Proof Of The Need For B Stations

Radio Record, 3 July 1936, Page 23

Proof Of The Need For B Stations

King’s Birthday in Auckland Illustrated the Value of Extra StationsRumour of Purchase Offer by Auckland Concern For Commercial Broadcasts — Popular Request Evenings.

HE place of B stations in the broadcagyting sphere was well demonstrated on the King’s Birthday in Auckland. 1YA was the only station available to Auckland district listeners for most of the afternoon, the majority of the time being occupied in broadcast‘ing on relay, the events at the Auckland Trotting Club’s winter meeting at Alexandra Park, Epsom. Fortunately, the private station, 1ZJ, for two hours in tthe middle of the day, presented a programme of light and popular music. Hiven so, those listeners who were not _ interested in racing or the King’s Birthday military parade, were not catered for. [® is widely rumoured in Auckland that one of the chief local B stations has already offered its plant and staff to the Government, Apparently this station prefers to become a C station under Government management rather than a B station with a subsidy based on the Government’s idea of the usefulness of the station to the listening public. Inquiries. amade have failed to either confirm or refute this rumour. By Request N response to numerous demands, station 4Z0 has reverted to request programmes on Monday evenings between 8 and 11 o’clock. This station formerly featured request programmes, which, of course, were among the most popular supplied by the station during the week. The practice was discontinued for a spell, but because listeners have intimated that they desired its return, the station officials have restarted these popular sessions. Requests for items must be sent to the studio by noon each Monday, and every effort will be made to secure the numbers wanted for presentation the same evening. The public has again entered into the spirit of the request programmes,.and is showering the station ‘with letters throughout the week, ‘New Personality NEW radio personality at 1ZM ‘is Inspector Reo. In presenting a murder mystery, "The Murder in the Stocks," to his listeners, he left the case unsolved after giving a numberof clues. It is for his listeners to solve the mystery. This is quite good entertainment for winter nights, and is proving popular with a large body of listeners. Debaters ZB has staged a very successful debate-or rather members of the Otago University Debating Union have taken part in an interesting discussion in the B station’s studio. The subject under fire was an old one that always lends itself to fresh arguments on both sides-"That the Modern Girl, Compared With Her Predecessor 50 Years Ago, Has Degenerated." Six speakers

participated, and all gave very creditable accounts of themselves considering that this was the first time any of them had spoken into a microphone, There was a judge, a well-known Dunedin barrister, who prefers to remain unnamed, but listeners were also asked to judge just as a matter of added interest. They were requested to state which side gave the better argument, and to name the best speaker. Ninety per cent. of those who reported voted in favour of the affirmative team, placing Miss R. ° McKenzie first, but curiously enough the official judge gave the decision iv the negative team, with Mr. C. A, B. French in the first place. The judge gave a very full and satisfactory explanation of his decision. Fujiyama MANY Dunedin listeners will no doubt remember the talk given by Mr. B. V. A, Jones from 4ZB some weeks ago on his tour of Japan with the New Zealand Universities’ Rugby team. Last Thursday listeners again

had the pleasure of hearing Mr, Jones describing some of the tourist resorts in Japan. He dealt briefly with many of the more important resorts which he and his team were able to visit, and drew comparisons with them and the tourist resorts and facilities in New Zealand. There is no doubt that a travel talk is always more interesting when it is given by a tourist who has actually visited the place. Rhythm Programmes AST Thursday evening marked the beginning of a series of half-hourly rhythm programmes from the Friendly Road station, IZB. This featured Duke Hllington’s famous orchestra. Hach week one of the more famous dance orchestras is to be selected and featured. Comments on euch record were made by Steve Parker, who recently came: up from Dunedin to join the staff at 1ZB. He has already succeeded jn making himself popular with listeners who favour these light programmes rather than the heavier type.