The Co-operative Global Radio Memories Project
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The Co-operative Global Radio Memories Project
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Read a 1960s profile of the UK GPO's Rugby Radio Station...
Who's Got the Biggest, Meanest AM Flamethrower?
More broadcasters than you might realize are helping keep the ionosphere warm (and the power companies happy)
James E. O'Neal
In the May 9 issue of Radio World, I reported on a recent power upgrade at TWR's Bonaire AM facility that brought that station close to the half-megawatt level (440 kW), allowing the station to make the claim that it is the most powerful medium-wave (MW) operation in the Western Hemisphere. After the dust settled, I thought it might be interesting to poke around a bit in the data available to see if they have a close (or even not-so-close) contender for second place for this title...
Lure of the Trail
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 "Captain Cook display")
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Vintage map of the Coromandel Peninsular. Image from pinterest.com |
In the late 1930s the New Zealand Department of Tourist and Publicity produced a series
of radio programmes to encourage New Zealanders to holiday within New Zealand rather
than travelling overseas....
> read more
CKLW and other Jingles from the Past
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Many broadcasters saved money by moving from high-power shortwave transmissions to the web. But at what cost?
OTTAWA — During the height of the Cold War (1947–1991), the shortwave radio bands were alive with international state-run broadcasters; transmitting their respective views in multiple languages to listeners around the globe.
 "Two Bobs QSL")
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A QSL card sent to SW listeners confirming their reception of “The Two Bobs” on Swiss Radio International. Credit: Bob Zanotti. |
 "WOR antenna sketch")
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The advent of the directional antenna made it possible for co-channel stations to operate in close proximity
In the early years of AM radio broadcasting, all stations utilized non-directional antennas. Most all of these were wire antennas suspended between towers or buildings. Interference, especially at night, was severe. An interfering signal of 5% or less in signal strength was enough to disrupt reception of the desired station, and if the frequencies of the two stations were slightly separated, there would be a heterodyne beat note. As a result, only a few widely-spaced stations could operate on each of the AM broadcast channels in the entire country at night. This limited the number of stations that could coexist to about 500 nationwide, with many of them sharing time on a single frequency...
> read more
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‘Voice of America’ exhibition is a fascinating look at early shortwave radio
Long before cell towers started sprouting up everywhere, the federal government commissioned telecommunication companies to build five massive fields of shortwave radio antennae. The structures, which reached up to 450 feet, were located in out-of-the-way places in California, Ohio and North Carolina. Each was designed to bounce radio waves off the ionosphere, allowing federally produced programming to be transmitted all over the globe....
> read more
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Planned closure of the South African station comes after years of financial losses
 "The switch house building at Meyerton")
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The switch house building at Meyerton. |
MEYERTON, South Africa — South Africa-based public broadcast signal distributor, Sentech, shutdown its shortwave station in Meyerton at the end of March. The closure was planned and follows years of financial losses...
> read more
Radio station 4GG's thrilling ride to success
 "4GG sticker")
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It has been more than 46 years since the Gold Coast tuned in to its first radio station but strong memories of 4GG remain...
> read more
On the Near North Coast during the late 1950s and early 1960s, a shift in population towards the beachside towns becomes apparent as tourism began to take off.
Many families from the farming communities, mostly in the hinterland region, also enjoyed the coastal beaches of the region and became surf lifesavers.
As the sport of surfing became popular, many took up surf board riding as well.
 "Moffateers Nose Riding surfing competition")
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Evening entertainment included picture theatres and drive-in theatres, but the teenagers and younger generations at that time wanted to dance and listen to the music of their generation...
> read more
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Tucked away in a shed in a northwest Seattle neighborhood was perhaps the tiniest radio station that I’d ever seen: community radio station KBFG-LP. Part of the most recent wave of low power FM stations, it launched in December, 2017 and broadcasts for a 2.5 mile radio to a potential FM audience of around 250,000 people in the Ballard, Fremont and Greenwood neighborhoods (thus the B-F-G call letters)...
> read more
“We’ve come a long way from being that crazy ‘Tiger Radio’ back in the 1960s and ’70s playing top 40, to being a more responsible station that talks about today’s news,” says Program Director John Quincy. “WTMA(AM) is still here and thriving.”
