SERVICE

Radio Record, 29 April 1938, Page 23

SERVICE

RADIO HELPS THE TRAVELLERS \PUCH disappointment, inconvenience and financial loss were saved many hundreds of South Island motorists over Isaster week-end by a first-class relay of weather conditions by 348, Christchurch, conducted by lan Mackay. Ileayy vain had swollen all rivers und streams, and several main routes were under water, conditions becoming steadily worse on Good Friday and Easter Saturday. Accurate descriptions of the eondition of roads between Invereargil’ nnd Nelson were broadcast by telephone conversation with Automobile Association officials, postinusters and count) engineers, working in conjunction with the P. and . Department, all the conversations being clearly heard by listeners, In the absence of any other source of information, the relay was a genuinely good piece of service, and was responsible for over 1000 phone rings in two days. from listeners seeking — information.

Mr, Rodgers, jun. On Good Friday the station presented a complete recorded yersion of Stainer’s "Crucifixion." Kor Anzac Day a special. programme was to be presented, The Voice T,PAGte football will he deseribed " for 1ZB listeners, every Saturday during the. winter by Bill Meredith, 1ZB sports announcer, Arrangements have been completed for the 1ZB mike to be put in for every match, Bill, by the way, is the newest addition to the 1ZB announcing staff, Veteran of many sports, and patron-of more.still, he knows sports and sportsmen thoroughiy. Ile has been associated with broadcasting for muny years-at 1YA_ bis broudcasts from Eden Park earned him the title of "The Voice that Breathed oer Eden." , Culture Idea "CULTURAL, conversation," a develop- "~ ment based on the suggestion that people should be just as careful and correct in speech in ordinary conyersntion as if they were speaking before uo microphone, was an idea left bs Howard Milholland, entertainer, teller of tales, singer and actor, and = programme manager for the Pacifie .division of the American National Broad«isting Company for many years, when he spoke to the staff of 2ZB recently. Mr. MilhoNand emphasised common faults in announcing, such as the dropping and slurring of the ending of phrases, and he stressed the value of: imparting the quality of joyousness and interest to the speaking voice. "Cul tural conversation" had gained mueh popularity. in ULS.AL recently. The. idea, of course, was by no means intended for radio announcers alone, but vould be adopted by everybody. "Drums" VOTED the inost popular radio drama in America, "and having — in that land of hard-bitten listeners the grentest aurdience of them all ai big spoken feature "Drums," has started on four nights each week from 1ZB. William Farnum. great dramatic actor on the Ameriéan wir-ways--the grand old man of rad: io) over there-takes ° the main role und around him are ‘clustered 1 group of outstanding stars. "drums" inty be heard from 1ZB on ° Tuesdays Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays ar 8.45 p.m. Lost And Found i. ‘BRUDGIE DIGGER PBURKRF? is lost," came the call from 4ZB recently. At once Oamaru bird-lovers be gan their search for the pocket edition of a parrot so well-known in the White Stone Town. After four days’ freedom in unexpectedly wet.weather, ‘the owner udvised the station that the little wanderer had been found -in one of the quarries, rather distressed at the unusual buffetings he had received, These small services. for vhich 4ZB is noted, often result in a good deal of pleasure and happiness Interesting HE record of "Hunting Cries," in the NBS recordings museum, referred to in last week's "Reeord," was not made by the present Lord Galway, Covernor-General, but by ‘the seventh holder of the title, born 18h2.