Our Mail Bag

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 35, 11 March 1932, Page 10

Our Mail Bag

While we welcome the expressed views of listeners on topics pertaining to radio, we ask that these communications be kept to minimum length, as heavy demands are made upon space. Mere reiteration of arguments eznnot 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. |

"Not in the Know." WOULD like to reply to "Not in the Trade" for so kindly saying such nasty things about me as an unselfish "squealer." I am glad he signs himse!f "Not in the Trade," but how much better "Not in the Know" would have looked at the bottom of his letter. In spite of his nasty criticisms of "birds" like me, I would like to endorse his views. He seems to be labouring under a trivial misapprehension as to the purport of my original contribution. I admitted that I did not think thai the funds of the Broadcasting Board would stretch to the extent of allowing @ subsidy to be paid to city "B" stations. Country "B" stations obvious!y have prior consideration. What I did Say, and what I still say, is that I hoped that the board could relax the advertising regulations a little so that the Services of stations such as 2ZW and 3Z0 would not have to be curtailed, I am still certain that 95 per cent. of Wellington listeners would sooner listen to 2ZW with a little advertising than be forced to listen to 2YA with no advertising. I know that 2YA, being the most powerful New Zealand broadcaster, performs a valuable service to country listeners, but if town listeners would prefer to listen to "super programmes" ("Not in the Trade’s" phrase) from 2ZW, why can’t we have them? I am not asking that even sixpence of "Not in the Trade’s" license fee be diverted to support the station. "Not in the Trade,", be fair! Imagine us without "B" class stations. Imagine broadcasting as a State monopoly! By competition we progress. By mono-

polies we retrogress.-

DX42W

(Oam-

aru).

Vance Session Wanted. ON Tuesday evenings 3YA is silent, and 3ZC is apparently off the air. On this evening also, 1, 2, and 4YA all

close down at 10 p.m., and no daneze music session is available. On Wednesday nights both 3 and 4YA are on the air until 11 p.m. Could not 2 or 4YA put on an hour’s dance music from 10 p.m. for Christchurch listeners?-

C. H.

Iles

(Christchurch),

Restricted Advertising Suggested. WHEN we buy our daily or evening paper, as a rule we pay for 75 per cent. advertising matter. Nobody minds. Needless to say the average reader scans the ads., and derives ua certain amount of benefit in doing so. We have been waiting on the radio authorities to come to light with a policy on broadcasting, and I think a humble listener ought to be pardoned if he suggests a policy for them. Here it is-in brief: (1) All radio broadcasters to have a minimum output of 250 watts; (2) a separation of 10 kilocycles between all stations except when time-sharing; (3) broadcast schedule to contain not more than 20 per cent. of time in advertising; (4) all licenses to be reduced to 10/- per annum, and the money so derived to be used for the purposes of control and administration of radio solely by a commission (such as in U.S.A.). In connection with this recommendation, I wish to say that I have listened lately to American stations advertising during their broadcast schedules, and have been as much interested in their ads. as in the entertainment part of their

programme:

James

Bain

{Port Chal-

mers).

Hints to Teachers. AS a keen and enthusiastic listener I would like to express my views on the present position. Most of your correspondents are attacking the Broadcasting Board, but I think that if the board were offered some helpful ‘suggestions we would be getting somewhere. ‘There is certainly a larger variety of entertainment in a recorded programme, but why should a country like New Zealand have to import its entertainment? To cut out all local talent would be a ecalamity. The ladies and gentlemen who are training our entertainers are the culprits. They should realise that conditions to-day are very (different from 20 years ago. Before broadcasting became general an entertainer had to face a very critical audience in a large hall, and then only two or three times a year. Their general appearance, facial expression, etc., were all studied, and they were not their natural selves, When entertaining father and mother and the family at home they could sit down at the Piano and play or sing in a totally

