ROGER HALL WRITES TO THE LISTENER

I have lived in Australia and USA and can assure Myra Babbington that Radio NZ is far better than either PBS or ABC, and if she thinks Radio NZ is "boring" she clearly never listens in the mornings.
Throughout the week, Morning Report keeps us well informed.
On Sunday mornings we have a good mix of information, leading to At The Movies and Arts on Sunday.
Saturdays we currently have one of the best radio programmes anywhere in the world. Kim Hill provides us with an astonishingly varied and stimulating four hours week after week and she had worthy predecessors in John Campbell (for too brief a time), and Brian Edwards.
From Nine to Noon has been led by a remarkable series of women over many years: Maggie Barry, Sharon Crosbie, Kim Hill, Linda Clarke, and currently Katherine Ryan. It's fifteen hours a week of information, entertainment, books, humour, discussion, comments, book reviews, serials and humour.
As John Clarke says: "We don't know how lucky we are."
No one does morning radio better than New Zealand. Not even the BBC.

Roger Hall

FOOTNOTE:

The Bookman endorses Roger Hall's comments. I have been a listener to Radio New Zealand all my adult life, (I have also been reviewing books with various presenters on Nine to Noon for over 20 years), and I continue to find their news coverage and their entertainment extensive, varied and balanced.

FOOTNOTE 2 :

As well as Roger Hall's letter The Listener of April 14 contains coverage of the forthcoming Auckland Writers & Readers Festival , the cover story features former PM Helen Clark, there is an interview with Lynda La Plante along book reviews including Michel Powles' debut novel, Weathered Bones.