HC Deb 15 October 1946 vol 427 cc149-50W
Major Beamish

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give a list of wireless stations and wavelengths, which are wholly or partly British controlled, broadcasting in the German language; how many hours per day are devoted to British-edited German language news broadcasts; and whether he is satisfied that the quality and quantity of these broadcasts is adequate to explain the British point of view to Germans in the whole of Germany.

Mr. J. Hynd

The only British-edited German language news broadcasts are contained in the B.B.C. German Service which is broadcast from London on four short wave lengths ranging from 25 to 59 metres. This service, which includes nine news broadcasts a day, occupying in all five hours 45 minutes, is relayed from Norden in the British zone on 455.9 metres. The Norden transmitter is high powered and the broadcasts from that station can be heard, particularly during the hours of darkness, throughout a large part of Germany. In addition, there are five stations in the British zone; Hamburg and Cologne operating on 332 metres; Berlin, Hanover and Flensburg operating on 225.6 metres. From these stations, which cover as far as possible the whole of the British zone, news bulletins, edited by Germans under British supervision, and averaging 10 minutes each, are broadcast seven times a day. The quality and quantity of these broadcasts are kept at as high a standard as possible and are, I think, adequate. Every endeavour is, however, being made to improve both their quality and reception.