different manner. Now, sir, this is the form of entertainment they should be giving us to-day. There is far too much orchestral work. We do not usually have a full orchestra in the sitting-room at home. More instrumental solo work and songs at the piano, with a fair proportion of simplee and humorous entertainment, is generally looked for. Thousands of young people are trained as entertainers each year, and our competition societies are endeavouring to bring these people out, but their energies are being sacrificed for scratchy old records and usually very crude humour, which possibly is quite good where it belongs. I think the static during the last few months is affecting our nerves, and we do not really know what we want.-Reform. Morse Interference. N your issue of the 5th ult. there appears a letter from a correspondent complaining of Morse interference with broadcast reception, and in an editorial comment on the letter you state that "undoubtedly" the interference was caused by signals from amateur transmitting station. The Auckland branch of the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters wishes to protest against your statement. There was nothing in your correspondent’s letter to indicate that the interference was caused by an amateur; in fact, rather the reverse, as the frequency of the interfering signals would show the cause would probably be transmissions from ships. A receiver, not in an oscillating condition, would be incapable of picking up the clear-toned symbols -of radio telegraphy. Interference, if it occurred, would be heard in a broadcast receiver as a series of thumps. The Auckland branch of the N.Z.A.R.T. is willing at all times to investigate cases of alleged interference with broadcast reception and to take effective steps to discipline any member proving to be a source of annoyance to broadcast listeners. At the same time it is thought that an unqualified assertion that Morse interference is "undoubtedly" caused by amateur transmitters is quite inaccurate and likely to lead broadcast listeners

into a wrong impression of the amateurs’ activities and their value to.the

community.-

G.

McB.

Salt, ZLICK,

non. secretary. . ww Technical Equipment. I AM and have been in this radio game -technical and otherwise-for a period of over eight years, and I feel quite justified in making these remarks through your columns. = When we had the R.B.C. in control of broadcasting, they were a company not working a public benefit scheme, they had to make ‘a profit or were supposed to. : Under those conditions we could not expect our 30/- worth to be spent on our own selves. Now, it belongs to us. I say, we listenérs should have a say in things in general. My first proposal is that every listener licensed be issued with a vote, postal or otherwise, by the Board or perhaps your worthy paper. On this vote the listeners could vote on programimes, say, under four headings, viz., popular, humour, classical d plays and lectures; of course, dance music would come under popular, etc. Now "Ten Per Cent." wrote wanting more high-brow music. If the listeners’ votes were apportioned out, say, popular 40 per cent., humorous 20 per cent., classical 25 per cent., and plays, ete., 15 per cent. the programmes would be divided likewise, and every- body should be satisfied. My next proposal is urgently needed. Better technical equipment in 1YA, 2YA and 4YA; also one short-wave transmitter working in conjunction with 2YA; the wave to be in the vicinity of 30 and 40 metres, as my experience over a long period of listening convinces me gives best all-round performance. Why should a "B" class station in Dunedin, with an output power of 100 watts, 100 per cent. modulated, compete against our 750-watt station, 4YA, more or less to the detriment of 4YA? This should not be, as 4YA has all the advantages bar, perhaps, technical equipment. Also, the Board is making the biggest mistake possible by curtailing the announcer’s personality which truly makes some stations popular. My YL used to "hit the roof" if I switched Mr. Drummond off before his famous "Good-night" was spoken. Now she "hits the roof" proper. For the Board should be compelled to listen to the listeners’ views. Do they read your paper or other papers, or are they extraordinarily thick in the hide? Suggest you send them "Radio

Record" free each week.-

S. T.

Goss

ling

We do.-Ed.]

Coverage Question. [Pub most important point concerning the coverage question has not ‘s mentioned. The system adopted niust be such as to increase the number 2f listeners by making it possible to use smaller and consequently cheaper sets. The average’ set in England must he around £5, as compared with £30 in this country. This is because every listener can get two main stations in the day time and three or four at night. This —

is as it should be in New Zealand, and it is doubtful that even 200,000 listeners would mark the saturation point. The present state of radio affairs -is another example of economic waste when eomparisons are made with other countries. We look to the Radio Board eventually to correct this state of affairs, and merit congratulations on the steps already taken in

this direction.-

~W.O:

Hastings).

"Made a Mistake. HE board made a mistake in altering the station announcements in the way it did, although, as "Accountant" says in this week’s issue of the "Radio Record," the board has as much right to its-own style of announcements as had the Broadcasting Company. There were a lot of things the company did wrong, and it was the devil’s own job to get them put right. If the company had been more amenable to reason and the interests of listeners it would have fared better. I think the board is to pe commended on the system of an--nouncing now in vogue. I would like to commend. too, the introduction of the closing down melody. That just caps the programme in right style.

