Radio arrives in Rotorua, 1949

Radio broadcasting in NZ

Radio broadcasting in New Zealand began as a private activity in 1921 when a University of Otago professor, Robert Jack, broadcasted a programme aimed at rural listeners. 

Stations were built in Auckland and Wellington. However, Rotorua listeners had to wait, much to their disgust, for any progress regarding smaller towns.

Rotorua waits...

The Rotorua Radio Club was instrumental in the introduction of local radio broadcasting. In 1927, the club decided that:

The quality of programmes received from NZ stations was 'exceptionally poor' and that they were not getting value for money.  Doctors' Paterson and Duncan called upon the local MP, Mr. F.F. Hockley to address their stated problems to government. (Manawatu Standard. 1927, Jun 14).

In October of 1927, the club suggested providing a receiving set for proposed entertainments to be inaugurated by the Amusement and Publicity Committee of the Rotorua Borough Council (Sun (Auckland). 1927, Oct 1). However, the first public meeting did not take place until 1932.

The Rotorua Radio Transmitters' Association called a meeting to take place in September of 1932, to discuss whether it would be:

Better to approach the Broadcasting Board to suggest a relay station that was due to be installed at Tirau be moved to Rotorua, or setting up a 'B' station in Rotorua itself. A committee was formed comprising Dr. Thompson, Mr. M.R. Gardner, Mr. A. Gardener and Mr. D.W. Tapp, their task was to sort out the technical aspects. (Rotorua Morning Post. 1932, Sept. 30).

The inauguration of an innovation in broadcasting in New Zealand took place in Rotorua 1939, when a new mobile unit of the National Commercial Broadcasting Service, Station 5ZB, arrived by rail. This station was broadcast from a specially fitted railway carriage. The unit went 'on air' officially for the first time at 6.00pm. The broadcast included addresses by the Rotorua Mayor, Mr. T. Jackson, and the Rotorua MP, Mr. A.F. Moncur. Local artists also gave a number of performances, live on air, during the week-long stay of the 5ZB carriage.

Mr Moncur was pleased to welcome the radio officials to Rotorua because they brought something which had been desired for a long time. He and others had been trying to secure a transmitting station for the town which was known for it's poor radio reception, without success. (Rotorua Morning Post. 1939, April 6). 

Finally... 1YZ

In 1948, a radio-station site was selected, close to the junction of the Rotorua-Te Puke-Whakatāne roads at Paengaroa. Mr S. Tonkin of the Amalgamated Wireless Company, Australia, arrived in Rotorua to install the equipment "in a long wooden, temporary structure on Arawa Street costing about £12,000".  

'Facilities for a full time staff of four, with bedrooms and a communal lounge, a nearby house has been built for the senior technician' soon a 500ft steel aerial mast has to be erected to hold the transmitter. (Rotorua Post. 1949, Mar 9).

Ken Collins, the first station manager for 1YZ, mentions that:

We had an early indication of the possibilities of 1YZ as a means of putting Rotorua and Bay of Plenty on the map. The Sunday before opening day was dull and wet over most of the country. The engineers decided it was as good a day as any to give the transmitter a thorough test on a non-stop all day run. The test was not scheduled or pre-announced. (Collins, 1967).

Ken goes on to say "we merely played records with a brief announcement every half hour: 1YZ Bay of Plenty in a test transmission". The outcome was that listeners from across NZ contacted 1YZ and head office with a staggering "3000 letters, telegrams, toll calls and telephone calls". All complimentary.

1YZ was a truly local station for the Bay of Plenty, officially opening on 27 April 1949.

Some 60 auditions of local talent were recorded prior to the opening broadcast. The station was staffed by 16 people, which included announcing staff, technicians, and office staff.  The opening broadcast occurred at 8.00pm by the Hon. F. Jones, Minister in Charge of Broadcasting, followed by Mr. W. Yates, Director of Broadcasting, and then members of parliament and districts covered by 1YZ. Finally, the Mayors of Rotorua and Tauranga. 

Following the official opening, a musical programme, featuring Rotorua artists, was presented. This included Ana Hato performing her own composition 'He Moemoea' and 'Home Sweet Home live on air, accompanying herself on the ukulele. The broadcast ended at 10.30pm.

Ken Collins says it was a local station for the Bay of Plenty, using local musicians in the Rotorua studio. He mentions:

One musician in particular, an old gentleman of 92, who as a young man was caught in the immediate vicinity of the Tarawera Eruption. His dexterity on the piano accordion was equal to that of a man half his age.

The station also became known for their 'floral floats' in the local New Years Eve parades, winning £50 every year. 

We encouraged Māori programmes and also urged local writers to keep up the flow of the talks on every aspect of the Bay's history and legend.

