Death of noted broadcaster

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33665, 15 October 1974, Page 6

Death of noted broadcaster

(N.Z. Press Association) NELSON. Mrs Jillian Grace Challenor Wall, the wife of the well-known publisher Arnold Wall, has died suddenly in Nelson. She was in her 40s. Mrs Wall spent most of her working life in broadcasting and was highly respected for her knowledge, hard work and the high standards she set. Originally Jillian Denford, of Christchurch, she joined the N.Z.B.C. in Christchurch and transferred to Wellington in the 1950’5. She worked in the concert and talks sections of the head office and was later appointed district current affairs officer for Wellington and later executive producer for current affairs in charge of talks for the three Wellington stations, 2YA, 2YC and 2ZB. A colleague, Miss Barbara Basham, described her as “a thoroughly competent person who had the knack of getting the best out of people, logical and clear-sighted, who made a considerable contribution to the spoken programmes in broadcasting.” She was concerned about people’s rights and took an active part in negotiations

for staff salaries and conditions. Mrs Wall was involved in staff training and also helped with the training of ministers of religion for broadcasting programmes. For several years she contributed an arts review to 2YC programmes, and was still writing a regular radio review column for the “Listener” when she died. In 1973 she and her husband retired to Nelson, where she immediately took an interest in the arts. She was the secretary of the provincial Arts Council and on the committee of the Nelson Chamber Music Society. Mrs Wall was recently commissioned to prepare a history of the Waimea County for its centenary next year.