Christchurch Announcer 'On View'

Radio Record, 4 September 1936, Page 23

Christchurch Announcer 'On View'

Grace Green, of 8ZM, Satisfies the Public About Herself By Personal Appearance at Show — Getting Two Stations Mixed — 1ZJ’s Special Sessions Appreciated in Auckland.

j V ERY incurious must be the listener who does not endeavour to conjure up a mental picture of the announcer. Miss Grace Green, of 384M, Christchurch, has been asked, by mail and telephone, whether she is old, young, fat or thin. She satisfied her fans at the Christchurch winter show by agreeing to receive admirers in a stall. They came from near and far to meet the girl with ‘the fascinating voice and the position may be summed up in the yvords of a very ancient couple, "Oh, we thought you must be getting on, your voice is so mature!" Grace, by the way, is young, pretty and altogether charming and, as she told the "Radic Record," she quite enjoyed her public appearance-‘after the first quarter of an hour.’ She was kissed, but perhaps we should not mention that. HERE is not a great deal of similarity between the sounds of YO and ZO, yet there is a growing tendency among Dunedin people to confuse the two sations that broadeast under those respective callsigns. Of late, handfuls of letters addressed to 4¥O have been opened upon delivery by the National Broadeasting Service officials, who have then discovered that they were intended by the writers for 4Z0, while many others addressed 449, Dunedin, have been delivered at the wrong address. There is naturally some delay in re-sorting these letters and having them redelivered to the right station, and some inconvenience is being caused officers at both stations. It would be a good idea if in future listeners would be more specifie in the addresses shown on letters. If envelopes were labelled 4YO, Stuart Street, Dunedin, C.1, or 4Z0, Octagon, Dunedin, C.1, the bother ' ghould be eliminated. k HD special sessions which have late. ly been given from 1ZJ, Auckland. have resulted in very large increases in the station’s mail received by the proprietors. One prominent business man recently wrote to the Prime Minis ter and told him what was being broaéeast. It is understood that in replying to the letter, Mr. Savage intimated thai he was pleased to hear that the action of the Labour Government in making available the freedom of the air was So much appreciated. Series of Talks GTATION 3ZM, the "variety station," as most Christchurch listeners call it, has introduced a new feature-a series of talks on famous stories. The first was on "Grey Owl and_ the Beaver," the second, "The Blue Riband of the Atlantic’-very topical in view of the Queen Mary’s latest record. Tuesdays at 8 p.m. are the evenings to

tune in for these chats by Mr. Eric L. Cordery, of Christchurch, and already the station has a pile of request subjects for the lecturer to consider. 1ZB Studio T is understood that "Unele Scrim," founder of the Friendly Road and director of 1ZB, is shortly going to erect a separate studio which will be connected by land line with 1ZB when this station is taken over and operated by the Government. It is also stated that the services which will be organised and given by him will come from the "Chapel of Grateful Hearts," and that a certain amount of time will be given to these services by 1ZB. From a Lorry Por a long time beforehand there was some doubt as to whether 4¥YA would be broadeasting a description of the return match between Southland and Otago, and it was not until two days before the fixture that word was received that permission had been granted for the station, in collaboration with 4ZP, to go ahead with arrangements for the broadcast. Also, at practically the last minute it was decided to take the 4YA football announcer, Mr. Bob McKenzie, to Invercargill to supply the descriptive matter

to listeners, but his task on this occasion was not so easy as in, the case of his. Dunedin broadcasts, There were no facilities for a sporting announcer. and it rained all afternoon, but the best was made of a bad job by hoisting the radio gear and the announcer on to a lorry, which certainly afforded some shelter. However, it was difficult for Mr. McKenzie to gain a clear view of the ground at times. Nevertheless, his running commentary was up to the mark as usual. Those Amateurs [HE latest return of radio licence figures shows that the rapid increase continues. These figures also show that there are nearly 1000 licensed amateur transmitters. The Post and Telegraph Department recently reduced the frequency bands available to amateurs, the result being that the eristing bands are hopelessly congested and are of very little use to the amateurs or anyone else. The opinion is held in Auckland by many that before very long the Government will be forced to do something to relieve the congestion by opening up other bands, or restricting some of the ewisting services.