NCBS'S YOUNGEST STATION DIRECTOR.
. Toss Of A Coin Decided — --. Momentous Issue For ~ John Brown Of 2ZA .. ABOUT seven years ago a young man, ex-bushwhacker, shearer, shepherd, miner, general rouseabout, and a lot of other things besides, stood in the Queen’s Arcade, Auckland, at the end of his resources; flat broke, to put it calloquially. After a short and somewhat disillusioning experience of city life he was about to return to his | job of shepherding. But acting, perhaps on a hunch, he tossed a coin to decide what he would do. Result > -was that he stayed in Auckland, secured, through the good offices of a young, radio-minded missioner by the name of C. G. Scrimgeour, a job at the old 1ZR station, Today ke is station director of 2ZA Palmerston North, and the youngest director in the NCBS. His name is John Brown.
JN those days 1ZR was fighting for its existence (as indeed, the Friendly Road had to fight for a long time after that), and the station was not over-staffed. Although John knew litile or nothing about broadcasting, one of his first jobs was taking the controls. during Aunt Daisy’s session. Just before Aunt Daisy went on
other duties, he used to conduct a regular ‘Diggers’ Session." ITH the advent of commercial radio he ~ still earried on his work with the ‘‘Diggers’ Session,’’ but speeialised more and more in programme organising. While Dorothy Wood was in other centres, organising new pra-
the. air he would phone one of the technicians stationed at the transmitter in Upper Symonds Street, and ask for directions. . ‘The technician's explanation regarding which switches to manipulate was usually much too complicated for him, Johr? confesses now, and he would shut his eyes, throw switches blindly here and there, and trusted: to luck. And usually Aunt ‘Daisy went on the air according to schedule. Poop Up to the time of the introduction of commercial radio the duties of "Friend John," as he came to be known, were multifarious. Apart from organising programmes, and
gramme departments, 1Z8B’s. programmes were the responsibHity of John Brown. Last October 272A, Palmerston North, fifth station in the NCBS chain, was opened, and . John shared contro] with Doug Laurenson, the one superintend‘ing programmes and the other advertising. ‘Doug Laurenson, however, has been recalled to Auckland, and the other "day John’s . apnointment as 2ZA's: station- director . Was COD: | firmed. . Under his goiitral. 27k is ilevelap- . ing into a live, go-ahead little -stat-’ ion, with a "pleasant, camaraderie among members of ‘the stait.
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Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 32, 20 January 1939, Page 3
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419NCBS'S YOUNGEST STATION DIRECTOR. Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 32, 20 January 1939, Page 3
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