USE OF RADIO

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 51, Issue 3139, 6 July 1942, Page 7

USE OF RADIO

(Continued from Page 5.) Freezing Works.” Mr S. G. Holland, War Effort Talk. Hon. P. K. Paikea, Talk to the Maori People on the War Effort. Leading Aircraftsman 'A. F. Moncur, M.P., “Singapore—Before and After.” Mrs F. I. Kain, “The Activities of the W.A.AIF.” Commander W. E. Parry, C. 8., “The Naval Situation in the Pacific.” In addition the following talks on places in the news were prepared and broadcast .by the National Broadcasting Service: “Burma,” “Chungking and the New China,” “Our Dutch Allies,” “New 'Guinea,” “The North of Australia,” “The Indian Ocean,” “Ceylon,” “Syria.”

Appeals Sponsored Publicity Announcements: Announcements and publicity talks were broadcast on many subjects, such as National Savings, E.P.S., Appeals for Binoculars for the Forces, Exhibition War Paintings, Registration of Naturalised British Subj ects for Military Service, Instruments for the Navy, Reclamation of Waste Materials, “Bonds for Bombers,” etc.

A particularly intensive publicity campaign was carried out by the services in connection with the “Bonds for Bombers” campaign, and some credit for the resuit achieved in the campaign can, I think, be fairly attributed to this radio publicity. In addition to frequent announcements over the national stations about Bomber Bonds, there were the following features: Talk opening the campaign, by Mr T. N. Smallwood. Relay of opening ceremony at Wellington railway station. Talk by local speakers from the various stations at least three times a week. National Savings Roll Call for which the stations were linked to hear telephone conversations between the representatives of the various Savings Committees and the chairman of the National Savings Committee ~in Wellington. Final telephone appeals on the last day of the campaign. 5. Special Relays. Opening of exhibition of British and New* Zealand, war pictures from the National Art Gallery and Museum. Citizens’ Intercessory Service from Wellington Town Hall on the National Day of Prayer. State luncheon to His Excellency the United' 'States Minister to New Zealand, Brigadier-Gen-e ral P. J. Hurley (repeated the same evening from' a recording). Civic reception to His Excellency the United States Minister to New Zealand, at the Wellington Town Hall (repeated the same evening from a recording). From Parliament, the Right Honourable the Prime Minister presenting the Financial Statement. “Bomb Doors Open” 6. Special Programmes. ‘Bomb Doors Open,” illustrating the training of an observer in the Air Force. “Bandsmen Overseas.” . “King Christian Speaks,” a Danish programme. “A Visit to a New Zealand Hospital Ship and Clearing Station.” “St George’s Day [Programme,” recorded by the 8.8. C. “Cavalcade of Empire,” a series of Sunday afternoon programmes. 7. Miscellaneous Talks. Mrs Andrew Fuller, “A Great London Hospital Under Fire.” Mrs Peter Nash, “A Prisoner of War News Bulletin.” “Insurance Against War Damage.” Mrs, 0. J. Gerard “Malta as I Knew It.” Mrs Andrew Fuller, “Life in Nazi Germany.” Professor Wood, “Indian Background.” Professor Sipson, “A Survey of American Hostory” (series). Mr R. H. Nimmo, “Delive r Thyself.” Colonel C. H. Weston, “Anzac Day Address to Children of New Zealand.”

General Comments

“I doubt if in any.country in the Empire is so much use being made of broadcasting in furtherising the war effort. The National Broadcasting Service since the commencement of the war has been anxious to do whatever it could in this connection. As to the effectiveness of the use that has been made of broadcasting since the war commenced, one can only point to the results achieved.

“The stations of the service have been used constantly for the broadcasting of materials necessary for the instruction of the public on their duties and responsibilities in connection with various aspects of the war, and stations have also participated in many campaigns in connection with such matters as War Loans, National Savings, primary production, national registration of citizens for various wartime purposes, appeals, recruiting, EJP.S., waste salvage, binoculars- and instruments for the Forces, calls for ment Service is very definite on the

great use that broadcasting has been in filling the many urgent calls for labour in these difficult times.

