THE BROADCASTING PROGRAMME
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sin,—About twelve months ago you were good enough to print a letter from me drawing attention to a change in the policy of the British Broadcasting Company, by which their Evening Talks would no longer be isolated, but would be grouped together to form courses or series, and thus play a part in Adult Education. Possibly your readers would be interested by a brief account of the progress which has been made during the past twelve months.
During the three sessions already completed there have been courses of lectures on scientific subjects by Sir William Bragg, Sir Oliver Lodge, Professor J. Arthur Thomson, the British Musuem (Natural History Department), and Dr. J. J. Simpson, of Cardiff. History has been dealt with by Professor R. S. Bait, Principal C. Grant Robertson, and Sir Halford Mackinder; Economics by Mr. Hartley Withers and Professor R. Peers, who has conducted some interesting discussion classes at Nottingham ; Art and Antiquities by Mr. Stewart Dick of the National Gallery, Mr. C. H. B. Quennell, and Mr. Allen Walker. In addition to these, there was a enurse on Law by Professor J. E. G. de Montmorency, and on Psychology by Professor T. H. Pear of Manchester. Under the heading of Literature, in addition to the fortnightly Book Talks by Mr. E. J. Strachey, there was a valuable series on " The Appreciation of Poetry," by Mr. Lascelles Abercrombie, and on Drama by the British Drama League. Mr. A. S. E. Ackermann gave a course on " Popular Fallacies in Engineering." In addition, there have been regular periodical talks on French by the Institut Francais, and on Music, Drama and Films, while the Ministry, of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture argil. the Air Ministry arrange monthly talks on matters of public interest affecting their Departments.'
new programme covering the Autunin Session began on September 21st, and the programme and syllabus for this has just been issued, and Will be sent to any listeners who are specially interested in the matter.
Dr. George Macdonald, Principal Secretary of the Scottish; Education Department, is giving three talks on " The Origin and Development of Coinage."
Another feature of the forthcoming programme is a number of talks under the title, " Opportunity Overseas," in which successful emigrants will tell the story of how they " made good " in the( Overseas Dominions, while the other features will continue as before.1
The British Broadcasting Company have consistently; endeavoured to maintain a good intellectual standard, while realising at the same time that they are caterers of enter- tainment on a gigantic scale. It has been somewhat of a problem to reconcile their desire to make a solid contribution towards Adult Education with the more obvious claims of entertainment. It is, however, very gratifying to be able to say after the lapse of twelve months that the listening public have accorded an overwhelming measure of support to this policy.
It is always difficult to appraise the taste of vast masses of the public, especially in a ease where there is no immediate ebb and flow of returns. So far as our correspondence is any true gauge, it becomes more and more apparent that there is an essential difference between the wireless audience and the company assembled in any given theatre or place of enter-1 tainment. Among those who write most warmly are people of a type who would hardly be found in any such place, the great difference being that the wireless wave penetrates into something like two million homes, and its messages are re- ceived alike by young and old, strong and infirm.—I Sir, &c.,
In the series just coitnnericing Professor Julian Huxley is lecturing on problems of heredity and evolution, under the general title of " The Stream of Life." " The Humour of the Great Books " forms the subject of an attractive-looking series which will be opened and closed by Professor George Gordon, and Sir Edmund Gosse, Mr. John Palmer, Professor Oliver Elton, and Mr. F. H. B. Brett Smith will take part in it.
There will be a series called " After-Dinner Philosophy," in which we shall try the experiment of dialogues in the Platonic manner between Mr. C. E. M. Joad and Mr. E. J. Strachey. " The Engineer in Adventure " is the title of a course by Mr. Edward Cressy of Manchester. Mr. J. Reid Moir will deal with " Prehistoric Man in East Anglia," and Professor E. H. Barton of Nottingham will follow, with a series on " Musical Sound."
J. C. STOBART, Director of Education.
The British Broadcasting Company, Limited, 2 Savoy Hill, London, TV .C. 2.
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