 "WTMA van")
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A station vehicle is parked in front of WTMA’s offices and studios on Church Street in downtown Charleston in a photo from a 1950s promotional postcard. The building also housed the historic Dock Street Theatre, so the station jocks reportedly had to minimize the volume on their control room monitors when a play was being performed. The small sign above the door reads “Radio Station WTMA, N.B.C.” |
Our story begins 80 years earlier...
> read more
Veteran broadcaster Lawrence McCraw is about to launch his fifth private radio station.
 "Lawrence McCraw")
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Lawrence McCraw in the studio he is developing for his Happy Days 88.3 FM Radio station in Palmerston. Photo: Bill Campbell. |
The Palmerston-based station, to be called Happy Days 88.3 FM, will have low-power FM repeaters at Oamaru, Waimate and Waikouaiti and will begin broadcasting in June.
In his time Mr McCraw (64), of Palmerston, has been involved in running five radio stations as well as several short-term stations....
> read more
SHANGHAI — Located on China’s Pacific coast, Shanghai is the country’s biggest city with a population exceeding 26 million people; three times that of New York City (8.55 million). It is also a city that loves its music, and no radio station captures that idea more than Love Radio 103.7 FM.
 "Ming Zheng")
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Ming Zhang recording a show at the Love Radio studio. |
Launched by the Chinese government’s Shanghai Media Group (SMG) on Aug. 8, 2005, this 24-hour advertiser-supported station plays “local Hong Kong/Taiwan/Mainland music, as well as some international favorites from the ’80s and ’90s and a bit of the 2000s,” explained Love Radio DJ Ming Zhang, who broadcasts on the station under the name ‘David.’ Love Radio’s listeners are males and females 30 to 55 years old, who are “mainly intellectuals” with “above average income,” he said. “Their preference is for more ballads and love songs.”
> read more
 "Radio Bosom QSL 1977")
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Radio Bosom QSL Card for 950 kHz in the 1970s.
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The story of Radio B’s pirate broadcasts in the 1970s has been all
but lost until now – in part because the pirate adventures were
officially nothing to do with B at the time – but they played a
remarkable role in the culture of New Zealand radio...
> read more
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Early photo of the Morere Hot Springs |
In the late 1930s the New Zealand Department of Tourist and Publicity produced a series of radio programmes to encourage New Zealanders to holiday within New Zealand rather than travelling overseas.
This episode visits the Morere Hot Springs thermal resort on the East Coast of the
North Island...
> read & listen more
Bruce Portzer's Pacific Asia Listeners Guide has been updated to the July 2019 edition.
You can download a PDF copy or search and browse the on-line database version from the "Our Radio Guides" sidebar or our Radio Guides page.
 "Franz Josef Glacier poster")
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 "Franz Josef Airfield 1938")
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In this episode our intrepid traveller spurns the mountains of the Austrian Tyrol to take the
motor highway from Hokitika and travel south to the Franz Josef & Fox glaciers...
> read & listen more
Roger Carroll and Los Angeles radio were the same thing. From 1948-58 at KABC and 1959-79 at Gene Autry's KMPC.
Roger brought his sound to McCadden Av. and AFTRS. Part of the reason he related so well was that he was one of the few network personalities that were a veteran...
> read & listen more
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Enjoy our first story to be published in collaboration with the AFRTS Archive Blog.
The American Forces Radio and Television Service touched a lot of people. Whether talent, support or listeners it touched many in ways that stateside media could only dream of.
> read & listen more
Enjoy this short film on the NZ On Screen website.
Bill mentions American Forces Radio via shortwave as the driving force behind his success and how Hawaiian music via radio was so important to him when he listened in NZ as there was no radio in Tonga, and from these inspirations his Pacific dreams music developed.
Music for dreamers of the Pacific.
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Music for dreamers of the Pacific.
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 "Early Te Anau poster")
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 "Early Te Anau poster")
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Early Te Anau excursion posters © Pinterest | |
In the late 1930s the New Zealand Department of Tourist and Publicity produced a series
of radio programmes to encourage New Zealanders to holiday within New Zealand rather
than travelling overseas....
> read more
 "Early Westland poster")
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 "Early Westland poster")
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Early Westland tourism posters © Pinterest | |
In the late 1930s the New Zealand Department of Tourist and Publicity produced a series
of radio programmes to encourage New Zealanders to holiday within New Zealand rather
than travelling overseas....
