* Wireless Humour The official report of the B.B.C. to
the- -Postmaster- General for 1932 gives an interesting survey of its many and varied activities on behalf of its five million sub- scribers. But it admits failure in one respect. " The problem of conveying humour purely by oral methods within the limitations of microphone and programme policy has not yet been solved." The report suggests, by way of excuse, that " the success of humour depends more than is generally realized upon visual impression and on an audience." Now it is true enough that the light entertainments " given four times a week are seldom amusing, and often very indifferent. But it is equally true that the good comedians who occasionally broadcast can " get across," if we may use the phrase, almost as well on the microphone as in the theatre. One wonders whethers the " limitations of programme policy " do not hold the secret of the B.B.C.'s lack of success in this field. There are more clever entertainers Hhout than the B.B.C. has caught yet, though their fees may not always accord with the present "programme policy."
Previous page
