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- Voices in the air
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Voices in the air
Wednesday 17 November 2021, 6pm to 7pm
Free. RSVP required.
To celebrate the centenary of New Zealand’s first radio broadcasts on 17 November 1921, join sound history researcher Sarah Johnston in listening to the sounds of 100 years ago.
100 years of radio in New Zealand
On the evening of 17 November 1921, an experimental radio broadcast was made by Otago University Physics Professor Robert Jack.
To mark the centenary of the birth of New Zealand radio, researcher Sarah Johnston presents recordings from the Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision archives, and memories of those early broadcasts as well as her current research into New Zealand’s World War II radio Mobile Units. These were recorded on discs in Egypt, Italy and the Pacific between 1940-1945 and broadcast on radio back home.
The event will be MC’d by Kim Hill from RNZ and recorded for broadcast as a Smart Talk at 7pm on 21 November on RNZ National.
Brought to you by National Library of New Zealand, Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision, and broadcast by Radio New Zealand.
Listen to the talk
Hear a recording and read a transcript of ‘Voices in the air’ courtesy of RNZ
RSVP now for your seat
Seats are limited so book your seat now by emailing events.natlib@dia.govt.nz.
About the speaker
Sarah Johnston is a sound history researcher, writer and broadcaster, enthusiastic about sharing the sounds of New Zealand’s past. She formerly worked with RNZ’s sound archives and produced and presented the weekly Sound Archives segment on RNZ’s Afternoons with Jesse Mulligan.
A 2021 recipient of funding from the Judith Binney Trust, she is researching the work of the World War II Mobile Broadcasting Units which travelled overseas with New Zealand’s forces from 1940-1945.
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