Actually speaking of radio in New Zealand at that time - in late 1979 NZ Motor World magazine tested a Lada complete with a Russian radio - until they could work the radio properly (i.e. get AM broadcasts due to FM not being in existance in NZ) they kept getting broadcasts from the Wellington Airport flight control tower!!!
It should never have been built in the first place using that design. The design was from the 1930's but construction never took place because of WW II. When it finally opened in 1959 it was instantly too small. It did have one first - all the broadcast desks were transistorised.
Radio NZ or NZBC I suppose as it was then had studios scattered all around the city.
Wow, awesome to see a clip of The Video Dispatch here! Fascinating item too. Nice to see Broadcasting House in the background. It should never have been demolished - that was absolutely criminal. Nowadays of course, we have dozens of FM stations, but I can remember when AM was all there was.
I live in Sydney now, but remember it was late '83 or early '84 when it did arrive...just in time for Poi E ...eh!
linc43211 9 months ago
And the first song they played was "Turn Me Loose" by Loverboy, if I'm not wrong...?
brentjohnpalmer 3 years ago
The First FM station in NZ was FM 90.7 in 1982 it was only on the air for a month in Whakatane. Next were 89FM and Magic 91FM in Auckland.
asasinz2 4 years ago 2
Great post.
sarahp118 4 years ago
Was that Dick Weir? Is he still alive???
valman73 4 years ago
Is Dick Weir the first guy shown?
He was the narrator for the excellent mini-series "Erebus: The Aftermath" in 1987. I thought his voice as narrator was very suitable.
malcolmyoung90 4 years ago
Yes, that is Dick Weir. He is still alive and can sometimes be heard on Radio New Zealand National.
He was the first host of The Video Dispatch, but was later replaced by Lloyd Scott. I think Scott hosted it until it ended.
nzyowie 3 years ago
A guy called Mike Rehu hosted it until it was cancelled, sometime in the early 1990's, I think.
arferdaley 3 years ago
Actually speaking of radio in New Zealand at that time - in late 1979 NZ Motor World magazine tested a Lada complete with a Russian radio - until they could work the radio properly (i.e. get AM broadcasts due to FM not being in existance in NZ) they kept getting broadcasts from the Wellington Airport flight control tower!!!
joh2 4 years ago 2
Broadcasting House - the Govt demolished it in the mid 90s apparently for a scheme of MOVING the Beehive...
joh2 4 years ago
It should never have been built in the first place using that design. The design was from the 1930's but construction never took place because of WW II. When it finally opened in 1959 it was instantly too small. It did have one first - all the broadcast desks were transistorised.
Radio NZ or NZBC I suppose as it was then had studios scattered all around the city.
kogvos 3 years ago
Funny it took so long in NZ (being an American, it's kinda interesting to see how things went elsewhere in the past we often never think about).
ProductionX 4 years ago
When, officially, did we get FM stereo radio nationwide?
DoctorDee5100 4 years ago
Wow, awesome to see a clip of The Video Dispatch here! Fascinating item too. Nice to see Broadcasting House in the background. It should never have been demolished - that was absolutely criminal. Nowadays of course, we have dozens of FM stations, but I can remember when AM was all there was.
nzyowie 5 years ago