A Listener's Questionnaire

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 43, 6 May 1932, Page 5

A Listener's Questionnaire

2YA’s Programmes Criticise:i

bo A LISTENER who recently completed submit the following as an altern humorous vein, it contains much sound grammes :- . To which New Zealand station do you listen most frequently ? . Are you satisfied with our news session and market reports? . How do you think we could inprove our concert session? . Why do we so seldom put on a good piano performance? . Do you like our orchestrina? . Do you get.too much band music? . Which class of performer should in your opinion be hung by the thumbs? . And which by the neck? . Do vou enjoy hearing our announcer say ‘"G-o-0-0-0-d night’ Z

his questionnaire was prompted to ative. While written partly in a and helpful criticism of 2YA’s proA.: 2YA, A.: Yes, The weather forecasts are particularly valuable and reliable. A.: Put on a lot more band music. If local band not available. put on good records. Cut out most of the solos: you have very few soloists worth hearing anyhow. Good banjo and concertina music much appreciated about here. A.: Search me. .:Not much, though no doubt excellent. But why not have less screeching and more tune? A.:No, not half enough. IJTiveryone enjoys a-band, especially good marches. A.: Sereaming sopranos. especially those that consider it necessary to sing tremolo. Same applies to tenors, A.: The comie woman. A most distressing form of entertainment A.: No. It arouses ull my worst instincts, a a

4YA: Day reception reasonably good3 night indifferent... Weaker tham day, distortion and volume below, noise level. 2YA: Day, good; night, useless, fading and distortion, 3YA: Often cannot be heard, frequently fades right out. 4YA: Usually nothing during the day; sometimes good at night. Detailed reports on the reception of the various "B" stations were also taken by the commission. Australian and American reception were discussed and were stated to be extraordinarily good. It was stated that 2YB meant a great deal to listeners in Taranaki, and were it not for that station the province would be ill-served in the matter of radio entertainment. lt was urged that improvement should be made to 2YB in order to give fuller service. Mr. Gibbs, in replying to a question, said that three parties could be tracedin broadeasting, transmitter, the medium and the receiver. The time was coming when the receiver would have to play a more important part than at present. While at Stratford Mr. Gibbs’ gave a general resume on the causes of man-made static, and he and Dr. Barnett answered questions relative to the subject. It, was pointed out that both these gentlemen while on their tour are investigating methods by which this form of interference can be combated. It was urged by the borough electrical engineer that the raising of the power of the three main stations outside Wellington would provide listeners in Stratford with the choice of four stations at night, as atmospheric conditions and man-made static make the "B" stations ineffective. It was apparent from the remarks of the listeners that Stratford enjoyed a position of good reception and comparative freedom from interference. The principal complaint voiced at the meeting was the trouble of heterodyning of New Zealand and Australian stations. Mr. Gibbs explained that the number of wavelengths available were carefully allotted, and the broadcast band was so fully occupied that five or six stations, say, in Dunedin, were given the same wavelength, but restricted to separate hours of operation, but so many new applications, both here and in Australia, prevented any larger division between the stations. Mr. Gibbs called attention to the fact that, in the case of Invercargill and Gisborne clashing, they were meant to cover a local district, so that listeners in Stratford should not complain if they got both coming in simultaneously.