Our Mail Bag

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 28, 22 January 1932, Page 6

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.

Programme Points. OUR paragraph in the last issue announcing that the international programmes are to be withdrawn "as part of the policy of the board," makes one exceedingly apprehensive regarding the remainder of, the board’s polNey. For my own part, and I think I am voicing the opinion of hundreds of listeners, I considered these programmes on average Very superior to the majority of the programmes sttbmitted from local talent. My set is used fully three hundred nights in the , and on numerous occasions over recent months have I been thankful to tune in on that YA station from which the international programme was being broadcast in preference to any of the other three stations. Such orchestral combinations as that of Dr. Ormandy and the Vitaphone, the Lockhart series, Adam and Eve, Hy-wide and Handsome, The Mirth Quakers, The Flying Song Squadron, the dance orchestras, and even the lighter vaudeville groups provided excellent entertainment. Many of these one was willing and satisfied to hear twice rather than listen to local programmes, Why then discontinue them for "high-class recordings"? Rather I suggest a more sensible policy would be to replace our second-rate artists with recordings, but continue broadcasting such interesting and entertaining series as have been provided by the international programmes.

One next point (the Radio board 15 not this time the culprit) relates to the weekly programmes published in the "Record." Recently the dinner music items and also those of the dance session have been discontinued. Relating to the former, this is my favourite sesgion, first because it is instrumental, which I prefer particularly at meal times, and secondly because it consists of well-chosen recordings and not local talent. Surely for the sake of a page in the "Record" you could allow listeners the opportunity of selecting which programme they will tune in to before sitting down to dinner. This is not a criticism, as I presume you had some yeason for discontinuing the old sys--tem, but rather is a plea from one who greatly enjoys the dinner session, particularly when he has a selection of four programmes in front of him from which to choose. {The programmes are published as supplied and with our contributor we trust the details desired can be re-placed.-Ed.] Coming now to the questiou-Pro-grammes of the future? No doubt our board will be largely guided by the programme policy of the old company. On. the whole there was little to complain of in the excellent service given. My only criticism is again that too much second-rate local talent was used at the four stations. This applied particularly to vaudeville turns, vocalists and so-called humorists. With the reeent development of the gramophone industry an abundant supply of the

world’s best talent of all types is ayvailable ou records, perfectly recorded and reproduced and selling at a price lower than even the cheapest item by New Zealand artists. Why not then use this talent in place of repeating so often these. familiar but unsatisfying yoices? Mine is not a wail from a dearth of talent in New Zealand. J think for one million and a half people we are wonderfully supplied with firstclass singers and instrumentalists, but there are not enough of them to keep four stations supplied 865 days in the vear. When we have the best of Euro-

pean and American talent available in such a cheap and perfectly recorded form, why not use it? As an indication of the type of programme or item preferred by listeners. I suggest that the Board, through the "Record," takes a census of licenseholders. I purposely would restrici one yote only to each license, but would allow it to be cast by any member of the family of the license-holder. Enclosed is a draft voting paper which would give a useful guide. Special items such as church services, sports broadeasts, news and lectures have been deleted and the form restricted to entertainment services. Finally, would it not be possible for each station to institute a "special request" service? Listeners could then weekly indicate (on a special form to be forwarded to the local YA station) which item they had preferred in the previous week’s programme, The item having most preferences could be repeated and, incidentally, a guide as to the public’s tastes and preferences would be given.-D. Macdonald, Christchurch. Interrupting a Play. M* wife and I listened on Tuesday " eyening to the very fine play froin 2YA; "Oliver Cromwell," and we congratulate Mr. Lloyd and his able company for allowing us to have the privilege of hearing this fine drama over the air. We were disgusted to hear at S47 p.m. that the play would be held up for about twenty minutes so that a relay could be put on from the Ninety Mile Beach. I quite appreciate

the fact that. this relay was probably arranged prior to the play, and also that the event is of outstanding importance to many listeners, and also that it was probable that the actual race would have been run several days before had conditions been satisfactory, but I think that it was neither fair to listeners nor players to have to wait for such a long time over the interval. Moreover, after carefully giving ‘us the correct "atmosphere? of over 800 years ugo, and then to get suddenly whirled into modern days of racing motor-cars was in my opinion not a good arrangement on the part of the 2YA officials. What Mr. Lloyd and his company were thinking at the time I can only guess! I make the suggestion that in similar circumstances in the future no other matter be placed over the air during :t play, unless it should be of grave national importance. In the past plays have been given from 2¥A, and not even the weather report was put over during the actual performance. We get very few plays over the air, and I think that Messrs. Lloyd and Montague should be assisted in their efforts in this direction and not hampered by such relays or other matters as the one complained of. One would think that the race was of terrible "national" importance, even though we are all interested in Mr. Smith’s attempt-L. J. Retallick.