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New Zealand Listener, Volume 9, Issue 216, 13 August 1943, Page 12

S« HE children are the BBC’s chosen people," according to Tom Harrisson’s radio column in the English Observer: "The educational and children’s hour programmes have maintained a steady, sensible standard without providing anything remarkable or sensational. . . Some of the best broadcasters speak in the juvenile periods. In several respects — especially serious and topical talks-grown-ups are comparatively ill served." Can we say the same about New Zealand children? Have we anything to compare with the excellent history talks

of Rhoda Power? Or the Parliamentary series of Megan Lloyd George. who not only introduces children to Parliament in a friendly and amusing way, but also relates her talks to the future responsibilities of her young listeners? Or take it from this angle. The BBC provides Nature talks and five-minute chats which go by the name of "Field Fare." The speakers who give talks in the Senior English programme include well-known writers like L. A. G. Strong. Do we approach this, or seriously aim at it?

Our country is smaller. We have fewer illustrious names and able heads to draw upon for any sessions, let alone sessions for children. But are we giving the best that can be got here? * % Ed OU may argue that a great part of the daily programmes are suitable for children of one age or another. Children listen to popular numbers, to crooning, to serials, to the news, to gardening talks. In fact they soon develop the habit, still common to many households, of having the radio on all the time and pricking up ears only when something happens to tickle the ear-drum. Is this so? Is it all right that