Looking Back at Local Radio

Ohinemuri Regional History Journal 24, July 1980

By L.G. MATHIESON (Morrinsville)

You don't have to go back a great deal of time to remember when TV first made its appearance (first regular programmes were from June 1960). But to remember radio's first humble bow, then you have to settle somewhere in the early 20's, N.Z.'s first radio broadcast occurred in 1921 from Wellington. In our listening area (say 100 miles radius) broadcasts came from 1YA and 1YB Auckland, both in 1925.

In those first days of radio, transmitters closed down every hour to allow the generators to cool and for the staff to have coffee break. A singer who performed at 1YA from the mid-1920's was none other than John Gordon, who still broadcasts today from the National Programme "Appointment" at 4 p.m. From 1st April 1925, radio licence fees were raised from 5/- to 30/- to help finance a "central broadcasting authority".

1YA broadcast the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of York in 1927, the first NZ station to do so. About this time, the YA stations linked up, and from this came the popular Children's Sessions with Aunt Daisy (Mrs. Barbara Basham) from 1930. From a map published in November 1931, Auckland had five stations operating at the time: 1YA, 1ZB, 1ZS, and 1ZJ. 1ZM from Manurewa and 1XH Hamilton.

Auckland's 1ZB started something of a controversy in 1934 when C.G. Scrimgeour (Scrim) campaigned for the 'under dog' in the Depression and met opposition from the then coalition government. However, the Election of M.J. Savage in 1935 brought a sense of security to 'B' station owners. Advertising began shortly after, and Uncle Scrim's Friendly Road Children's Choir and Aunt Daisy added a sense of personality to radio. She started on 1ZB, 30 October 1936. By the 40's on commercial network radio, it was Serials, Serials all the way, with such titles as "Easy Aces", "Ma Perkins", "The Lone Ranger", and "Dr Mac", and in the 50's, "Dr. Kildare", "Aunt Jenny's Real Life Stories", "Night Beat", "Dr. Paul", "Fred and Maggie Everybody" and "Dad and Dave".

"The Wasps are Coming, The Wasps are Coming!". The announcement came over 1ZB from Breakfast Session announcer, Phil Shone on 1 April 1949 that a swarm of wasps one mile wide had been sighted at Papatoetoe moving towards Auckland city. He kept listeners informed about the extraordinary invasion. Housewives heeded advice on anti-wasp precautions - until Phil Shone gently reminded everyone what day it was. Aucklanders remembered (too late) that they'd been caught on April Fools Day before. Only one man failed to see the funny side - the Minister of broadcasting himself and Phil Shone was reprimanded.

In the mid-50's a complete revolution occurred in radio. The age of Rock 'n' Roll had arrived and with it, the manufacture of 78 rpm records was replaced with 33's & 45's and "Disc Jockey's" invaded announcing circles. With the rise of "Beatlemania" in 1963-64, pop programmes took up more and more time on commercial radio. Tauranga's only Station (1ZD) was established in 1961 operating from the same transmitter mast as 1YZ (at Paengaroa) - that original broadcasting equipment is now located in the Tauranga District Historical Village 1ZD having moved to new premises in the Bay Savings Bank building in 1977.

Growing discontentment was prevalent among some 'breakaway' groups over the complete monopoly the Government had over radio. So, armed with the bare essentials of broadcasting, and on a shoestring budget, these individuals acquired a ship - the 'Tiri' and began broadcasting to the mainland outside the 3 mile limit. Radio Haruaki had been born - the date: December 1st 1966. They had their trials and tribulations too - especially when a stormy night in January 1968, wrecked the 'Tiri' off Great Barrier Island. Unperturbed, the pirates put to sea again in the 'Tiri II' for a further 2 years.

The National Party's re-election in 1969 showed promise for private radio again - and sure enough - in June 1970 Radio Hauraki moved to Auckland - all nice and legal. A spate of private radio licenses were granted shortly after – Radio-i (1XI) was licensed in October 1970 followed less than a month later by Radio Waikato (1XW).

From the Hauraki Plains Gazette of December 14, 1966 comes the following information on radio listening habits (Compiled by Paeroa Jaycees).

1ZB (AK) 71.8% 1YA 33%, 1YD 15.7%, 1XH (HAM) 35%, 1ZD (TGA) 18.9% and 1YZ (ROTA) 3.5%.

A general re-structuring of radio occurred throughout the 1960's, creating the National Programme, the 'YC' Network and Commercial Stations - these prefixed with 'Z', e.g.: 1ZB, 1ZH etc. Auckland's 1YD became 1ZM and Hamilton's 1XH became 1ZH, both in 1968. The latest private Station was 1XP - Radio Pacific of Manukau City - from April 1979 - it too with her teething troubles, (established by Gordon Dryden) with an aim toward ethnic races, consisting of Current Affairs, talk-back and a host of other Community Services.

The following list is a comprehensive Selection of some long-standing and much-loved personalities of radio over the past 50-odd years.

1. AUNT DAISY (Mrs. Barbara Basham), 1930-53, 1YA and 1ZB.
2. "UNCLE TOM" GARLAND, Childrens Hour Sessions, 1YA (20's) and the Friendly Road Organisation, 1ZB (30's) with
3. UNCLE SCRIM (Rev. C.G. Scrimgeour), firstly with the short-lived 1ZR, and later 1ZB 1934-43.
4. DRAYTON T. VENABLES - "Jack-of-all-Trades", 1YA 1925-53.
5. CINDERELLA (Ruby Palmer), 1YA, 20's, 30's and 40's, (20 years)
6. CLIVE DRUMOND, known as "The Voice" of Radio, originally on 2YA, later the whole National Programme 1927-55. Held position as Postmaster of Paeroa, April - June 1928.
7. WINSTON McCARTHY, Rugby Commentator. Well known for his catch phrase - "It's a goal".
8. JOHN GORDON, "Appointment" fame - National Programme.
9. Dr. H.B. TURBOTT - The Radio Doctor, since 1943, National Programme.
10. ARTHUR "TURNTABLE" PEARCE - 'Rhythm on Record' on National Programme for 40 years (1937 - 77).
11. SELWYN TOOGOOD, 'Posers, Penalties and Profits' and 'It's in the Bag', ZB network during the post-war years until 1965.
12. JOSCELYNE PARR (better known as 'MARINA'), Women's Hour on 1ZB from 1948 till about 1970.
13. MERV. SMITH, 'Early Bird Show' breakfast Session announcer on 1ZB since 1962, still going strong.

TABLE OF LOCAL BROADCASTING STATIONS

[see also Journal 35: Radio Broadcasting in the Thames Valley – E]