> read more
James Stewart has sent us this photo of a QSL flyer from WSSO in 1944 and writes:
In going through some of my Dad's papers, I was reminded of his wartime service. About all I know about it was that he reached the rank of Tech Sergeant by the end of the war.
 "WSSO QSL flyer 1944")
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WSSO QSL flyer from 1944 |
3WKA - 92.1 FM - Chatham Islands - 11 December 1991 |
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The Australian Antarctic Division operates broadcasting stations, originally with 20 watt A.M.
transmitters, (now F.M.), at each Antarctic base, to entertain staff. All operators are
volunteers. The A.C.M.A. denies that these stations exist. Interestingly, the Australian
Antarctic Division doesn’t deny they exist, but refuses to acknowledge the presence of these
stations at their bases.
> read more
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4IP Colour Radio 1960s logo © http://www.radio4ip.com.au |
Ron Williams has kindly sent us these promotional postcards that were
given out by radio station 4IP (located in
Ipswich, Queensland, Australia) in the 1960s...
> read more
 "Early Milford Sound poster")
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 "Early Milford Sound poster")
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In the late 1930s the New Zealand Department of Tourist and Publicity produced a series
of radio programmes to encourage New Zealanders to holiday within New Zealand rather
than travelling overseas.
> read more & listen to rare audio
Shortwave Radio - Radio Australia, 1969 |
Glory Days of Shortwave - Interval Signals and QSLs |
 "Record")
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In the late 1930s the New Zealand Department of Tourist and Publicity produced a series
of radio programmes to encourage New Zealanders to holiday within New Zealand rather
than travelling overseas.
> read more & listen to rare audio
A tribute to Sydney radio station 2UW and its dee-jays during the late 60's.
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It's back to the 80's for this Mark and Kim hosted video written and produced by then KOST Program Director Jhani Kaye. This video gives listeners an inside look at how radio works. Originally distributed for free by Warehouse Music. KOST 103.5 has won all the major radio awards for programming and personalities in it's 30 year history.
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In 1980, Honolulu radio station KORL 65 switched from a long period of colorful personalities playing Top 40 hits, staging outrageous stunts, and giving away cash and prizes in complex contests -- to a computerized (disc jockey-less) system playing Big Band music of the 1940s and '50s. On the last day of Top 40 programming, each of the disc jockeys on "KORL, the Station That Makes You Feel Good" said goodbye in distinctive fashion -- none more distinctively than afternoon host Lee Baby Simms. He had recorded his final bit, on a small cassette tape recorder, at home earlier that day. Just before 7 p.m., he held the speaker of the cassette player up to the main studio microphone and hit "play." While it's possible that he was not smoking pakalolo as he recorded these stream of consciousness ramblings, it is highly unlikely.
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A glimpse into early Australian broadcasting, with a tour through Ballarat station 3BA, "The Voice
of the Garden City", then broadcasting on 1320 kc/s with 500W of power. |
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4CA logos © radioinfo.com.au |
Read historical reports of Broadcasting Station Inspections carried out by
the Australian Broadcasting Control Board on 4CA's 1950s locations
in Cairns, Northern Queensland, Australia.
> read more...
Silent U.S. War Department Bureau of Public Relations film no. 1205.
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"What's in the air?" This question by one Westbury wireless enthusiast to another provoked a radio hunt on Saturday night. It showed to what lengths amateurs may now go, and that even the remotest part of the world is no longer isolated, but, on the other hand, one may "be in several other places at the same time."
 "Early Westbury")
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Before the Days of Radio. |
The fascination of wireless lies, not only in the excellent programmes broadcasted regularly
every night by the broadcasting companies. Equally, if not more interesting, is the reception
of numerous amateurs, who transmit all varieties of music from gramophones, player pianos,
etc...
> read more
 "XWRA On The Air")
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© Collection of William Casson |
William Casson writes:
The above picture, from the Army Signal Corp, shows my dad, we believe, sitting at the table. He served in Merrill's Mauraders on the Burma Road Campaign. He was later sent to Shanghai to set up a radio station. He claimed that he was the first American to enter resulting in the Japanese general in charge surrendering to him. He became part of organizing the triumphant entry of Chiang Kai Shek. His name was Harry G. Casson, Jr.
