There's One Voice But Four Eyes

Radio Record, 10 June 1938, Page 44

There's One Voice But Four Eyes

AS a result of the production by the BBC’s research engineers of a new type of microphone, a new technique in presenting commentaries on sporting events is likely to he adopted by the corporation. The instrument is known as a "lip’microphone. It is mounted on a short handle, and is a modification in miniature of the standard ribbon-type microphone used in the studios of the BBC. It is insensitive to sound ¢oming from more than a few inches away, and thus meets the need for an instrument that would enable the commentator to disregard: extraneous sound when choos-

ing his position-in other words, for 2 microphone that, while responding to the commentator’s yoice, would exclude background noises, To ensure that the commentator’s mouth is always the requisite two inches from the microphone, the instrument is fitted with a guard which must be kept pressed mgainst the speaker's uypper lip. The quality of the output of the new device is equal in every way to that of the ordinary studio mierophone, Used first during the descriptive commentary broadcast from Cuildball, London, on the oeeasion of the Lore Mayor’s hanquet Iast November, the lipmicrophone has made practicable a new method of describing outside events for listeners to BBC programmes. . The method provides a solution to in old problem in broadcast description: the fusion of the descriptive ski! of the experienced commentator and the unique knowledge of the expert. Two observers will be stationed ar one point: one will give the commentary heard by listeners and the other-at .the elbow of commentator No, 1, but unheard by listeners--will "feed" bim With extri: details and facts about the ‘event for incorporation in the brondcast description, Thus, in the words of the originators of the scheme, there will be "one yoice, but four eyes," satisfying in a way that has not been possible before the dea mands of both the general and tne specialist public,