Ken stayed with the station until 1953. On the eve of his departure, he recalls:

In the early hours of the morning, I was awakened by the ringing of the telephone. Head Office wanted me to get a broadcast team and recording equipment together and have them on stand-by for departure at short notice as there had been a major railway disaster a few hours earlier. (Collins, 1967).

Looking back, this was to be the worst rail disaster in New Zealand, known as the Tangiwai Disaster.

Commercial radio arrived in Rotorua in the form of a new station, IZC, which was officially opened at 7 pm on 1 July 1959. It was transmitted from the IYZ station building in Arawa Street. (Press. 1959, Jun 10).

The 1960s...

The national broadcasting service announced that IYZ Rotorua station would be absorbed into the new national broadcasting network. In the Listener, Mayor A. M. Linton said "it was to be deplored". (Press. 1964, Aug 15). Locals all agreed that the amalgamation was 'a step backward in radio service'.

With the existing two Rotorua stations and Tauranga's new and powerful commercial outlet, there will be six broadcasting stations within a radius of 40 miles of Rotorua. (Daily Post, 1964, Aug 15).

Radio was popular with locals prior to the above government changes. From its inception in September 1963, the Rotorua Photo News kept an eye on what the radio station and its staff were up to, and recorded some of the hi-jinx. This included IZC: the commercial station.

Articles of note include: announcers and technicians descending on Woolworths for breakfast, after their newly-extended café was opened (Rotorua Photo News, 1963, Oct 19); a giant sausage roll in competition with Radio 2YA (Rotorua Photo News, 1963, Oct 19); All Black, Don Clarke, dropping into the station in 1964 (Rotorua Photo News, 1964, Jul 4); local heats for a national apple-peeling contest were held in the studio, with contestants shown mid-peel (Rotorua Photo News, 1968, Aug 31) ... The list goes on with articles and photographs being published until the decline of the Rotorua Photo News in 1974.

In 1965, work finally began on providing permanent premises with purpose-built studios. This meant moving the current buildings, inch by inch!

Four trucks were used to shift the station which will remain in its present position until the new studio is complete. In the interests of better radio reception, we hope the Town Planning Objections Committee will allow the erection of the proposed transmitter mast.   (Rotorua Photo News. 1965, Feb 13). 

After 18 years in temporary premises, the new NZBC building was opened in Arawa Street. November 1967.

Excerpts from reminiscences of Roy Arnerich :

'WW2 hadn't long ended. They still had power cuts in the borough and building development was very limited. There was certainly no local radio. If you were trying to listen to radio here, music would fade, there'd be a crackle or two, the music would end and you might here 'Station 1YA Auckland' the rest being lost in the distance.

In April 1949 the NZBS (New Zealand Broadcasting Service) opened 1YZ, a national station. 1YZ's signal was wonderful, even though the transmitter, mast and special technical staff were over in Paengaroa. Our studio announcers in Rotorua were required to say 'This is 1YZ Rotorua, broadcasting from the Bay of Plenty.  

1YZ had three permanent announcers, Alf Sanft a Tongan ex-army Major, Lindsay Broberg well known in Little Theatre drama circles and Betty Talbot and later Margaret England. Alby Bennett was another with a good voice.

The weekly church broadcasts were live on air. These could pose an unusual problem, Ministers weren't allowed to promote their own religion. There was a devotional service every week-day at 10.00am.

For about nine or ten years the 1YZ building had a sign on it which read 'temporary premises' in 1959 when I left Rotorua, we were still in temporary premises - we thought they were ideal, the station was alive - it was very much part of the community.'

Post written by Alison. May 2024.

References

Collins, Ken. (1967). Broadcasting: grave and gay. The Caxton Press.

Brian Pauling, 'Radio - The early years, 1921 to 1932', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/radio/page-1 (accessed 2 March 2024). 

Auckland Star. (1932, Sep 30). Radio for Rotorua. Auckland Star.

Bay of Plenty Times. (1948, Nov 20). Radio station at Paengaroa. Bay of Plenty Times.

Manawatu Standard. (1927, Jun 14). Exceptionally poor: N.Z. programmes, Rotorua club emphatic. Manawatu Standard.

Rotorua Morning Post. (1932, Sep 29). Radio station for Rotorua, public meeting sets up investigating sub-committee. Rotorua Morning Post.

Rotorua Morning Post. (1934, Aug 24). Broadcast and demonstration. Rotorua Morning Post.

Rotorua Morning Post. (1939, Apr 6). Station 5ZB on the air: service initiated, welcome by Mayor. Rotorua Morning Post.

Rotorua Post. (1949, Mar 9). New radio station has long history: voice of progress was unheard 20 years ago. Rotorua Post.

Rotorua Post. (1949, Apr 27). Opening of Station IYZ to-night: crystal slipper. Rotorua Post.

Sun (Auckland). (1927, Oct 1). Rotorua radio club: plans for a relay station. Sun (Auckland).