 "Record")
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In the late 1930s the New Zealand Department of Tourist and Publicity produced a series
of radio programmes to encourage New Zealanders to holiday within New Zealand rather
than travelling overseas.
> read more & listen to rare audio
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We have been sent a publication listing Australian Radio Calls from 1926...
Jeff Klepper writes:
My late father, Larry Klepper, served in the US Army Air Corps, 1945-46, and he worked at WKLI in Fukuoka toward the end of 1946. That's him, standing, in this photo. (Don't know the identity of the other fellow.)
 "Larry Klepper WKLI")
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© Collection of Jeff Klepper |
In common with other early broadcasters, the engineering staff at 6WF were concerned about unreliable night-time reception - with broadcast signals subject, at times, to fading and/or distortion every few minutes beyond 50-100 miles (80-180km) from the transmitter. Depending on the season, prevailing conditions and transmission wavelength, such effects could limit the dependable night-time range of medium wave stations, in particular, to less than their daytime coverage.
 "Listener confirmation card from 6WF Wanneroo in 1934. 5kW, 690kc. © Eric Shackle Collection, Radio Heritage Foundation.")
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Listener confirmation card from 6WF Wanneroo in 1934. 5kW,
690kc. |
Keen to collect and correlate data in their own environment, Wally
says that 6WF staff organised two transportable
listening centres which could be set up,
typically 300 yards apart, in any available
level field. By way of communication, both
teams were equipped with a hurricane lamp
which could be turned up or down in brightness
as the signal strength varied.
> read more
 "2CCC logo")
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2CCC logo © Radio Heritage Foundation, Bruce Carty collection |
In September 1993 DJ Bruce Carty on 2CCC-FM made an attempt on the world
record for continous broadcasting by one DJ.
> read more
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WFMT Chicago Commences HD Radio™ Broadcasting with Nautel NV40
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A fine-arts station since its debut, WFMT-FM Chicago has always had a reputation for classical
music and utmost audio quality. Station engineers once designed their own audio processors because
nothing on the commercial market was acceptable to them, nor did they air commercials on tape cartridges.
> read more
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Timely and Meticulous Tech Support gets VS300LP On-Air after Hurricane Irma
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Hurricane Irma knocked out a ton of radio stations in Florida, some with serious issues keeping them
off the air for going on a week after the storm. My little FM survived quite well by comparison, but
did go off the air for what was initially an audio loss. It was accompanied by the internet connection
at the transmitter site shutting down, and remaining down until five days after mother nature spent her
fury in Florida.
> read more
.jpg','','resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,width=500,top=20,left=100') "Record")
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In the late 1930s the New Zealand Department of Tourist and Publicity produced a series
of radio programmes to encourage New Zealanders to holiday within New Zealand rather
than travelling overseas.
> read more & listen to rare audio
In 1945 the band the Pacific Ramblers were entertaining listeners on radio station KTOH, located in Kauai, Hawaii.
 "Pacific Ramblers on KTOH")
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The Pacific Ramblers performing on KTOH |
 "Hawaii Radio Station KIPA letterhead")
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Kauai, Hawaii, 1945
Local newspapers report that local radio station KTOH is under
attack! No, the attack is not coming from the Japanese, but
from local musicians...
> read more
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A Tight Squeeze of an Install at K-LOVE
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Jack Roland, EMF K-LOVE/Air1 Engineer, shared with us some great photos from the delivery of his
Nautel GV40 HD transmitter to the K-LOVE Mt. Chief, CO, facility. It was a tight installation;
he only had 31" to work with!
> read more
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Our International Voice
by Bob Edlin
JANUARY 24, 1990. In Auckland, the Commonwealth Games would open and Kiwis would be preparing to run, jump, swim, peddle... whatever.., in competition against athletes from around the globe. In Wellington, a small team of broadcasters would be making their own preparations. They would be setting out in pursuit of international competitors who had left them far behind in the race to spread influence and foster goodwill in the South Pacific.
That was the day Radio New Zealand International – with a new, much more powerful transmitter
and $1.1 million a year from the Ministry of External Relations and Trade – began broadcasting
an expanded programme.
> read more
Travel back in time to the Australian mediumwave band in the early 1970s with the commercials from this 7" sampler record produced by the Australian Radio Advertising Bureau.
