THE GAMES WENT OVER WELL

New Zealand Listener, Volume 22, Issue 556, 17 February 1950, Page 21

THE GAMES WENT OVER WELL

V ITH some days’ events still to be run when this issue of The Listener went to press it was already evident that from a broadcasting point of view the Empire Games were a decided success. The BBC had reported games material arriving in perfect order; the South African broadcasting authorities had cabled that games broadcasts were being well received and that their special programmes, written by A. E. Jones of 1ZB and narrated by Don Donaldson, Station Manager of 2ZA, were "very good"; Fiji praised "excellent service’; and the ABC said the broadcasts received in Australia were "extra good" while the coverage picked up from Radio New Zealand was both comprehensive and clearly received. All programmes for the BBC were narrated by Lionel Sceats, Station Manager of 2ZB who introduced each broadcast with the words, "This is Lionel Sceats reporting the Empire Games from Auckland, New Zealand." These programmes were radio telephoned to London and included highlights from the commentaries as well as special reports by experts on the various events. Home front listeners, too, had already shown approval and a. file of "fan mail" was beginning to accumulate at 1YA addressed to the commentators. Forbes Carlile, the Australian commentator on the swimming, evoked special praise, one writer describing his work as "a continuing delight." Swimming is Carlile’s particular enthusiasm, and he had provided himself with an ample fund of background information. He is a full-time lecturer in physiology at Sydney University, but is commissioned by-the ABC to cover all major swimming events in Australia, (See page 25.)