AMERICA USES THE AIR

New Zealand Listener, Volume 7, Issue 180, 4 December 1942, Page 8

AMERICA USES THE AIR

-And We Can Hear The Results

those charming people who consider it bad form to speak too harshly of the Nazis". It is a radio programme consisting of 13 half-hour features. America’s greatest scriptwriters, her most popular radio and screen stars were given full use of the facilities offered by the great broadcasting networks that they might present to the people of America a vivid picture of the United States at war. The programme was accepted by the United States Government as the contribution of the broadcasting industry to America’s war effort, and was heard over 500 American stations and relayed on shortwave to the rest of the world. Now the programmes are to be heard from the main New Zealand stations. The first of the series was broadcast from the ZB’s and YA’s last Sunday evening, the rest 6¢ HIS is War" says the American magazine Variety, "is not for

can be heard from the ZB’s on Sundays at 8 p.m. and from the YA’s on Mondays at 6.30 p.m. Famous Names Norman Corwin, radio director and dramatist, who made a great name for himself in America for his programme celebrating the 150th ariniversary of the Bill of Rights, was chosen to direct the thirteen programmes. Many famous American dramatists have collaborated with him, including Maxwell Anderson, Stephen Vincent Benet, and Archibald McLeish. Famous screen stars, a number of whom are now in the arméd forces, contributed their services as actors and compéres-among them Robert Montgomery, Douglas Fairbanks, junr., Frederic March, Claude Rains, James Stewart, Paul Muni, Raymond Massey, and Donald Crisp. It is not surprising, therefore, that This is War is technically one of the best radio programmes yet heard in New Zealand. And it certainly establishes a new high water mark for Allied propaganda. But one nation’s meat is another nation’s poison, and propaganda cunningly mixed to suit the American palate is not, in spite of our increased appreciation of things American, necessarily easy for the New Zealand stomach to assimilate. "Strong meat" is certainly an adequate description of many of the programmes. There is no mincing of words, Phrases

like "blood and bone and anger", "moral leprosy", "the foul virus of Hitlerism" constantly recur. The programmes are not wholly grim. There is humour of an anti-Axis variety (the singing by the Almanacs of a song called "Round and Round Hitler’s Grave" is typical) and satire in the best Quentin Reynolds (Are you listening, Mr. Schicklegruber?) manner. Prepare for Shocks The trouble of course is that to the average New Zealand audience propaganda still means something the other side puts across. Through the years we have developed a thick anti-propaganda-proof skin. So when we are faced with a programme such as this which shouts out that it is propaganda we at first stiffen our sinews and our powers of resistance. But in the end we shall sur-render-especially to the last programme of the series dealing with listener reaction. Under the title "Yours Received and Contents Noted" the compére reads various letters purporting to be from listeners who have really heard the first 12 programmes. "Why do you make your programmes so sad?" asks one. "Why do you need to bring the war into our own living rooms?" This is countered by the reading of two speeches by soldiers who have died in the warthe first, an American boy, who has died for the living rooms of America, and asks therefore, why he should be excluded from them — the second, a German killed on the Russian front, who realises now that he has died for nothing. Another listener writes, "Your programmes are full of hate. But this is wrong. We should hate the sin, but love the sinner." The reply to this is a little parable of a man called Miniver, who had a dog called Fritz which he loved very much in spite of the fact that it was. suffering from rabies .... and on Mr. Miniver’s. tombstone they. wrote "He hated hydrophobia but loved mad dogs." Yes, it’s very effective. But though New. Zealand audiences may shiver in . their shoes at such masterly expositions of Axis villainy, though we may applaud the technical perfection of the whole production, though we may find that listening-in to each programme is a worthwhile experience, those who listen to it must be prepared for shocks,