the Department of Education for the purpe:e of broadcasting lecture-lessons to the schools throughout New Zealand. Every Tuesday afternoon, from 2 to 8, these broadcasts by officers of the Department of Education take place. This is but the embryo stage of education by the aid of radio broadcasting. . "A few months ago we at 2YA had the pleasure of introducing to listeners an interesting departure in the way of. entertainment. I refer to the inter-. national programmes which are broadcast every Wednesday evening. The presentation of these exclusive programmes was made possible by the visit which Mr. Harris made overseas last year, when he arranged for the provision of feature attractions, recorded hy artists of international re-

pute. So, popular have these Wednesday evening programmes been, that im deference to many requests it has been decided to broadcast them from 1YA, Auckland, and 4YA, Dunedin. The first broadcast will take place from Dunedin on Monday, May 11. "In respect to programmes generally, I might say that. the efforts of the Broadcasting Company in the direction of Securing entertainment for listeners are unceasing. The difficulties in the way are very great. The Broadcasting Company enlists the services of the best available artists in New Zealand. Last year, for. instance, over 1500 contributed to the programmes, quite apart from bands, orchestras and other combinations. "In conclusion, I would again, on behalf of the general manager and staff of the Broadcasting Company, congratulate the radio dealers of Dunedin on their enterprise and extend to them our best wishes for the success of the exhibition." Co, .

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