Items From The ZB's

New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 121, 17 October 1941, Unnumbered Page

Items From The ZB's

INSTON CHURCHILL, the Archbishop ‘of Canterbury, the Duke of Windsor, Emlyn Williams (the Welsh playwright and actor), Edith Evans (the English actress), and Stuart Hibberd, senior BBC announcer are among those whose voices are heard in London Can Take It, a programme devised and compéred by L. E. Strachan of the Commercial Broadcasting Service as a sequel to These They Have Bombed. London Can Take It is a picture in words and music of various phases of London life. The pageantry of the city is reflected in broadcasts of the Ceremony of the Keys and the Trooping of the Colour, and there are other cameos of Westminster Abbey, | Bow Bells, and Drury Lane Theatre (all three the victims of Nazi bombs), of some famous night clubs, and of "Charlie Brown’s", an institution which is famous among seamen wherever ships meet in harbours, The first broadcast of London Can Take It will be from 2ZB on Sunday, October 19, and it will be heard from 4ZB, 3ZB, 1ZB and 2ZA on ‘succeeding Sundays. * ES a M USIC, axiomatically, plays a big part on the home front, and a lively, gloom-chasing session is presented from 3ZB every week-day afternoon at one o’clock under the title of Sing For Victory. Introduced some time ago, it consists of 15 minutes of rousing choruses by members of 3ZB’s staff. Each day a particular section of the staff is nominated to conduct the "sing," and there is a healthy rivalry between the various departments to see which can put on the brightest and most inspiring. The station lounge is usually crowded with lunch-hour spectators, and the number of appreciative letters received is another indication of the session’s popularity. * * * USICAL competitions sponsored by Station 3ZB have always received excellent support from Christchurch artists, and the "Vocal Championship" launched from 3ZB on a recent Wednesday evening, is no exception, The £20 first, £5 second and £2 consolation prizes are in themselves sufficient to attract a large number of entries, and in addition the leading music teachers of Christchurch are whole heartedly behind the idea. The Mayor of Christchurch, E. H. Andrews, spoke from 3ZB on the occasion of the first broadcast, other speakers being the sponsor’s representative, Harry Bell, 3ZB’s director, and Len Barnes, who is judging the championship. Mr. Barnes is well known as secretary of the Registered Music Teachers’ Association in Christchurch, and has had a long experience of radio, both as artist and executive. He has also been adjudicator at several North Island competition festivals. Competitors in the "Vocal Championship" are on the air from 3ZB every Wednesday and Friday at-8.40 p.m