The Labour government's take-over of radio in 1936 sets an agenda of expansion interrupted only by war.
Programme contents
The contents are listed by running time, detail of material and name of the person speaking, where applicable.
'Actuality' means that the material is drawn from a 'live' or recorded programme or event.
0' 00" Radio in childhood, 1930s – escaping reality and breaking rural isolation. Cath Tizard, Kate Harcourt
1' 05" Actuality: Town Hall 'community sing' to raise funds for the needy in the depression.
1' 30" Huge licence increase 1930-1935 from 8,500 to 152,000. One reason is technical developments in radio. Alwyn Owen
3' 15" 'Aunt Daisy' and Colin Scrimgeour hugely popular in early 1930s. First Labour government nationalises radio.
3' 30" Actuality: Early radio commercial.
4' 00" Commercial radio arrives in 1936 under Scrim's control. Government-run commercial radio is world first.
4' 55" Also a world first is, extended broadcast of Parliament.
5' 10" Actuality: Early broadcast from Parliament.
5' 30" Labour government uses radio as a mouthpiece and balance to conservative press. John Proudfoot
6' 15" Actuality: Scrim's 'Man in the street' session. (Scrim) Colin Scrimgeour
7' 20" Early 1930s impact of Scrim's 'Man in the street' session and origins of Auckland's 1ZR 'The friendly road' station. (Aunt Daisy) Maud Basham
8' 00" Non-denominational nature of 'The friendly road'. Colin Scrimgeour
9' 10" Scrim buys 1ZB for 50 pounds and 'The friendly road' moves to 1ZB. Colin Scrimgeour
11' 05" Government problems with controversy on radio involve visiting playwright G.B. Shaw and philosopher Krishnamurti.
11' 45" Lead-up and jamming of Scrim on 1ZB prior to 1935 election and controversy. Colin Scrimgeour
12' 10" Account from his book of engineer Tom Clarkson's jamming of 1ZB on orders from Post and Telegraph Department.
12' 35" Scrim's reaction to jamming. Colin Scrimgeour
13' 15" Tom Clarkson refuses to take public blame for jamming but keeps silent for forty-five years. Inquiry to jamming is a whitewash of government and Post and Telegraph Department.
14' 15" Setting up of NCBS 'National Commercial Broadcasting Service', in contrast to non-commercial NBS under Professor James Shelley. Colin Scrimgeour
15' 25" 1943: Scrim falls out with Prime Minister Peter Fraser and is dismissed. NBS and NCBS combined under professor James Shelley.
15' 50" Programme innovations in later 1930s such as Chuckles with Jerry. Dudley Wrathal
16' 40" Actuality: Chuckles With Jerry. Dudley Wrathal et al.
17' 20" Actuality: 'Turntable' jazz programme. Arthur Pearce
18' 00" 1937 'Turntable' starts and runs 40 years. Arthur Pearce
18' 55" 1937 bass Inia te Wiata discovered.
19' 30" Song: Swing Low Sweet Chariot. Inia te Wiata
20' 25" 1937 public service role of radio during polio epidemic. Peter Downes
20' 55" Actuality: Aunt Daisy's morning session. (Aunt Daisy) Maud Basham
22' 30" Aunt Daisy gets started late 1920s. Barbara Basham
23' 35" Aunt Daisy's habits in studio.
24' 30" Fans' reaction when Aunt Daisy travels. (Aunt Daisy) Maud Basham
25' 00" 1939, 5ZB 'station on rails' travels country and ends up at 1940 Centennial Exhibition Wellington. Lyell Boyes
27' 00" Mobile Unit Western Desert Africa World War 2. Noel Palmer
28' 10" In Wellington, Peter Harcourt processes recorded messages from troops. Has nervous breakdown. Kate Harcourt, Pat Harcourt
30' 05" Recording soldiers' messages and getting them back from front. Noel Palmer
31' 05" Actuality: Battle of Alamein report. Arch Curry
32' 05" Importance of following war's progress on radio in back-blocks. Kate Harcourt
32' 40" Actuality: War news bulletin.
33' 00" Short wave enthusiasts relay news of prisoners of war by monitoring enemy radio traffic.
34' 05" War restrictions on radio and censorship
35' 05" Actuality: Home front camp concerts for troops. Jean McPherson
36' 10" Description of camp concerts. Jean McPherson
37' 40" Song: Bungin' 'em in and blowin' 'em out. Wally Marshall
38' 10" Actuality: 1ZM American forces expeditionary station, Auckland 1944.
38' 50" July 1943 weekly health talks by 'radio doctor' start, run to 1984. Dr H B Turbott
40' 40" Reading from 'The Listener' of August 1945 on change in role of women during war.
41' 55" Peace brings expansion and another Mobile Unit but this time it records in New Zealand. Geoff Haggett
44' 00" Actuality: School choir song recorded by Mobile Unit.
44' 55" Actuality: 'Posers penalties and profits' which typifies big 'give-away' shows which are part of post-war boom in commercial radio. Selwyn Toogood
45' 15" Description of getting 'Posers penalties and profits' to air. Selwyn Toogood
46' 35" Songs 'Blue Smoke' and 'Paekakariki', first two songs on TANZA label which sees birth of New Zealand commercial recording industry in 1948.
47' 40" Letter about first Labour government's creation of licence fee and commercial revenue for expansion. Community role of commercial stations.
49' 40" When Director Shelley retires in 1949, X-class stations are providing hybrid commercial and non-commercial service to smaller centres. National orchestra is now well established and we are producing artists of international standard.
48' 20" Brahms' Rhapsody for piano and finale of Rachmaninov's second piano concerto. Richard Farrell, Colin Horsley