~Radio Salesman.

Quick March! "TY ATWARRA," who suggests a monster petition to the board in regard to announcements can now wear a smile of self-satisfaction,. It is talk like that which would strike terror into any board and bring it to its knees. a grand march on Parliament should have gone further and proposed that a grand march on Parliametn should be organised. I would suggest that he keep this steadily in view, for the occasion will probably soon arise when. it will be necessary. I can see that this poard thinks the programmes should be titivated up:a bit, and we.are going to Have a lot of trouble with it. It is also quite evident already that it is not going to please everybody. So I would suggest. that Kaiwarra should at once set about organising a "Grand March" on "Parliament’-thousands of unemployed would be only too pleased to help a good cause-and the whole thing could be set to music, on the lines of the "Grand March" in ‘"Tannhauser." I am sure it would be very effective, and would be a fair stopper on the board playing any more hankypanky tricks with the old style of pro-

grammes.

-Conservative High Brow.

"Go To It." I WOULD like to congratulate the Broadcasting Board on the further improvement it has made to the programmes. I refer to the introduction of a closing-down melody which makes a splendid finale to the evening’s entertainment. No doubt, there will be a lot of complaints at this departure from

the old cut and dried form of concert, for radio listeners seem to be an unreasonable lot. They are always wanting variety and change, and yet when a change is made there is a chorus of grumblings. It seems as if the board will have to introduce changes gradually. It is a case of trying them out on the listeners to see if they will stand them. I would say to the genéral mdnager: Carry on with the good work and make as many changes as you can--

Khandallah.

Not Necessarily Right. waar a burble "Accountant". writes! If his figures are as involved as his reasoning he must be a queer tradesman. The policy of "what is, is right," seems to be his-and he is welcome to it, for I think he is all wrong. This suppression of individuality is all right in certain vocations, but in one such as broadcast announcing it is all wrong. As someone said the other week, "If you want to hear real announcing tune in the Yanks." ‘The announcers are entertainment in themselves, and whilst I would not go so far as to suggest our announcers follow their style altogether, I do make the plea that they be given more.scope.

-Stone-cracker.

The Real Trouble. HERD has been much writing by all and sundry about the broadcasting of entertainments, both prior to and ‘gince the taking over of the YA stations by the Government, but I think that so far the main trouble has been missed. In the course of my duties I go about a great deal among listeners, and two impressions will serve to introduce my main point. (1) An afternoon in any radio owner’s houses: I knock at the door, noticing on the other side a babel of sound. On the door being opened, part of the noise ceases, the children

who were playing coming to see who the visitor is: But the other part-the local radio programme-carries on. I am admitted and go about my business. The children, not being interested in what I am doing, start up their. interrupted game, and the hum of ‘conversation denotes a visitor, or visitors, and still the radio carries on, (2) I am invited out in the evening to a game of cards. I’m hanged if I can play cards with a radio programme in progress at the same time, but I do my best and then sit back to listen to the broadeast. However, apparently my neighbour is reminiscent, and the fact of my yeas and nays being in wrong places does not deter him. As far as I ean see, in both these cases no one has had any enjoyment out of the radio. Apparently the Broadcasting Board have something of this in mind when they neither announce nor publish the dinner music items-any old noise will do. And in a fairly large percentage of cases, any old noise will do to create all the atmosphere necessary, because the music as such is absolutely not heard. Do we listen to our programmes? T’m sure we don’t, and why? Is it because of too big a preponderance of either symphony or jazz? Again, I don’t think so. I think the trouble is that we are too well catered for, and are too prone to make gluttons of ourselves over the good fare provided-not then being able to enjoy any particular item that otherwise would individually have appealed to us. According to my mood and health, I sometimes want one type of radio entertainment, while

at others nothing but the direct opposite will satisfy, and if I want one type and my wife wants the opposite type, how can either enjoy a programme that is annoying the other? This raises the question of atmosphere, which is no concern of the board, but enters largely into the listener’s enjoyment of radio programmes. My contention is that, providing the board will strengthen the power of its existing stations or use any sane method to ensure a selection of types over as large a portion of New Zealand, and over as many of the

