NEWS FROM THE ZB STATIONS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 69, 18 October 1940, Page 39

NEWS FROM THE ZB STATIONS

its Sunday afternoon programmes for the summer season. The new presentation began on Sunday, October 6, Ia place of the Request Session, which has been such a popular feature throughout the winter months, a new feature will be introduced at 12 o’clock, entitled " Picked Blind." This feature consists of a half-hour’s programme chosen at random from the hundreds of requests which were not played in the Request Session because of lack of time. The 1ZB Radio Review is presented from 2 until 5, the highlights being: 2 p.m., "Melody Moods," featuring Thea Ryan at the piano; 3 p.m., a half-hour of recent releases; 4.30 p.m., Howard Moody on the Civic Organ. S TATION 1ZB has entirely reorganised "Tiny" Martin’s Career Station 2ZB’s newest announcer is " Tiny " Martin, who is an Englishman. Having selected a doctor for his father, "Tiny" Martin arranged to arrive in London on the feast day of St. Luke, patron Saint of physicians, on October 18, 1899. He is happy to say that St. Luke has looked after him very well, and apart from such childish complaints as measles, mumps and chicken pox, he has suffered from no illnesses, He learned the three R’s at Marlborough, and after a short but hectic career in the Army in the last war, proceeded to Jesus College, Cambridge. "Tiny" came to New Zealand in 1925 in the vain hope that he might become a farmer. However, he left the farm after a year with only one regret-that he’d ever gone on it. Since then he has .been barman, specialty salesman (this lasted a fortnight, after selling patent fire extinguishers to twelve friends), radio announcer, and author. He then joined a newspaper in Auckland. About 1930 he was transferred to Dunedin, where he spent the next four years. It was a city he was very sorry to leave, for he made many friends there. The next six years were spent in Wellington in the Civil Service. Curiously enough, his job was to write publicity booklets, and one of his tasks was to revise and bring up-to-date the information in the very publication which persuaded him to come to New Zealand. His first experience in radio was gained as far back as 1926 when he was am announcer at 1YA. While in Dunedin he did a long series of talks on historical subjects. He was also an announcer at a Wellington radio station, and the official commentator for Government publicity films for some years, so it will be seen that he is no stranger to the

"mike." "Tiny" is 6 feet in height, and weighs 16 stone, a fact to which he owes his nickname. In 1938 he paid a visit to England, and candidly admits that now he would not live anywhere but in this, the country of his adoption. (See picture on page 40.) Brighter Week-ends Variety is the spice of life-and the very essence of radio, With this in mind, 2ZB has re-cast its Saturday morning and afternoon programmes, as well as its Sunday morning programme. Scanning Saturday’s programme (as printed in this week’s Listener) the listener will find many interesting sessions. At 10 a.m. " With a Smile and» a Song" will help everyone through the miorning. "Salute to the South Seas," a session of Hawaiian music, heard on Wednesday and Friday afternoons, is now presented in addition at 10.15 a.m. on Saturday. "Popular Ballads" come next — ballads as dear to the heart of the listeners to-day as they were to the gallants of sixty years ago, who sang them in a Victorian drawing-room. At 10:45 " Organistics," a session of organ music, is presented; and at 11.15 a.m. the "Guest Artist"" comes to the microphone. "Yer Can’t ’Elp Larfin’" is at 11.30 a.m. -a session of humour which aims to drive away the accumulated blues of the past week. At 11.50 a.m. sportsmen are catered for. Wallie Ingram, 2ZB’s Sports Announcer, briefly

reviews the week-end sport in " What’s On This Afternoon?" At 12 noon comes the Luncheon Session, conducted by Geoff. Lloyd. 2ZB’s " Radio Discoveries" is a session popular with listeners, Formerly heard on Friday nights it is now scheduled for 12. 30 p.m. on Saturday. At 2 p.m. "Cavalcade of Happiness" is heard, and at 2.15 "Under the Baton Of a session of famous bands and conductors, takes the air. At 2.30 there is a " Vocal Cameo," and at 2.45 " Martial Moments," a session calculated to stir the enthusiasm of all band lovers, "Golden Feathers," a thrilling story of New Guinea, comes on at 3 p.m. At 3.30 "Everything Stops for Tea." Father is called from his gardening, the children stop playing, tea is served, and a special tea session from 2ZB is enjoyed. "A Little Nonsense Now and Then" is not forgotten by 2ZB, and at 3.45 p.m. there is a "Bit O’ Fun." At 4 p.m. "Invitation to Romance" is extended, and at 4.15 there is a "Spot of Swing." Records showing the different way in which songs were rendered yesterday as compared with to-day comprise the session ‘* Yesterday and To-day" at 4.30. Hill-Billy tunes are always popular, and at 4.45 the Hill-Billies entertain. At 5 p.m. To-day’s Dance Band gives lilting music.

The little folk with their decided ideas on entertainment and radio programmes are not forgotten, and at 5.15 p.m. " Music for the Little Folk " is presented for them. "‘ Cheer Up Tunes" at 5.30 p.m. completes 2ZB’s new set up of programmes for Saturday. These new sessions begin on Saturday, October 19. On Sunday, October 20, more new programmes will begin. At 9.30 a.m." The World of Sport" is presented by Wally Ingram, instead of on Tuesday nights. At 9.45 "And I Say It’s ’" a session in which artists are presented without announcement and listeners are invited to guess their names, will give the family an opening to start an argument. At 10.15 there are the " Morning Stars," and at 10.30 " Musical Comedy Memories" will bring recollections of theatre tréats enjoyed long ago. At 10.45 is heard a recording of Craig Crawford’s Band broadcasting direct from Prince’s Restaurant, Sydney, especially for the NCBS. At 11 a.m. there is the session "Out of the Box "’-a summary of the week’s new recordings, while from 12 noon to 2 p.m. a variety programme is presented. These new week-end programmes from 2ZB should arouse a lot of interest and provide listeners with many hours of entertainment, South Seas Session Many messages of congratulation and requests for a repetition were received by 2ZB when Finlay Robb gave an unusual twist to his session "Salute to the South Seas." This session (broadcast on Wednesdays and Fridays at 3.15 p.m. and at 10.15 a.m. on Saturdays) usually consists of recordings of Hawaiian numbers, but Finlay, who has spent some time in Hawaii, sang himself in Hawaiian. His rich voice is particularly well suited to the haunting Hawaiian melodies,