Editorial Notes

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 40, 15 April 1932, Page 4

Editorial Notes

[ Wellington, Friday, April 15, 93 |

HE publication this week of a ~ .Radio Monthly on a compatatively ambitious scale is an event of sufficient importance to radio interests in New Zealand to wartant some comment and explanation to our readers. Our object in undertaking this new venture is to give additional service to the radio public and meet the demand for information in various fields. _ It will be obvious to all readers that any. newspaper's sticcess ‘depends upon circulation and the market available for it. Possibly this point will be best illustrated by a glance at the development in Britain of the radio Press. There, because of the size of the population, the radio Press has been able to develop along the logical lines of fulfilling three separate functions by three main separate mediums. First of ‘all, radio in its broadcasting field calls for a programme service-mnaking available to readers prior knowledge of the musical and other fare available over the air. To fulfill that function Britain has the "Radio Fimes," which is essentially a programme paper with. practically speaking, no other phase at all. A secondary desire exists for the printing of high-class talks and literary fare that are given by distinguished speakers under the B.B.C. service. This public is not so comprehensive as that which desires prior knowledge of the programmes. Accordingly a different medium is necessary, with a differént clientele. To meet this field there was established ‘The Listener," in which is given the text of most of the talks contributed over the air. This is a well-balanced and comprehensive publication, with a good circulation, but’ not in any way comparable to the "Radio Times" itself. The third field is covered by the radio technical press. This caters for the technician and the radio enthusiast. The B.B.C.’s official ‘organ in this field is "World Radio," but in addition there are matty journals published by private enterprise. In the provision of matter for those interested in overseas listening "World Radio" gives the programmes, as far as they are available, of European stations. Ld * * : FIERE in New Zealand it will be apparent. that, because of our smaller population, the three main

functions above mentioned must be covered by a less number. of publications. In the past the "Radio Record" endeavoured to cater for those’ interested in programmes, those interested in the matter given over the air, and the technical and constructional enthusiasts. In endeavouring to cater for those three interests in the one medium certain difficulties obtained. The technician required his matter, but that matter, while vital to him, was of but little interest to the ordinary broadcast listener. Consequently, in balancing out probabilities recently it became apparent that the time was ripe for a division of the functions of the ‘Radio Record." The market available for such a publication was felt out by the establishment of a _ small Monthly last season entitled ‘"The Radio Log." This was designed to appeal specifically to the DX enthusiast, as well as those interested in short-wave activitics. The response was so gratifying that we have been encouraged to seek to enlarge the service and cover other fields, notably those for the constrtctional enthusiast, the technician and the trade. The result is now available in the form of "The New Zealand Radio Times and Traders" Digest." This is issued as a ninepenny Monthly, and in its intial number we feel that it covers a breadth of ground in so attractive a style as to give hope for its winning a distinct public among those interested in the topics covered. The trade section covered in a Digest specifically for the trade. we feel. has special possibilities. There are in New Zealand some 1000 registered Radio dealers. Because of the extent of the Dominion and its scattered geographical. nature, definite problems obtain in the servicing of listeners’ sets and the expansion of radio interests, upon which united action is desirable. The creation of the "Radio Times" does not mean the entire elimination from the colwmns of the "Radio Record" of features of interest to the overseas listener and the technician. We will maintain in these columns our Trouble service of "Questions and Answers" to listeners experiencing trouble, and *will periodically review matters of definite interest to listeners from the technical and service standard.