16 or so listening hours as finances wilt permit, we will be each the masters o# our own radio destiny, and should 2 complain that there is too much of thig or that fare provided in proportion any other. : There are, of course, several handj» vaps to intelligent listening, but with 4 little patience and a switch-off switch none of them are insurmountable. Afr mospheric conditions have a habit a% times of introducing static or distortion indiscriminately, and there is nothing more annoying than to have an item, ow series of items, served up in the form of mush. Other forms of interference, including the ever-present howler, I will leave with just this mention: the Broadcasting Board cannot deal with them half so quickly or effectively ag the listener himself can. The crystale set owner who reads this far will doubts less ask where his power of selection comes in. I say that he can select the items he wants.to hear, and get them more consistently than the multi-valve set owner outside the towns, who om some nights has nothing but his gram, worth listening to. I proffer the following advice to those who wish to, enjoy their radio programmes, "Don’é he greedy." . : With regard to the B station situa, tion, I have already had my opinion# published in your paper, but I would like to be given this opportunity to reiterate a protest against the numerical surplus, and consequent overlapping of Stations, especially on the lower portion of the broadcast band as at Pree sent. ; There is one other subject that #! crave space for, and that is this: ¥ would like to publicly, through you# columns, thank the station directors of 2ZW for the 11 o’clock Sunday morning session. It is one of my greatest radio nleasnreas to he ahle to brine this ser«

ai eee eee ete, Tee vice in to my

KOP.

(Carters,

ton )

(Concluded on outside back cover.)

.., Our Mailbag | Suggested Programme Improvements _ (Continued from page 11)

Broadcasting and the Board. WHILE discussing the abore. D.X. 4 T takes the opportunity to cast some aspersions on one who has done a lot for radio and for our children, and who has done it well. After praising the children’s session, or song session, your correspondent goes on to criticise with bad grace, and worse taste, the pronunciation of Uncle George. whose *peech will compare favourably with 90 per cent of our clergymen, who are, as a whole, as good, or better, spoken than any class of clergymen in the World. I fear, however, that the children’s session, which I myself en. joy, is too much for the intelligence >f some critics to really appreciate, as, later, D.X. + T wants dinner musie from 7 to 8, so seemingly one hour is not sufficient for him to get through his dinner, or is it because he does not finish with Dina, Daisy, or Beauty in time for the earlier session? ‘Lo suzgest that the news and lecturette hour should be cut out, shows the measure of his understanding, as though it has not been what it once was, I hope it will again be an hour, interesting and important. The overseas programme, one night weekly, made a good change, and many of the items were excellent. Many recordings now given ars very fine. but our local artists should not be overlooked, and we owe them every consideration. I do not agree with a Russian abusing his own land, but lectures given by Dr. Scholefield, and several others, are interesting and instructive, and I trust will be continued. A lecturette on cooking at 10 on Monday morning, when most housewires are washing, is. however, a bit out of place, and the time might be filled in with jazz or foxtrots ‘round the Awash tub or the clothes line. As for "Goodevening everybody." I can scarcely believe that the announcers have been ordered not to put in the "Everybody," or "All" as some say, and the seeming abruptness will soon disappear. The "Good-night" which seems to have pleased many at closing, Was rarely heard by me, as Rosey, Nellie and Nancy require my attention at 5 wm., and I am asleep before Mr. I). finishes, if not when he starts. The Board, who have a difficult task. have my best wishes, and I hope they will make as much a success of broaudcasting as did the Company. TI am. sir,"Off to the Cows" (Okahukura). Oh, For the Good Old Days BG to voice my protest at the drastic changes taking place this year since the change to the Broadcasting Zoard. Wirst of all, I ask your support to get the detailed programaes of the dinner music session published, as that has been the chief musical event of the day, because it is good. unadulterated music (I know the "Record" will publish same if the Board will zire them the items).

