SOPRANO AT THE MIKE

Radio Record, 3 June 1938, Page 15

SOPRANO AT THE MIKE

Technical Faults and Prejudice Tung "For Men Only" on the Microphone: These Women Ignored It

Special to the Record

by

E.M.

D.

OT many years ago it seemed as if radio was going to hang up the sign, "For Men Only" -permanently. The technical imperfections of broadcasting did strange things to women’s voices. To this day there are listeners who dial-twiddle when a soprano cotnes on the air, and there is still a widespread prejudice against women announcers. Improved voice reproduction and the careful selection and training of voices are, however, beginning to give women their chance in a radio career. Thanks to radio drama, listeners are beginuing to know and like feminine voices on the air, and the New Zealand Commercial stations-and to a smaller extent the National stations-now have sessions regularly conducted by women. Still, the selection and training of a good female radio voice is still an extremely tricky business. Not long ago an Australian paper asked its readers to indicate whether or not they liked the voices of women

announcers heard on the air in Australia. The consensus of opinion was that a good woman announcer was just as good as a man, but that she must be taken in much smaller doses. A bad woman announcer was infinitely more tedious than the worst man, There the matter lies to-day. It will probably be many, many years before listeners will tolerate stock announcements from women. However well modulated and vital the voice, an hour or so seems the limit of time that a woman can stay at the "mike." It follows naturally that there are few enough staff jobs in radio for women-the women who have them have also the satisfaction of knowing they possess a gift well above the ordinary. ERE are a few details about the women who, in spite of disadvantages, have ereated a niche for themselves in New Zealand radio. Jistinet from those who conduct special sessions under contract, they are actually members of the announcing division of the National Commercial Broadcasting Service. Stution 38ZB’s "Gracie" (Miss Grace Green) was the first woman to

broadcast on shortwave in the Southern Hemisphere. Commencing with the B stations in the earliest days of New Zealand radio, she gained an influential block of listeners in record time. Intensely vital, she has helped to make 3ZB’s Children’s Hour one of the best from any station. Wiss JOYCE HAMER, of 4ZB, widely experi-

jenced in amateur dramatics. ohe appeared in the productions of the Otago University Dramatic Society and the Dunedin Operatic Society. Holder of an L.T.C:L. in elocution, Miss Hamer is one of those versatile New Zealanders who, apart from topeping most classes at school, has repre sented Otago at tennis, is a New Zealand University hockey blue and the holder of several heavily-endorsed certificates for prowess at swimming. Joyce announces the early morning recipe session. TATION 1ZB's "Gran" (Mrs. T. . Donne) has built for herself one of the largest blocks of listeners held by any commercial radio announcer. She has the distinction of broadcasting from all ZB stations. and is probably the only woman radio announcer. in the world to have had a pipe band march composed in her honowr-which incidentally, is now being played by the band of the famous Argyle and Sutherlands Regiment. MARINA (Mrs. Jocelyn Parr), who spent most of the Great War in England with the Red Cross, is rememe bered by New Zealand (Cont. on p, 41.)

Sopranos at the Mike

(Continued from age 15.) soldiers as one of the kindest people at Walton-on-Thames Hospital. She spent some time in Sydney at 2UW where, amongst other sessions, she was responsible for introducing the "Mother and Son" broadeast. Margot-Miss J. Mullins--whose yoice is heard from 2ZB every morning -is an ex-pupil of Nelson Girls’ College and Wellington Girls’ College. She has specialised in voice production and dramatic work, ILI, of 44ZB-Miss Annas Gale off duty-is one of the most popular full-time announcers in New Zealand to-day. Uer musical training was extensive, Member of a well-known Christchurch family, she received early tuition at Sacred Heart College and liter "finished" under Alfred Bunz, She has sung many grand opera roles under the auspices of the Christchurch Operatic Society. Probably her most notable professional achievement was "gate-crashing" one of Australia’s toughest studios and holding the job for three years, While in Australia she was a star pupil at fhe Sydney Con servatorium of Music. EADERS will wonder why the writer as not added the names of "Aunt Daisy," Sylvia and Miss Dorothy Wood to this modest list ‘Mhose ontstanding radio persennlities are noe longer actually members of the CBS staff. Their sessions are given ander contract. They are, so to spoak, "or: gaged artists,’