THE ZB RADIOGRAM

New Zealand Listener, Volume 1, Issue 12, 15 September 1939, Page 48

THE ZB RADIOGRAM

1ZB 1ZB’s HAPPINESS CLUB CONDUCTED BY "DOROTHY" 1.30 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays a

2ZB Mrs. ’olmes and Mrs. Hentwhistle 1.0 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays

3ZB THE ADVENTURES OF CHARLIE CHAN 8.45 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays

4ZB THE BLACK TULIP 8.30 p.m. Thursdays

2ZA THE LAUGH OF THE WEEK 8.0 p.m. Thursdays

ing " dizziness?" Is it Mr. Ace’s bulldoggish good humour? Or Marg’s. infectious ripples of mirth? What is it that has kept " Easy Aces" on the air every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday night at ZB Stations for so long? And it’s a certainty that this favourite session will be on the air for many more months to come. There’s something about this feature that make you anticipate each episode with pleasurable enthusiasm and regret each closing theme, and ask for more. Children’s Radio Journal There are few regular listeners to Station 2ZB who, whether young or old, [ it Mrs. Ace’s inconsequent, endear-

have not heard that consistent, interesting, and excellent session for children arranged by Bryan O’Brien. His complete sympathy for the young folk, and a ready understanding of what they like, have built up an hour’s entertainment and instruction which can scarcely be _ bettered. Recently he re-introduced © the "Children’s Radio ‘Journal,’ which is divided into four or five sections more or less self-contained. For example, during one day’s programme the children hear the Bird-man, who, -as his title implies, tells of the children’s. feathered friends; Lady Gay conducting the Sunbeams’ Club; the Travel Man, an adventurer who hasan inexhaustible fund of experience from which to draw; and ideas original and arresting put forward. by young people who talk on a wide variety of 3subjects.in the Children’s Forum. Some Good Tips Recently, when 2ZB’s " Griffo". was giving out the results of one of the race ‘meetings held in some: part of the. try an énthusiastic but ™ slightly ebriated punter rang up ‘to tell" that, as a tesult of 2ZB’s ‘selection. 4 form horses on the previous day, he, the punter had had a good afternoon. He said, "I broke even; and boy, did IF need it!’ Which reminds us of the woman col-

lecting a pile of notes after a race. Exclaimed the lady, "When I think of what I might have lost if that horse had not won, I could shoot myself for being such a fool as to back him." Back From Holiday We are glad to be able to inform the listener who rang up 2ZB to ask for Bob Pollard’s whereabouts that he has now returned to work after six weeks’ holiday. Still Going Strong "Oooh Fred you are awful!" Familiar as the signature tune of the GaumontBritish news, the phrase "T’ll MOW you down .. .", or the figure of Mickey Mouse, is Maggie’s pet saying in the radio serial "Fred and Maggie Everybody." It’s significant that this feature should be as popular to-day as it was in October, 1937, when it first caught the ear of ZB listeners. The obvious reason of its long life is its popularity, and the obvious reason for its popularity is that it depicts the everyday ups and downs of an average family. You can hear "Fred and Maggie Everybody" every Monday, Tuesday, and Sunday night, at 7 o'clock. " Musical Story "" Contest Radio listeners like competitions, and many people now give the time they once spent on crossword puzzles to answering competitions on the radio. Professor Speedee’s "General Knowledge" tests, "Spelling Jackpots". and " Leaves From Life" gather in huge mails daily, and last week the first broadcast of a " Musical Story" Competition over 1ZB brought four listeners running hot foot to deliver their answers to the sponsors within ten minutes of the finish of the broadcast. Seventeen hours later, the delivery ~of the first mail brought with it 150 letters. This. "Musical Story" Competition, broadcast over 1ZB every Monday and Wednesday at 3.30 p.m., is fast proving one cf the most popular afternoon sessions from the Northern station. The artists are the versatile Thea, who plays the piano, and a 1ZB announcer. A story is started and then stopped, while the next phrase is filled in with an unannounced song title. The listeners’ pait in the game is to pick the song titles which complete the sequence of the story. The competition mail is growing fast. " Komedy Kingdom " "Folks who are naturally funny lead a strenuous life." So says Elvia Allman, the gracious queen of " Komedy Kingdom." Her days are just one hectic round of hilarity — from morning till night. The most strenuous assignment is ‘keeping her jovial company of merry_makers in order. Fun, pure and clean, is the slogan, and ZB listeners are delighting in this rollicking programme. 4ZB listeners please note — there’s been a change in the days of playing. "Instead of Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, "Komedy Kingdom" wilt be broadcast in future on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

The Wrong Road Then there was the broadcasting official who, when asked if the " Road to the Isles" might be included in a programme, agreed, saying: " As a matter of fact I am very partial to Hawaiian music!" Believe It or Not The long arm of coincidence stretched out at a Professor Speedee General Knowledge Broadcast at 4ZB recently. Listeners are asked to send in questions on general knowledge, which they think will be suitable for use in this session. Several questions are selected, and when the test is conducted in the studio each entrant draws a number by ballot, and the number corresponds with one of the questions allotted for the evening. Imagine the surprise of Alex. McDowell, 4ZB announcer, when one woman, after perusing the question she had received, informed him that it was a question which she herself had sent in several weeks previously. The chances. of this happening are probably about one in several thousand, which almost places the incident in line for Ripley’s " Believe It Or Not." Behind The Mike at 1ZB Back from his annual leave, and looking as brown as a berry, Arthur Collyns announced that he has nearly completed a book based on interesting problems culled during his long-running "Between

Ourselves" Session. Arthur, is, however, not the only author at 1ZB. Uncle Tom has published three books for children; Gran has published "Bits and Pieces ’; and Doug. Laurenson has written two film scenarios, one of which, called "Strange Dimension,’ was published in serial form by an Auckland weekly magazine,