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QSL card from 2AY |
Listen to 1970s commercials from 5RM, 2AY, 2DU, 4RO, 6PR, 2NX, 4AK, 2GO, 2QN, and 2AY, then
read more about the history of some of these stations on our website, or see
details of the modern stations in our Australian
Radio Guide.
> read more
Our Chairman, David Ricquish, is currently recovering from major health issues.
During his recovery our website may not be updated as frequently as normal, but rest assured, the Radio Heritage Foundation is still here and intends to remain so.
To reduce David's workload while he recovers we have arranged a temporary alternative postal address for large, heavy donations, such as collections of QSL cards, books, LP records etc.
Please send such donations to:
Radio Heritage Foundation
c/o Chris Mackerell
PO Box 2213
Stoke
Nelson 7041
New Zealand
Chris, our webmaster, will process these donations while David recovers.
Normal postal items such as letters, cheque donations etc, can continue to be sent to our current Newtown, Wellington, address.
Please note that it may be some time before we can respond to our normal email address as usual.
We thank you for your understanding and look forward to your on-going support.
From our New Zealand radio archives we present a selection of items, mainly LPFM-related, that have appeared in the New Zealand press in years gone by.
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This feature is brought to you by |
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Great Seal of the USA |
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USA greetings stamps © www.theus50.com |
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© www15.uta.fi |
The most powerful and influential AM broadcasters of this region are essentially represented
by the cities of Chicago, Cincinnati and Cleveland with a slight touch of Detroit.
> read more
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We are a small non-profit organization doing what we can to protect, preserve and promote what we call 'radio heritage' or things, memories and places associated with radio broadcasting. This website is a very small window into our global project.
Sometimes we fail. Like when the original studios of 3ZB Christchurch NZ recently burned down in an arson attack. We tried to get people interested to do something to make future use of the building from the 1930s, but ran into the brick walls of no interest and no money, made worse by damage in the earthquake of 2011.
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© Hamish Evans via Facebook |
In these final days before the current financial year ends on March 31, we have raised over 90% of the budgeted costs we pay others. We get no funding from any government or broadcasting networks anywhere in the world. Unpaid volunteers do all the work as time permits. A small group of people in New Zealand, Australia, USA, and Europe make irregular donations to our costs...... without them we would have closed down years ago and much memorabilia destroyed, lost or forgotten.
If you're using one of our radio guides today or enjoying one of the hundreds of features prepared by our volunteers, would you make a donation towards the 10% of funding still needed by March 31:
We'll be pleased to add you to our Roll of Honor this month, and you'll be pleased to see more radio heritage protected, preserved and promoted by our project. You'll be helping us keep the memories alive, even after the studios of stations like 3ZB are long gone.
And there are thousands of stations and many thousands more people who worked in them for almost a century now remaining to be remembered.
On behalf of many long forgotten voices, thank you.
 "Broadcast building")
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BROADCAST IN ICELAND
CONSTITUTION:
The Iceland State Broadcast Service was established in the year 1930. Its offices
and studios are in Reykjavik, occupying the fourth and fifth floors of the Telephone
and Broadcast Building. It is conducted entirely by the State as an independent
establishment, under the control of the Ministry of Education. It is directed by
a General Director. The programs are supervised by a Program Council, consisting
of five members chosen by the Althing (The Icelandic Legislative Assembly),
promptly after each general election The Minister of Education appoints one of
them Chairman.
> read more
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Icelandic flag © Wiki |
By Bruce Carty
After spending Christmas and New Year in London at 23 years of age, I visited Heathrow airport in 1973, purely for something to do. Two hours after arriving at Heathrow, I was on a plane to Iceland.
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By Mike Vanderkelen
Like one of more than 100 listener clubs which mushroomed during Australian radio’s golden era, the Sunpolishers Club was a “must listen to” program on Radio 7SD Scottsdale says former ABC Tasmania radio journalist Brad Saunders who, like several of his cousins, was not only a Club member but sang on air.
 "7SD QSL 1954")
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7SD Scottsdale Tasmania issued this card to a New Zealand listener for reception in 1954, the year the station officially opened. © Keith Robinson Collection, Radio Heritage Foundation |
“I recall my first time on radio doing a slightly squiffy version of “This Old Man he played One” in the
1950s before I was introduced to a Nagra tape recorder and the business of interviewing people for a
living on radio.”
> read more
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