Tradition To End
(N Z Press Assoctatton) WELLINGTON. Feb. 13. Big Ben’s chinx-s. which have been played before the 9 p.m. news on Sunday, will stop ringing for New Zealanders next week. The custom of playing Big Ben’s chimes began during the Second World War. when the Sunday evening news was preceded by a minute of meditation and the sound of Big Ben chiming and striking nine. The minute of meditation was dropped after the war. and later the strokes were omitted. Eventually, only the chimes and the first stroke remained. The Broadcasting Corporation’s manager of national programmes (Mr G. Newson) said there had been little interest in the chimes over the last few years, so it was decided to cut them out when the Sunday news was broadcast at 8.30 p.m. instead of nine o'clock.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32222, 14 February 1970, Page 48
Word Count
136Tradition To End Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32222, 14 February 1970, Page 48
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