BROADCASTS FOR U.S. SERVICEMEN

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 165, 10 April 1944, Page 4

BROADCASTS FOR U.S. SERVICEMEN

New Arrangement Announced

STATION IZM AUCKLAND HANDED OVER

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, April 9.

To enable American servicemen in New Zealand to have radio programmes of the type to which they are accustomed in the United States, the Government has made arrangements for station IZAI, Auckland, to be used exclusively as an American expeditionary station. The change will be effective as from Wednesday, and from then on the station will broadcast programmes which wiil be a combination of transcriptions flown to New Zealand weekly from Hollywood, and of items contributed by American on service in the country. The Alinister of Broadcasting, Air. Wilson, announced the arrangement on Saturday. He said it had been made in response to requests from the American authorities as a means of concentrating the programmes which had hitherto been broadcast from varibus New Zealand stations. Mr. Wilson said the Government had been very happy to place IZAI at the Americans’ disposal. Under the arrangement which has been made the station will remain under the control of the Government, which will also provide the necessary technical staff, but the Americans will be responsible for the programmes and for their direction. A staff of experienced radio production men attached, to Jhe United States armed forces in NewZealand will handle the announcing and thp programmes. Alajor P. H. Gould, of the United States .Army headquarters services of supply in the South Pacific area, who is in charge of the radio broadcasting services for the American forces it. the South Pacific, has been visiting New Zealand to further the arrangement. He said on Saturday that-the scheme was in general use in various countries in which the American forces were serving, and the programmes in New Zealand would be the very latest arranged. The station would be on the air for about eight hours every day in three periods, morning, afternoon and night. Under the arrangement'which has been concluded between the Government and the American authorities LieutenantCommander Brooks Gifford, U.S.N.R., representing Commodore . S. D. Jupp, U-S.N., representative of the commander of the South Pacific in New Zealand, has been named as officer in charge of the station.