NEWS, EDUCATION AND ENTERTAINMENT

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 1, 22 July 1927, Page 5

NEWS, EDUCATION AND ENTERTAINMENT

° CAPABLE ELOCUTIONIST FOR AUCKLAND

Recognising the. importance of correct English diction in announcing, the Radio ‘Broadcasting Company has~"Secured the services of Mr. Culford Bell for 1YA. An elocutionist of Dominion reputation and a master of the language, Mr. Bell has ideal qualificatious for the position. During the Jast 20 years Mr. Bell’s voice has been heard in nearly every part of New Zealand, but it is safe to say that during the brief time he has been announcing at 1LYA his voice has already been heard by more people than ever heard it before. Mr. Bell was born in London. He received his education and training in elocution and voice production under Professor H. J. Andrew, at the London Polytechnic and Brixton School of Music. He spent five years in the United States and in Canada, and-after a short stay in Sydney he caine to New Zealand about 20 years ago. He commenced teaching elocution, and soon became one of the busiest and best-,

set users were able to hear the account. "A magnificent record of a magnificent game magnificently described. So excellent was the description that listeners all over New Zealand were thrilled, . . . , Mr. Allardyce certainly added to an already great reputation.’’ Hearing Better Than Seeing! Hurther comment, in the form of a sub-leader in the Feilding ‘‘Star," is worthy of publication :- "Some Teilding people travelled across the island on Saturday to see the fight for the Ranfurly Shield. Some hundred of Feilding people sat or stood in Manchester Square and heard not only a minntely detailed description of the play of the rival teams but heard the shouts and conunents of the great crowd as plainly as if they had been on the playing ground it-’ self. Indeed, Feilding folks were more favoured per medium of the radio than the spectators in the crowd, for the announcer told more than the crowd could know or see, because he was in a better position and knew the players. The bringing of the big football match right here in Feilding

known teachers of speech training in the Dominion. He has adjudicated for practically every competitions society in New Zealand, a number of the societies inviting him back several times.- Early this year Mr. Bell moved to Auckland, and quickly built up a large connection there. Mr. Bell is a firm believer in the ad--vantages of radio to the general public, and he is convinced that it ‘can be made of inestimable benefit to everyoue, and particularly to young people. Approgched by the Broadcasting Company, Mr. Bell. saw in the position ,of., announcer the opportunity which would be opened to him to spread the love, of Euglish literature, and he, therefore, consented to carry out the dutiés at the microphoue of 1Y¥A, _ The new announcer realises that broadcasting should be a powerful medium in speéch training and in spread ing the music of the spoken word, which he considers is no receiving ~ enough attention to-day. Mr. Bell* will give lectures at regular: vals,

was a great achievement in wireless and a splendid triumph for the new broadcasting station just completed on the top of Mount Victoria, Wellington. There was no annoying static, the spoken words, tlie shouts, the criticism of the crowd and the cheering were as distinct in Feilding as in Masterton, What uext? In another decade a Feilding crowd will probably see the Ranfurly Shield match actually being played in Wellington--per medium of television." Backblock Appreciation, One of many correspondents expressed himself in the following man-ner:-‘‘It was such a great treat for us in the backblocks to be able to follow the match, as we were able to do by your broadcasting on Saturday.’ Another correspondent makes this tribute: "Coming from Britain but a short time ago, where I had some slight experience with the B.B.C. and hearing the many relays which they instituted, I can honestly say. that yours of the 9th was equal, if mot superior, to the general broadcasts. given from places of interest in the Old Countty.’’ .