[Reader-list] third posting from indira

[Indira Biswas]

Hello,
I am rather late in sending my 3rd posting. In fact, last few weeks I was 
too busy looking for my research materials in the National Archives and the 
AIR library of Delhi. In both the places I got plenty of documents related 
to my research and was overwhelmed by the co-operation of the respective 
officers. In the AIR library, I found the Indian Listener radio magazine of 
several years (Since 1936) along with other radio journals in regional 
languages. I am not sure whether the earlier issues of the same (1927 – ’35) 
are available or not. The journals are just lying in the dusty racks. It 
seems I was the only reader who wanted to consult those books! Some books 
tied in ropes were beyond my reach in the tall racks. I would like to 
explore this library again during my next visit to Delhi.

The vernacular programme division of the Calcutta Radio Station was in the 
hands of few enthusiastic Bengali youths without any prior training and 
experience of broadcasting. They gained experience of the new media only 
while working for it. This situation changed gradually when the British 
government began to tighten its control over the media since the pre war 
period and the first controller of broadcasting Lionel Fielden (1935 – 1940) 
laid down some general rules regarding broadcasting of programmes and 
selection of programme assistants. For example, Fielden’s decision 
prohibiting ‘the rise of clerks who knew nothing about broadcasting’ marked 
fundamental changes in the employment structure of the CRS. People, who were 
the heart and soul of the CRS were sidelined and new group of AIR officials 
came up.

The reading of day-to-day programmes of the CRS reveals many interesting 
points. It shows that the programmes of the Calcutta Radio Station was 
planned to satisfy a heterogeneous audience. For example, in the year 1939, 
while on Saturday nights ‘Dance Music’ was relayed from the Grand Hotel 
Prince’s Ballroom staged by the Grand Hotel Dance Orchestra or from Firpo’s 
restaurant performed by Francisco Casanevas and his Spanish Orchestra, 
Assamese play was broadcast in the short wave for the Assamese speaking 
people.

I am also finding many interesting materials on the music programme of the 
CRS. I would tell you more about this in my next posting.

Bye till then.
Indira Biswas

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