Value of Service

On May 15, the Controller of Employment forwarded us a copy of a letter from the State Placement Officer in Dunedin which the controller stated demonstrated the value of the broadcasting facilities which the service had placed at the disposal of the State Placement Service in Dunedin, as well as in other centres. The State Placement Officer at Dunedin, stated in his letter: ‘Broadcasting from 4ZB and 4YA has been continued and enquiries” are being received from all parts of the country. At the time of writworkers of various classes, safety for shipping, etc. “It can hardly be gainsaid that the use of broadcasting in this manner cannot fail have made a very substantial contribution to the sue-' cess of New Zealand’s war effort, providing as it does in a country of scattered communities, a means of getting instantaneously and simultaneously in touch with the people. “There is some tangible evidence of the successful results of various campaigns in "which broadcasting has assisted. The two appeals that the service has made during the war for binoculars for the services were very successful. The State Placeing I have just answered a telephone enquiry for a sluicing mine manager who is offering himself for a position broadcast. The directors of the company concerned, having lost all their staff, in desperation wrote to the service appealing for assistance. As a result of broadcasting, lam satisfied all vacancies will be filled. This is only one instance given to illustrate the value of broadcasting.’ This is only one of a number of instances the State Placement Service has given us of the value of the service to them l .

“On Anzac Night, 1941, the national and commercial stations combined in a radio telephone appeal for patriotic funds. The result of that evening’s activities was a total of £45,W0 in donations to the Patriotic Funds. The Christmas Day envelope appeal which was launched over the national and commercial stations on Christmas Day by the National Patriotic Fund Board realised £15,560 for patriotic funds. As indicated above, a very intensive publicity effort was made 'by broadcasting in connection with the “Bonds for Bombers” week. This radio publicity must have contributed greatly to the result achieved of £2,000,000' subscriptions to Bomber Bonds in ten days. On the final night of ‘Bonds for Bombers’ Week the New Zealand Broadcasting Stations combined in an appeal for final subscriptions and as a result purchases of “Bomber Bonds” to a total of £157,150 were telephoned in by listeners.

“At the present time,broadcasting is playing its part again in the Liberty Loan campaign, and at the same time Mr Peter Dawson, the Empire’s famous singer, is giving concerts in the four main centres in aid of patriotic funds. The first concert at Wellington pgtted the sum of £596 for the Wellington Patriotic Funds. I understand that a somewhat similar result was achieved in Auckland on Saturday last, and I am sure large sums will also be raised in Christchurch and Dunedin.

“Special mention should' be made of the part broadcasting has played in keepiflg members of the Forces overseas and their relatives and friends in New Zealand in touch with one another, thus relieving to some extent anxieties of prolonged separation from home and people. The broadcasting unit sent to the Middle East by the service has been a very valuable factor in maintaining this link with our Expeditionary Force in that part of the world. In addition we have recorded BjB.C. transmissions of talks and messages from New Zealanders overseas and' we have made special arrangements, for the regular supply of recordings of personal greetings from New Zealanders serving with the Forces in Canada. Figures which had just been taken out for the annual report of the service show that during the year ended March 3-1, 1942, over 2806' personal messages from . New Zealanders serving overseas have been broadcast in our session “With the Boys Overseas” and 1 in this session there have also been broadcast I'Bo talks, commentaries and narratives of personal experiences in the various campaigns in which the New Zealand Forces have participated. The expressions of gratitude which have been received from time to time from relatives and friends in New Zealand indicate how valuable a contribution these activities of the

service have been in the war effort. Programmes and news items of special interest to New Zealanders are regularly recorded by the service and sent to the Middle East for broadcasting to our Forces there. “These facts show,. I think, beyond doubt, that broadcasting is being used in such a way as to provide a very substantial contribution to the success of the war effort. Don’t Talk Series

