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Official Guide to the Government Court: N.Z. Centennial Exhibition

National Broadcasting Service

National Broadcasting Service

The National Broadcasting Service owns and controls 16 stations throughout Mew Zealand, the most important of these being 1YA, 2YA, 3YA, 4YA, 2YH, 4YZ, and 3ZR. At the present time programmes are being broadcast from these stations at the rate of approximately 48,000 hours per annum.

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In order to maintain a constant supply of material with which to keep the programmes alive, the Service keeps in touch with broadcasting organisations in many other countries.

Some of the plays broadcast are written by New Zealanders, but as the supply from this source by no means meets the demand, it is necessary to acquire broadcasting rights from overseas. The Service contacts radio-play writers in other countries, and holders of copyright, and by this means the cream of broadcast plays is. secured.

The play-producing section of the Service has developed rapidly, and great care is exercised in the arrangement of a suitable cast for each play. The Service has its own recording studios, and a large number of the plays are recorded and broad-  cast in that form from different stations.

Necessarily most of the speakers in the talks sessions must be New Zealanders-In addition, however, many talks are given by visitor's from overseas, and listeners are thus able to hear authoritative views on a variety of subjects. Here, again, the-recording equipment proves invaluable, for many talks which would otherwise not be-available are recorded for present and future use.

Recorded programme features such as serials—as distinct from plays—are imported from many countries and add variety to the programmes.

Practically every section of the community is catered for in the way. of news. There is the news issued daily by the Prime Minister's Department, and the Britishn Official Wireless News; general weather reports and special weather reports for aviators; frost forecasts and warnings for fruit-farmers; broadcasts from the wool sales for the benefit of sheep-farmers; and market reports giving the prices realised for fat stock, produce, fruit, fish, etc. In addition, proceedings in the House of Representatives are regularly broadcast and create great interest.

To many listeners, the Service talks are more important than broadcasts of music and entertainment. The advice given on gardening, for example, is known to be eagerly awaited in thousands of homes. The same may be said of motoring and other useful subjects, which are regularly dealt with by capable speakers.

On the musical side, the best local talent is encouraged, and the performances of local societies are broadcast. In addition, artists of proved ability from overseas, are heard almost every week. The gramophone library is a most extensive one, and is constantly being added to by imported material.

Sport is fully dealt with; broadcasts of horse-races, boxing and wrestling matches, swimming and athletic events figure frequently in the programmes.

Because of its configuration, the Dominion is not an easy country to cover from the broadcasting point of view, but the fact that there are more than 325,000 licensees, proves that New Zealanders are definitely radio-minded.