Let's Build A Programme

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 37, 24 February 1939, Page 3

Let's Build A Programme

jt is probably only natural that the average listener should have a rather hazy idea of the inner workings of a commerciai broadcasting station, and it is equally natural that the folk who work behind the scenes should get scant credit from the listening public for the really hard work that goes into arranging the programmes, If the average listener could inspect the programme department of 4ZB, for instance, he would be surprised at the amount of work entailed in the preparation of a day’s programme. 4ZB has a stock of nearly 10,000 standard recordings, as well as about 2,000 wide-range numbers. These have all to be checked over for copyright, and classified according to artist, title, and type. Every programme compiler must know his library so that a balanced programme can be built, and every record must be stamped and logged each time it is played. Care must also be exercised to see that the sensibilities of listeners as a whole shall not be shocked by coarse or doubtful records. Certain records may not be really "over the edge," may, in point of fact, be enjoyed by some fisteners, yet they may give offence to others. This balancing of public taste ig a very delicate matter, hard sometimes to achieve. A certain record on the doubtful list was introduced into the "Laugh and the World Laughs With You" session one night-and for the remainder of the evening the telephone was kept busy with requests for its rebroadcast, But on the whole few complaints are received.