F—3
It was hoped that commercial features produced in the British Isles would be available in New Zealand, but, although a few have been imported, the costs have been comparatively high. To maintain the supply of feature programmes, members of the station staffs prepared 2,357 sponsored sessions and 1,346 sustaining (non-advertising) programmes. Studio Presentations. —Studio presentations and audience participation shows were again a feature of the Commercial station programmes. Overseas artists, including Cicely Courtneidge, Janet Howe, Arthur Servent, and Gladys Ripley, were heard from the ZB stations during the year, and a considerable number of local performers took part in broadcasts. As in previous years, a very large number of people took part in audienceparticipation programmes. Over three thousand contestants competed in quiz and competition programmes, and more than three thousand people were included in other studio programmes. These figures do not include the ordinary children's sessions, for which a considerable number of children gathered in the studio. In a southern centre over thirteen thousand children came to the station to take part in children's sessions. Studio Interviews. —Studio interviews heard from the Commercial stations were divided into two groups : those with people who had personal experiences to describe, and those who presented material of an instructional or educational nature. Those whose interviews came into the first category included Richard Farrell (New Zealand pianist),, Ernest Llewellyn (Leader of the Queensland State String Quartet), Sir James Bissett (a former Commander of the " Queen Mary" ), and Donald McCullough (a former question-master of the 8.8.C. Brains Trust). In the second category Commercial stations arranged for broadcasts by officials of the Aid for Britain and National Savings Campaigns, the Otago Historical Association, Sir George and Lady McLeod, leaders of the lona Community, and many others. New Zealand Artists on Tour.—As in previous years, New Zealand artists have toured the Commercial stations. Arrangements were made for two Auckland novelty combinations, " The Duplicats " and " The Knaves," to present programmes in the four main cities. In each case the public reaction to the programmes was excellent, and the Service received very favourable comments from the advertisers who sponsored the artists. Sports Sessions.—Considerable time was made available to the various sporting codes, and during the year there were regular broadcasts of sports results, and rebroadcasts of major sporting events overseas. Among the latter were the Melbourne Cup, the Louis-Walcott fight for the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship, the MurphyTurpin 'and Murphy-Hart fights for the British Middleweight title, and special broadcasts to cover the Australian-England Cricket series, and the New Zealand Plunket Shield Cricket matches. A number of local relays of sporting events were also carried out, and special coverage was given to the New Zealand Swimming and Golf Championships. Community Service.—The Commercial Division continued its policy of assisting campaigns associated with community welfare. The value of air time given for appeals and similar purposes totalled £1,588. Air facilities were placed at the disposal of such organizations as the Red Cross Society, Y.M.C.A., Y.W.C.A., Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, the Boys' Brigade, the Crippled Children's Society, the Heritage Movement, the British Sailors' Society, the Makogai Leper Appeal, and various civic campaigns. Assistance was also given to appeals for missing persons and motor-cars, and sessions were devoted to the work of young farmers' clubs and returned servicemen. The Service is gratified to know that its efforts in the field of community welfarehave been just as successful as the radio advertising campaigns which have been conducted for sponsors. Oil one occasion, for instance, listener response to a radio appeal for small ointment containers for a hospital was immediate and overwhelming.
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