Amusing Announcing Competition

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 31, 8 February 1935, Page 23

Amusing Announcing Competition

"SS ~The Man-in-the-Street Before the Mike — Better Reception of 1YA in Otago — New B Station Club Forming — Early | ron Start on New Plant.

N recent days Dunedin listeners haye iad better success with reception of the new station at Auckland. mauy sets now being able to pick up the broadcasts comfortably in the early revenings, When transmissions from the new station commenced before Christmas, the plant was not complete ly installed, which partly accounts for such poor reception of the station in the south at the beginning, Also the fact that the engineers experience some trouble with the aerial system has a bearing on the unexpected weakness of the signals, However, the work of thesengineers in correcting all the faults that must occur in a new station has had its effect. On the occasion of Mr. I. Perry’s talk from 1YA on a recent night, 4YA found that the broadcast from Auckland was so strons, pure and level that the officials decided to rebroadcast this in preference to Weillington’s transmission. GTATION 4ZW held another competition last week. This was known as an "Announcing Competition," and some 40 entrants appeared before the microphone during the. week. From eight to 10 competitors "spoke their Piece" nightly, and needless to say there were many listeners who tuned to the station as often as possible. The competitors ranged from those entitied to use the letters M.A, after their names to a number of schoolboys. After. hearing the attempts of these would-be announcers, one realised just how the average person shapes when speaking before the microphone. Some of the entrants made quite a creditals. job of their announcements, but many surprised and amused the listeners by their totally unexpected pronunciations. For instance, two were heard to say: "Cavalerio" by. "Rustycana." Another just about capped the list by announcing "Jaska Heefitz." It is worth noting that one or two women had a shot at announcing despite the fact tbat all the big broadcasting concerns in other countries have pronounced that lady announcers are not successful. T the present time the staff at one ‘of the Dunedin B stations is making arrangements to recruit members for its newly-formed club. This is the second of the smaller stations to form a club, the other having been in existence for a considerable time, and now having a membership of more than 1600, It is not probable that the members of one club will wish to join the ‘other as well, so it will be interesting to see in the future which station bas the: bigger club membership. ENDICATIONS are that the work of building the new 10-kilowatt station for 4YA will start within the next few-weeks. In a short time the engineers will have finished their task of testing the Auckland plant, and it

is probable that they will then turn their attention to this area. It is likely that the new mast, which will support the umbrella type of aerial, will be the first job to be tackled. When this tower is in position on the hill across the harbour it will be a majestic landmark, as it will rise 500 feet above the crest of the hill, "THE new series of "We Await Your Verdict" broadcasts has quite a large following in Dunedin; in fact, it is thought that more are taking an interest in this issue than was the case With the last. MANY are waiting with interest the introduction of the new programme schedule on March 1. As reasonably good reception can now be obtained of the three main transmitters in the

north, it is anticipated that nearly -eyeryone will have at least a selection of four different programmes every night, Those who do not do a great deal of outside listening will find that the programmes presented nightly by each main ‘station and its auxiliary will be in distinct contrast, so that they will have a choice of at least two entertainments.