BIRTHDAY IN HAWKE'S BAY

New Zealand Listener, Volume 19, Issue 490, 12 November 1948, Page 10

BIRTHDAY IN HAWKE'S BAY

Station 2YZis Now 10 Years Old

OMAN’S birthday is an event which she hopes her near relations will remember in practical fashion, and yet be not too inquisitive about statistics. A man’s is generally one ‘which: he uses merely as an excuse for heartiness among hig friends without regard for the number of years that have passed. But a radio station’s anniversary-par-ticularly the tenth-is an occasion which not one of its thousands of customers is permitted to overlook. There is no coyness about age, which is literally broadcast to the world, and underlined with all the fanfare that goes hand-in-hand with modern entertainment. The next NZBS station to celebrate its tenth birthday will be Napier’s 2YZ, and the date will be Wednesday, No‘yember 17, with special programmes starting at 7.30 pm. A_ survey of Hawke’s Bay radio activities for the

past 10 years, Cavalcade of Broadcasting, will open the session. A concert by Hawke’s Bay performers at 8.15 p.m., Hawke's. Bay Presents, will bring’ to the microphone some of the talent of the province. At. 9.0 p.m. a listener will present the winning session in the station’s competition Here’s My Programme; and at 9.30 p.m. Curtain Call, the studio variety show, will be heard in an anniversary edition. To complete the celebrations, the staff of 2YZ will present at 10.0 p.m. a feature This is Station 2YZ — The. New Look in Broadcasting. ; ; Although regular listeners to a radio

station have probably followed its progress since its first day on the air, it is customary at birthday time to recall some of its history, so (to coin a phrase) here are the facts. Station 2YH, as it was originally christened, was btNlt in 1938 as one of a projected chain of regional stations extending throughout New Zealand. When the -war came, all new construction stopped, leaving only 4YZ Invercargill and 2YH Napier with transmitters actually completed. Early in 1938 tests were made to find the most suitable site for the transmitter, and -eventually Opapa, about’ 30 miles south of Napier, was chosen as the best situation from which to cover the whole of the East Coast, where reception from more distant stations was poor. Next came the erection of the transmitter in a concrete building, and two 300ft. masts. To-day the transmitter (continued, on next page)

(continued from previous page) building with its tall towers comprises a small settlement on the main Well-ington-Napier highway. ‘The top floor | of a building in the town was remod- | elled into studios, control room, offices, and lounge. For builders, technicians and programme staff this was a busy period; but by November 17, 1938, Station 2YH was ready to go on the air, and the station was officially opened by the Hon. F. Jones. The local newspaper was enthusiastic in its report of the opening function, describing it as "a brilliant affair." But it was a modest beginning. There was a-staff of nine, three of whom were stationed at Opapa, and the library’s complement .was only 5,000 recordings. Transmission hours were limited-from 7.0 am. to 9.0 am., 11.0 a.m. to 2.0 p.m., and from 5.0 p.m. to 10:0 p.m. During the daytime 2YH rebroadcast 2YA’s programme, ,but from 5.0 p.m. onwards provided its own items from the studios in Napier. It was hoped that it would not be long before the transmission hours were increased, bit the station had not been on the air a year: when war was declared and, in common with other in- dustries, the Broadcasting Service felt its effects severely. A large percentage of the station staff saw service with the Armed. Forces. There was a shortage of equipment of all kinds, and all hope of extending the service of 2YH to listeners had to be dropped for the time being. When the war ended some of the original plans were taken up again and the staff was greatly enlarged till to-day it has a strength of 23. Hours of transmission were gradually increased to the present 15 or so hours a day and the record library now holds nearly 20,000 discs. : Local Talent on the Air Much use has been and is. made by 2YZ of local talent in planning musical programmes. Soloists (vocal and instrumental), choirs and bands, and modern and old-time dance , orchestras from Napier, Hastings and _ other Hawke’s Bay districts -have been featured in regular sessions. The sporting side, too, has been developed. Race meetings at Napier and Hastings have been broadcast since 1946, and wide coverage is given to Rugby, boxing, cricket, other athletic events, and wrestling. But the station staff believes that the Listeners’ Own Session, broadcast on Monday evenings, has possibly been the most popular programme feature, for requests are received from almost every part of New Zealand. ! Hawke’s ‘Bay listeners are reminded then (if they really need reminding) to listen. to 2YZ on Wednesday evening, ‘November 17, for the celebration of its tenth birthday.