Extracts from two reports received from the Controller of the National Commercial Broadcasting Service are as follows: “A brief review of the schedules of the N.C.B.S. will reveal that a substantial part of the total broadcasting hours is allocated for those purposes which will assist the war effort and at the same time retain -features which are, attractive to the great majority of listeners. The inspiring story of New Zealand’s war effort has been regularly featured. Information of every kind has been made available to the public, in such a manner as to allow them to feel that wherever possible they are given the widest opportunity of knowing what is happening. The radio has .been used to secure their co-operation in things which are essential to the safety of the nation, and our records to date will disclose the fact that our campaigns urging necessary precautions have been very successful. Carefully planned campaigns have been worked out to cover such items as were obvious in the “Safety to Shipping” and “Don’t Talk” series.

“Wherever it has been necessary to mobilise public opinion and enlist the enthusiasm of people in pur various fighting services this has been done. All of these efforts have been crowned with success. Wherever goods and materials have been needed, radio had been the principal agency in securing the willing cooperation which has been .manifest always by the general public.

“To maintain a few such campaigns, the following may be cited: The binocular appeal. Binoculars were urgently needed'—the appeal met with an overwhelming response and a large portion of the urgently required supply of field glasses, etc., was met. A similar success story can be told'of the recent appeal for naval instruments and again in the collection of ergot. Details of all these campaigns are carefully tabulated and, anyone who has a knowledge of the .full facts will readily say that a very worthwhile contribution from radio has been made on all occasions. Appeals For Labour “The Broadcasting services have also assisted substantially in various recruiting ‘campaigns, not only in the fighting services but in the registration of tradesmen for industry, the enrolment of various divisions of the general reserve, and in appeals for labour in essential industries.

“The story of New Zealand industrial effort has not been neglected and as there is a general tendency to accept all that radio brings

to us as a matter of course ’it might be well to remind ourselves of the vast amount of general information which is disseminated through the rebroadcasting.of the Daventry bulletins in addition to our own news services and commentaries. “It might also be cited that the radio services have largely been responsible for the magnificent success which has' attended all patriotic appeals so far made. Thousands of courtesy announcements have been given to patriotic and charitable objects and these have resulted in the very speedy response of the public in answering every appeal made to date. . ’ ... “We have taken out an additional analysis' of the time given by this service to various war appeals during the past three months. The figures given hereunder are for spot announcements which, for practical purposes, can 'be classified as one minute announcements:, National Savings, 493 announcements; Bonds for Bombers, 328 announcements; Liberty Bonds, 456 announcements;. National Service, ®OO announcements, State Placement, 336 announcements; Don’t Talk, 1209 announcements..

“The National Service heading covers a number of campaigns, a selection of which is as follows: Registration of married and single men/ appeal for binoculars, enrol- . ment of Emergency Reserve Corps, military service for students, film re incendiary bombs, registration of men and Women, production workers, naval instruments, daylight saving, Home Guard, etc. Good Service Given “The foregoing covers straight announcements only and does not take into consideration the National Service time reserved at 7 o’clock nightly and at 8.45 p.m. on Bundays nor the provision for special programmes, relays and gifts of sponsored time by advertisers. “Incidentally the time analysis previously mentioned does not include local station announcements, for the E.'P.S., National Patriotic or Home Guard. If you so desire it we could take out a complete analysis of any campaign which you nominate. such as Bonds for Bombers or Liberty 'Loan. “I have no desire to claim that everything' that could . possibly be done to use the broadcasting services is 'being done, or that everything that has 'been done has. been done in the best possible manner, but I do assert that no medium of publicity has given better assistance to the war effort or has so much contributed to the building up of . public morale than has broadcasting, and I do further assert that there is grave danger that listeners will be satiated with war publicity and propaganda and may diminish ■ in numbers if a proper balance is not 'kept between war broadcasts and bright musical and other forms of entertainment. J