[IRCA] New RNZI Mailbox Documentary features Pacific Radio 50 years ago in 1958

[Geralyn Hollerman <lynnhollerman@xxxxxxxxx>]

For anyone interested:
---
Radio Broadcasting in the Pacific
A Look Back 50 Years to 1958
RNZI Mailbox Documentary May 26
_________________________________

50 years ago, the last of the American baby boomers was born, and
radio broadcasting was still in its infancy in most parts of the
Pacific.

Australia and New Zealand had a combined population of about 12.3m
people and shared only 2.6m radio receivers amongst them. The ABC was
about to end experimental FM broadcasts in the main centers, and the
only FM station in the entire Pacific region was KAIM-FM in Honolulu.

The most powerful island shortwave radio station was Radio Tahiti,
serving 75,000 local listeners in the year that General Charles de
Gaulle became French president and Sputnik 1 fell to earth.

Shortwave broadcasting was also the only form of radio in the Cook
Islands, New Caledonia and Dutch New Guinea. In Western Samoa, 2AP
was celebrating its tenth anniversary. No stations broadcast in Tonga
or the New Hebrides Condominium and only a few hours daily came from
the new stations in the Gilbert & Ellice Islands Colony and the
British Solomon Islands Protectorate.

US Armed Forces Radio stations left over from World War 2 were still
on the air on islands like Midway, Johnston, Eniwetok, and Kwajalein,
and the relatively new Fiji Broadcasting Commission was still using
shortwave radio from VRH4 Suva.

Papua was served by just one station, 9PA Port Moresby, and KUAM was
the sole station on Guam. On tiny Canton Island, KIBS of the Hermit
Crab Network entertained airport staff at the lonely stop over point
for the new trans-Pacific jet services of Qantas and Canadian Pacific
Airlines.

Listen to Mailbox on RNZI on Monday May 26 as David Ricquish of the
Radio Heritage Foundation takes listeners back to the world of
Pacific radio 50 years ago in 1958.

Original theme music from popular British radio shows of the era,
such as 'Housewives Choice', 'Desert Island Discs' and 'Family
Favourites' also features in this radio heritage documentary.

Visit www.rnzi.com for shortwave frequencies and times, and to
download an audio version of the program that remains available on
line for four weeks from May 26.

You can also download the previous documentary, exploring
contemporary radio in Fiji, Nauru and the Solomon Islands. This is
available from the May 12 Mailbox program audio also at www.rnzi.com.

For more information about early days of broadcasting in the Pacific,
including stories and images and the popular Art of Radio Hawaii on
line exhibition, visit www.radioheritage.net. An online version of
the program script along with images will be available later.

Full searchable lists of operating AM and shortwave stations in the
Pacific are available free on line in the Pacific Asian Log Radio
Guides. An FM guide will be available shortly. Visit
www.radioheritage.net to access the current guides today.

The Radio Heritage Foundation is a non-profit organization connecting
the heritage of radio broadcasting and popular culture across the
Pacific. Our website is www.radioheritage.net.

Radio New Zealand International is the award winning shortwave
broadcaster serving the Pacific from Wellington, New Zealand since
1948, www.rnzi.com.
---

Lynn.
Lafayette, LA
Check out the IRCA web site at http://www.ircaonline.org


      
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