Radio annual (1938)

State on Dec. 31, 1936, or approximately one to every 29 inhabitants. The number licensed in December, 1935, was 78,600, and in October, 1934, 54,000. There is a good demand for radio sets in the Irish Free State and the market is steadily expanding. Sources of Supply — The majority of the radio sets sold on this market are of British manufacture, followed by the United States and the Netherlands— each of the two latter countries supplying about 10 percent of the total imports. The 5tube all-wave mantel model costing from £15 to £20 has the most sales. The average price of tubes is around 10s., and American type tubes are readily obtainable. Patents — Insofar as it has been possible to ascertain, there are no existing regulations regarding patents or patent licensing arrangements which affect the sale of American radio products in the Irish Free State. Customs Duty — A customs duty of 50 percent ad valorem is imposed on all radio sets imported into the Irish Free State. Parts and accessories are dutiable at the rate of 25 percent ad valorem, with the exception of cabinets, which are dutiable at 50 percent. There is no preferential treatment for these products when imported from British countries. Short Wave — There is no Irish short wave broadcasting. American and European stations are received regularly. Broadcasting — The broadcasting service in the Irish Free State is a Government monopoly and is operated by the Department of Posts and Telegraphs. All broadcasting programs are originated in the Dublin station studios and are transmitted simultaneously from the three stations. Advertising — Sponsored advertising programs have been tried out during the past few years, but the Government does not encourage such programs. Transcriptions — -Records are broadcast approximately 11 hours weekly. The records are obtained from a London distributing house for various record manufacturers. Formerly records were furnished gratis but now an annual rent is paid. Advertising transcriptions are not used. Practically all records are broadcast in English, with the exception of a few in Gaelic. The turntable speed used is 78. Regulations — The broadcasting stations in the Irish Free State are operated generally in accordance with the provisions of the Radiotelegraph Regulations of the International Telecommunication Convention, Madrid, 1932, and of the European Broadcasting Convention, Lucerne, 1933. Sets in use — 104,000. Stations — 3. © ITALY General — According to the E. I. A. R., there are actually in use in Italy about 800,000 receiving sets. Because of excessive tariff rates and import restrictions, foreign leceiving sets are seldom seen in the market and foreign type tubes of national production are readily obtainable. The Italian radio industry produces about 100,000 sets annually. Tariffs and Trade Restrictions — For all commercial purposes the market is closed to American sets by high duties, and import and exchange restrictions, as previously indicated. Television — Television in Italy is only in the laboratory stage and is also under the exclusive control of the sole concessionaires. Two laboratories of the broadcasting service are working on television and are said to be experimenting on such sets with 30, 60, 90 and 180 lines of analysis ; a project is awaiting approval of the Government for the installation of three television stations in Rome, Milan and Turin, which are to be connected by means of a coaxial cable (cavo collasiale). Programs — The company, through its monopoly and with the strong sponsorship of the Government, has developed its services to a degree comparable with the other European systems. Covering the Mediterranean Basin with broadcasting programs, as well as Europe and the Xorth and South American Continent, special programs are arranged and broadcast i*i four principal languages : Italian, English, French and German. Advertising — During 1936 the system of commercially sponsored programs, which had never reached the proportions of certain other countries, was materially and noticeably reduced to the mere mentioning of the announcement of the sponsor. Regulations — Private owners of radio receiving sets are required to pay a fixed annual subscription to the broadcasting company at the rate of 81 lire per annum if paid at the beginning of the year or 85 lire if paid in advance in two semi-annual installments. Sets in use — 800,000. Stations — 17. Including Korea and Formosa General — Broadcasting in Japan Proper is controlled by the Japan Broadcasting Corporation, which in turn is supervised by the Ministry of Communications. Programs are subject to strict censorship. Advertising of all sorts is prohibited. Political speeches cannot be included in the daily program. The Japan Broadcasting Corporation operates 30 transmitting stations in Japan proper, in cluding 3 alternative transmitting stations for the large stations a Tokyo, Osako, and Xagoya. These stations have certain local features included in their programs but in general they depend upon two main daily programs broadcasted from Tokyo and Osaka and then relayed. Tlir .-tations are distributed on a plan seeking to give approximate equality of reception throughout the islands, aiming toward an ideal of onestation reception in all regions. Ten-thousand-watt central stations in Japan 949