Also, I appeal with many others for the Board to ict the announcers carry on as before and give that very personal touch, which ajmost amounted to television, and get away from the stiff red-tape method of station announcements as at present. While on the subject of broadcasting. I wish to make a_ suggestion for a change of the hour of 7 to 8 p.m. to something after the following lines. Let 1YA lecturette session be T-7.30, then follow news; 2YA shipping news 7-17.30, 7.30-S lecturette on alternate nights through the week, this could also be changed weekly as well. We get our "Radio Record" and would soon get into the changed conditions. These are slight changes but will make us get much more yalue from our sets. and appear to be the general trend of thought by many listeners. I have been a paid listener since 1925 and. have seen much improvement since then, but it seems that broadcasting came to its zenith in New Zealand in 1930, as, since then, it has failed badly. One consolation to us is that summer time is passing and now we can get on to the Australian programmes. Thanking you for space, and in anticipation of support for a revival of the 1930 type of programme.-"Werneth." New Plymouth. Why Blame the Board?

ERE we are near the end of February and the programmes. still rather muddled. Listeners on the whole are apathetic. sigh, and merely twist the dial when 2YA comes through. Everyone has a tilt at the Broadcasting Board, but are they really responsible. No: I think that the station director should shoulder a little blame. I seem to remember in the dim and distant past that 2YA’s manager on his appointment was. going to do something about "educating the public taste, even to opera." In January, with programmes ulready arranged before the board took over, we had a surfeit of Messrs. Cesaroni, Truda and other members of the musical heayy brigade. Monday night became silent night with us, quickly followed by the rest of the week. Even the dull and weighty strayed into Saturday's programmes, and then the dinner music. Well, I can’t speak of the dead in this case. Who arranged those programmes? )o listeners think that Wednesday’s programme of "selected recordings" (that cartoon in a Wellington paper makes one laugh when the above appears) is really much superior to the Yankee recordings of yore? Eyen Bros. Masey and Brokenshire. with their background of synthetic laughter, raised a smile occasionally. Now one drops a tear. Of the orchestras at 2YA, Mr. Dixon's musicians appeal to my family and myself much more than the thin, quavering sounds of the orchestrina.

The 2YA-leans get the palm from us, likewise Mrs. Russell and Mr. Frank Crowther, and Messrs. Dan Foley and Doug. Stark. The Melodie Five ‘aré out on their own. When do we get a’ breakfast session, although one of those unfinished "what's ‘its name's" would be a-bad start for the day. What is the board’s Sunday policy? 2Z0, Palmerston: North, has the best balanced of the Sunday programmes, Uncle George is a great favourite with our kiddies, and neither the wife nor J miss his children’s Sunday evening song service.-"‘Armchair Critic" ('Taihape). Fare for the Litterateur. OR some time past I have read with considerable interest the letters from listeners appearing week by week in the "Record," and I hare paid particular attention to those offering criticisms of the YA programmes. In many cases I have noticed a_pronounced irritability and distinct Rack of restraint, while for the most ‘part there has been almost an entire absence of helpful, constructive criticism. The reason for this so obvious irritability is not far to seek when it is remembered that the four YA stations broadcast something like 240 hours of music a week. to which must be added a further 480 hours (approx.) of music broadcast by the 37 B sta-tions-a total of roughly 620 hours of music! Is it not plain that listeners must surely be suffering from acute musical indigestion with a neryous reaction closely approaching nervous -prostration? Now, sir, I suggest that the fare offered needs drastie revision. Muysje 4«

not the only mental recreation that man needs; it is not the only avenue open to the board; nor is it-the cheapest. There are seventy thousand listeners here in New Zealand, and I suggest that it is highly probable that most of them. besides liking music, have an interest in literature: biography, the classics, essays, belles lettres, fiction, history, oratory. poetry. drama, romance, science, theology, philosophy, travel, topography and juvenile, Here then is an inexhaustible supply of worth-while matter right to the hand of the board-from whieh it could take a little of the best of each and put it over the air, not in the form of dry-as-dust lectures lasting half-an-hour, but in ten or 15-minute informal talks. At no time should any broadcast item exceed 15 minutes. for it should be remembered that with 75.000 listeners, that particular item may be distasteful to large numbers of them, and to carry on with it for mor’ than ten or fifteen minutes is to ertcroach unfairly upon their rights, for i¢ is certainly most unfair to ask them to listeu-in for an extended period to an unacceptable item-with the only alternitive of switching off, and thus depriving themselyes of a service for Which they have paid.-H. Moreton.