Impatient For Start On New Station

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 37, 22 March 1935, Page 21

Impatient For Start On New Station

Otago Listeners Anxious to Know How Things Are Progressing For Higheliff Erection-"Causes of War" Series Should Be Interesting — Programme Improvement.

] EETING odd listeners here and there in the town, the writer has noticed that there is quite a feeling of impatience concerning the opening of the new station at Hihceliff. No official announcement regarding the sta tion has been made recently, and the local people are anxious to know when something definite is going to be made public, and when the actual work entailed in building the station is going to begin. This is the month in which, it wag promised, the work should be commenced, and because nothing has yet been done listeners are naturally curious to know the reason why. Even if only a few pieces of steel were dumped on the ground, and a workmen’s shed placed nearby, listeners would be satisfied that the new station was about to materialise. HERE seems little doubt that the series of recorded-talks on "The Causes of War" to be heard from the main station shortly, will fall into the category. classified as "controversial" and for this reason the matter put on the air should be: particularly interesting. Such well-known personalities will give their versions of the causes that because each js in a different sphere, and necessarily have at least a slight‘ly different outlook on life, their individual opinions will be at variance with one another. "THE unreasonable listener is always with us. He either wants more of what he already gets or something he eannot have, and is, therefore, ready . to grumble at :11 times. The latest complaint comes from two or three lips,. through: which their incensed owners ,loudly ‘condemn 4YA for not relaying the. whole of the last Dunedin wool sale. Granted that, as they argue, the sale.means the "bread and butter" of some of the community, but imagine a broadcasting station relaying a sale for hourg on end! There is not a doubt that hundreds of more rightly incensed listeners would complain bitterly if at intervals over a period of six or seven hours they turned on their sets and heard nothing but shouting auctioneers and bidders. ‘As it was, 4YA had already committed itself to two other relays on that day, and the officials did very well to sandwich in snatches of a regatta, play in the champion of, champions bowling contest, and portions of the wool sale, so that at least three sections of the listening public could form some idea of how their particular interests were going. HEN it is announced that for the next hour a certain type of programme is to be broadcast, one reasonably expects to hear the type specified, One’s expectations, however, were noi realised on a recent Saturday night. when an hour of dance music was promised. For over half an honr one man listened in patience to overtures, marches, comic numbers. ete.. and then,

in disgust, shut down for the night. He had given up hope of hearing dance tunes. fXHE programmes from 4YA showed 44 marked improvement last week, On nlmost every night there was something of particular interest to listen to. Lionello Cecil made an appearance early in the week,-and a couple of nights later was starred on the same programme as another visitor, Vincent Aspey. Both these artists "provided most acceptable fare, and were quite a change from the more or less regular performers. The following night

_ Harry "Thurston launched: a positive deluge of unique humour into'the microphone, and proved .a most entertaining and. enjoyable turn. Judging by . the favourable comments heard afterward, it is probable that Mr. Thurston will be as popular an artist as: Senia’ Chostiakoff,. ° Tf is regrettable that the Broadcast: ing Board did not.take advantage of Dr. Peter Buck’s recent visit to these parts, and have him give a talk.from the studio. There. would have been many listening if he had appeared | before ‘the microphone.