5ZB Mobile Railway Broadcasting Studio By W. S.

Dressed in gleaming ivory white with a scarlet sash, 5ZB—the Railways Broadcasting Studio, is now rounding the curves of the first lap of a 1,650 miles journey through the North Island on a highly interesting experiment in broadcasting, not, so far as is known, carried out, hitherto, in any country.

Originating with the National Commercial Broadcasting Service and worked out in collaboration with the Railways Department, 5ZB came into being with the conversion of a railway car into a small but modern boradcasting studio which could be attached to fast expresses and side-tracked at selected broadcasting points.

One end is occupied with a neatly furnished announcers' studio with microphones and piano, for use in local broadcasts, and with three turntables for the playing of records and overseas features. Incidentally, all ZB announcers have two gramophone turntables revolving continuously at their elbows. As a record is being played, the announcer “logs” its name and number, and the time; he also inserts a new needle and places a new record on the other turntable. Thus, when, the record ends, he merely announces the next, and, still speaking, drops the needle arm softly on the record in the usual way, thus obviating long silences between items. Special turntables are required for practically all overseas features which play for 15 minutes at slow speeds.

The central part of the car houses the equipment and gear to “transmit” the programme, and behind this is a small office. The technical equipment is completed with a 30ft. aerial, which, when collapsed, fits neatly along the

(Rly. Publicity photo.) Railway 5ZB Studio in the Railway Yard at Wellington.

top of the car. The power is rated at 250 watts, estimated to cover a radius of about 40 miles, where selectivity and other conditions are reasonably favourable.

The cost, including running expenses, will be borne by the National Commercial Broadcasting Service and covered by revenue from sponsored programmes. The venture will be conducted on approved entertainment lines, with a representative of the National Commercial Broadcasting Service advertising staff travelling ahead, after the manner of an advance agent.

The car, on the principle that “a broadcasting station is only as good as its programme,” will carry a particularly good set of programmes, specially prepared by Mr. L. E. Strachan (Production Officer for the National Commercial Broadcasting Service, who is still remembered by thousands of listeners as “Mr. Heigho,” of 2ZW). The schedule includes many specially imported numbers not previously heard in the Dominion, and the hours of broadcasting have been fixed from 7 to 9 a.m., 12 to 2 p.m., and 6 to 10 p.m. on a frequency of 1,360 kilocycles. The itinerary is as follows:—

Rotorua (5 days), Hamilton (13), Whangarei (6), Te Kuiti (1), Taumarunui (2), New Plymouth (4), Hawera (3), Wanganui (4), Palmerston North (2), Dannevirke (3), Napier (4), Hastings (4), Masterton (3).

The scheduled programmes will be varied to suit local conditions and the Service hopes to arrange concerts by local performers who will be introduced by Mayors and other civic authorities.

Lively interest is being shown by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and the Department of Agriculture, which will probably arrange broadcasts pointed to town and country interests, the Department of Agriculture being particularly interested in combatting difficulties that trouble the farmer from time to time.

The studio car will be managed by Mr. Ian (“Slaps and Claps”) McKay, one of the Service's most experienced announcers, who will be assisted on the business side by Mr. Doug. Laurenson, a well-liked 1ZB announcer and advertising expert, and an ex-R.A.F. war-flier.

It is estimated that on its North Island tour, 5ZB will be heard by not less than 494,900 listeners, who will be thus provided, at stated times, with additional good radio entertainment at no extra cost to themselves, a fact which alone makes the venture well worthwhile.

Visualising the possibilities of this world-innovation in broadcasting, it may be said that its effect is to provide the smaller centres of population with their own radio stations. A deal of credit is due to officials of the Railways Department and the National Commercial Broadcasting Service for a neat radio scheme which is sure to attract attention in other countries.