Items From The ZB's

New Zealand Listener, Volume 6, Issue 146, 10 April 1942, Page 21

Items From The ZB's

os a OTES FROM 4ZB: An. interN esting item in the 4ZB mailbag recently was a letter from a member of the National Radio Club of America who lives in St. Onge, South Dakota (practically in the centre of the continent) and who had clearly received a portion of 4ZB’s programme. He was using a home-built 16-valve receiver, and he sent a detailed report of a section of the programme for verification. . . . Additions to 4ZB’s announcing staff are Ron Walton and Colin McDonald. Ron is no stranger to the microphone, as he has been conducting the New Releases session for some time. A keen musician, he is taking lectures in music at Otago University College. Colin McDonald comes from Southland, and he, too, has had radio experience, as he frequently sang from 4YZ, Invercargill. He will give a recital shortly from 4ZB. .. . Ian Watkins has assumed the role of "Hollywood Reporter," and keeps ‘listeners posted with the latest Hollywood news in a session entitled Film Forum, on the air every Wednesday at 10.15 am... . Behind the Mike, conducted by Don Donaldson, is now heard at 9.30. p.m. on Saturdays. * 3 * TATION 1ZB’s clerical staff has been having a busy time coping with what can only be described as an avalanche of mail. First of all, Jerry's "Bonds for Bombers" competition brought in 2,000 letters in the first two days, which represented only the beginning of the entries. In addition there has been a remarkable response to Melody Jackpots, a morning programme for which entries by the thousand, including dozens of telegrams, have been received. * % * ‘THE second of the big concerts which -" Rod Talbot puts on for recentlyreturned soldiers was staged in the 1ZB Radio Theatre the other Sunday. The men were officially welcomed by the Mayor of Auckland, J. A. C. Allum, and the president of the Second R.S.A,, but the atmosphere was typical of the Diggers’ Session which Rod has conducted for so long. With the assistance of the Red Cross Transport, the men were brought down from hospital, settled comfortably in the theatre and treated to a concert by Reg. Morgan and other 1ZB artists, and the new 1ZB Orchestra. The programme was broadcast, and similar concerts are being held every month. * * 7 ALTHOUGH most listeners must long ago have thought that the limit of ingenuity had been reached in quiz programmes, 4ZB is "ringing the bell" with a novel session broadcast on Mondays at 7.45 p.m. It is the Give and Take Quiz, which is run in connection with the All, Purposes Patriotic Appeal. The quiz is fought out between representatives of the Army and the Air Force, and to date the Air Force is leading by a small margin. Ian Watkins and Don Donaldson conduct it.