THE ZB RADIOGRAM

New Zealand Listener, Volume 1, Issue 9, 25 August 1939, Page 48

THE ZB RADIOGRAM

HE keen interest ZB listeners feel in Nola Luxford’s feature "The Nola Luxford News," coming as it does direct from a New Zealander at the New. York World’s Fair, will be heightened by the news that the feature is being sponsored in Palmerston North by a garage firm, the proprietor of which is Nola Luxford’s own brother. The Nola Luxford News comes over the ZB Stations at 9.15 p.m. on Saturdays, and is fraught with the intriguing possibility that the next New Zealander abroad to be brought into the limelight by Miss Luxford may be your own next door neighbour. Model Studio This year, for the second time, 3ZB’s contribution to the New Zealand. Industries Fair was a model studio. Compared with last year’s model, the studio was very different in design. There was more to see. Whereas last year there. were merely turntables and a microphone, this time a control-room was added, so that people were able to get a better idea of the working of a broadcasting station. During the fortnight of the Fair a portion of each day’s programme was broadcast from this model studio. Amateur trials held at the Fair were also broad- cast. The success of 3ZB’s enterprising venture was not difficult to judge. At all hours of the day there was a substantial crowd interesting itself in the exhibit. Famous Uncle Funny how’you find out about things isn’t it? It’s just been discovered that Percival Warren, staff clerk of 2ZB, is a nephew of one of the 1907-8 All Blacks, Mitchinson. "Mitch," as he was affectionately called, was famous for his elusive side-step, and it’s hoped to induce him to speak during one or two of .2ZB’s Sports Sessions in the future. That should be an occasion worth noting. Over the Als 3 With their special country sessions, "the ZB stations have proved the power of radio to "shrink" distances. They have shown that radio provides a link, where none existed before, between cities and remote towns. A striking proof of this was 3ZB’s relay of the Hokitika Aero Ball recently. It was the first coast-to-coast broadcast of any such occasion in the South Island. Radio spanned the alps for four hours, and Christchurch people heard voices from a Hokitika dance hall. ‘Among them there were perhaps voices they knew. The tie-up was not undertaken merely for a technical purpose: it was much more than a demonstration of

oom a what radio can do. Uncle Scrim was there -his first visit to the Coast. He was acclaimed in a way that showed how well his visit was appreciated. Harry Bell, station director of 3ZB, was there, .too, and shared the responsibility of organisation with A. J. Drummond, secretary to the Hokitika Aero Club. Its Fame Lives On The women novelists of the Victorian era seem to be remembered-those of them who are worthy of any remembrance at all-because of a single work.

Thus Mrs. Gaskell is remembered for her "Cranford"; for all that is heard of them she might never have written " Ruth" or rs Mary Barton," or her excellent " Life of Charlotte Bronte." The same with Mrs. Henry Wood. She wrote "East Lynne" and " Dannesbury House," and other less good; but it is " East Lynne" that keeps her name alive. It is one of those books that spans the years; its.appeal to-day is almost as great as when it was first published. There can be little doubt that the radio adaption of " East Lynne" will be listened to with the same attention as the book was read. " East Lynne" is the newest 3ZB presentation. It began on August 15, and is broadcast at 11 a.m. each Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. "All About Books Book reviews and book reviewing have become an essential part of the service of newspapers and information services these days, when so much is turned out for the literary consumption of a busy

— world that much that is good may go unheeded, and many an unworthy or harmful publication find its way into the hands of people who could have desired a better bargain. But the craft of reviewirig is sometimes done by people who confuse "review" with "resumé" and leave a whole wide field of usefulness unexplored. No such charge can be laid at the door of the book reviewer -who conducts the sessions from 2ZB every Friday evening at 7 p.m. Dr. Sutch approaches his task with a complete understanding of .its possibilities. He is not concerned only with the books that are new, or esoteric, or up-to-the-minute. He thinks mainly. of relating his subject to things that are happening in the world to-day, and of guiding listeners in the way of publications which are within the reach of the average man. Two examples from last Friday’s review were, " You and the Refugee," from the well known Penguin library, and Henry George’s " Progress and Poverty." Both books deal with matters which should be in the minds of everyone at this time. Henry George’s work has had a very great effect on political movements in New Zealand, and on the rating systems of some of our local bodies. The former book, by the well known English writers Norman Angell and Dorothy Buxton, deals with one of the most distressing problems of our day. But Dr. Sutch doesn’t confine himself to any one branch of literature. He reminded us in the most graphic way, by quoting a paragraph from one of W. W. Jacobs’s stories, of that writer’s unfailing sense of humour and fun. And that is. what a reviewer should do. Not only bring to our notice what is good and worthwhile among the fresh and sometimes stimulating moderns, but also keep us aware of the paths which the classic authors have defined. That is why listeners will find a very real helper in Dr. Sutch. ' 7 7-

1ZB HEALTHCRAFT for the HOME 9.30 a.m. Mondays and Thursdays 2ZB MUSICAL RENDEZVOUS 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays 3ZB FASHION’S FANCIES 8 a.m. Mondays to Saturdays 4ZB LEAVES FROM THE OTHER WOMAN’S DIARY 10.15 a.m. Mondays 2ZA THAT WAS THE YEAR 8 p.m. Wednesdays

ALL THE PROGRAMMES Readers will note that publication of all Commercial pro- _) grammes, for daytime as well | as evening, has been resumed in this issue. The daytime programmes have been undergoing revision, which was the reason why they were omitted from some recent issues, at the request of the Commercial Broadcasting Service.