Our Mail Bag

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 4, 7 August 1931, Page 8

Our Mail Bag

While we welcome the expressed views of listeners on topics pertaining to radio, we ask that these communications be kept to niinimum length, as heavy demands are made upon space. Mere reiteration of arguments cannot be accepted for publication, and we cannot take responsibility for views expressed. Address communications to the Editor, and sign all correspondence, though a nom-de-plume may be used for publication.

Satisfied-More or Less. UNLIKE most of your correspondents, but nevertheless in accord with a large number of listeners, I must commence with an appreciation of prorammes from YA stations, particularly YA, with its length of service. As regards evening programmes, it would seem that the best local talent available is obtained. With the growth in numbers of listeners, and so in revenue, we Jook forward to improvements in service, more especially in regard to orchestras. I consider that a change to Government control would be the most unfortu‘nate policy in the interests of listeners. No effort of the imagination is needed to realise the quality of service we would eventually receive under those conditions. Experience of advertising from Australian stations makes abhorrent any suggestion of its intrusion here. However, 1 am unable to offer any other solution as regards revenue for ‘"B" stations--that is, if it is considered necessary te retain more than half of the present number, which I doubt. It must not be forgotten that they undertook broadcasting with a full knowledge of the conditions of granting licenses. The use of advertising would not add to their popularity. The transmission equipment of YA stations could no doubt be brought more up-to-date. Also, all stations | except 2YA should be provided with much greater power. The provision of efficient stations in the main provincial centres is certainly needed for relaying purposes, also giving local news and sports services at present sadly lacking.-Hopeful.

Broadcasting Control. Rk. H. B. ROBB, secretary of the Orpheus Musical Society, writes to state that his society was not represented at the meeting of the 2YA Musical and Dramatic Committee, which on July 6 passed a resolution condemning any form of political or semi-political control of broadcasting, and urging the Government not to effect any alteration of the existing system. Mr. Robb states that the name of the Orpheus Musical Society should not have been used in connection with the resolution, the matter not having been considered by the society. Down on Hollywood. (CERTAIN features of the morning and afternoon sessions of 2YA have lately aroused my indignation. Iam a housewife, who, occasionally, likes to turn on the wireless in the hopes of hearing something to lessen the monotony of domestic routine. The highly-flavoured, highly-coloured accounts of Hollywood and its "glorious" homes, and "gorgeous" inhabitants, and all the other adjectival superlatives used to describe the wonders of the film colony are boring and tiresome to housewives like myself, who want entertaining ; it is tiresome to have to listen to the glorification of million-dollar-ali-mony film stars, their diet, wardrobes and other idiosyncrasies. Surely there are thousands of worth-while women in the world of whom we could hear. Hollywood described at "land of make-believe," and "romantic," may be quite authentic, particularly when one remembers its extraordinary divorce statistics; I know I chortle in sarcastic humour over the glowing accounts of the hectic, "busy" lives lived there. One cannot help Hollywood, but are we not sufficiently far away from it to ignore certain phases of American life that just do not appeal to us? We have the talkies forever glorifying the American girl; thank goodness one can stay away if necessary. But when you consider the wireless licenses and incidental expenses of owning a set, surely the subscriber is entitled to something a bit more intelligent than the example of Hollywood. .To women like my self it is all so much tommyrot. Why not the lives of a few notable Englishwomen for a change, and by notable, [ do not mean notorious !-Tooth-Grind-er." Advice to YA Services. "THE vast majority of local listeners would, I fully believe, fight hard to prevent the loss of the extra programmes

provided by station 2ZW, as these programmes have taught listeners what radio reception can, and ought, to be. The YA stations must bring their service up to date if they want support from the public, for there is no doubt that some hundreds of licenses would not have been renewed under the old order of things. 2YA has improved a lot since "competition" started, but there is a long way yet to go along the road to perfection. A suggestion for improvement: Cut out two-thirds of the "Jazz-record-fox-trot" stuff, reduce the "news and reports" seetion, as most of it is stale to people who have already read their papers; then either buy a couple of new "mikes." or get present ones overhauled by an expert to try and remove the ‘ ‘rasp" from our popular announcer’s radio voice. Lastly, take a vote among licensed listeners and get a general opinion from this as to what the public really want. and which stations they prefer. Radio to-day is a public necessity, for which the listener pays; he must get what he pays for, or he will stop paying-and then what?-‘Eos.’ Share Quotations. I WOULD > SurRest that at some time between and 1, say, 12.30 p.m., 2YA should interrupt its musical programme for a few minutes and give the morning share quotations. This would be of much henefit to country shareholders, who could then advise their sharebrokers accordingly for the afternoon market. I am sure that such an action would be &rpatly appreciated: by listeners--DX1500C. Appreciation, M4~ I express very sincere appreciation of the performance broadcast by Signor Cesaroni and his operatic company. Despite the absence of orchestral accompaniment, "Cavalleria Rusticana" was most enjoyable, as also was Signor Cesaroni’s singing of the "Pagliacci Prologue." Such performances as these add considerably to one’s enjoyment in this "opera-less" country, and are very wel-eome.-Zedder." Good Reception First. PERHAPS the views of a common type of listener might be helpful. I am one of those whose ideal of radio is 100 per cent. reception. I am not concerned with where it comes from, whether from long distance or only across the street, so long as the reception is clear and undistorted without marked fading. In my district, reception is far from satisfactory at the

== time when I can settle to listen in, viz., between 8 and 10 p.m. I have no complaint regarding the quality of programmes, They are excellent, but in the evenings reception. is not usually good, and 2YA is quite impossible to listen-in to on account of distortion, while the other three YA stations fade rather badly. On the other hand, the two Palmerston stations come through perfectly (when they are going), and really they are the brignt spots of, my radio experience. The moral of this is, that it appears that if one is to have the radio playing like a high-class gramophone all the time, the signals must eome from a station fairly close. Whatever system, Government or otherwise, that can supply this for me will have my wholehearted support. If it cannot be done without a degree of advertising, weil I must say that some advertising would not worry me nearly so much as the poor reception we get here. In the map published in the "Record" a few weeks ago, proposed relay stations were shown, but Palmerston was not mentioned. This was a disappointment, as f am. convinced that listeners like myst who enjoy the music for its own sakeg against the mere experiment of getting signals from distant places, will never get satisfaction here until it is relayed from an adjacent station. So far as I am concerned, what I have heard of a foreign stations, particularly American, . leads me to the conclusion that the dismal, heartbreaking: wails that pass for music from them had better be excluded from my set, and left to travel. along the heavyside layer without any effort to drag them down on my part. Good music and clear speech from close distance will’'do me, and I am sure there are many thousands who would back me up in this, and these will undoubtedly supnort the system which can make that

possible.-

A. J.

Fairweather