U.S.A.
Behind the scenes in Australian Radio
America started recording their radio shows to disc before Australia. When they started selling their programs to Australia, it was all profit. They had already made their money in their domestic market and the discs exported to Australia were sold at a price that Australian Producers could not compete with. One article quoting an Australian Producer, indicated the price was as little as 1 pound ($2.00) per episode for a 52 episode series. A price that Australian Producers couldn't come close to matching. These shows were particularly prolific in the 1930's until Australia followed Great Britain to War in 1939.
In November 1939 The Australian Government announced a ban on importation of goods from the U.S.A. to save their U.S. dollars for essential goods required for War. A list of goods banned for importation from America was promulgated. Goods already paid for or ordered prior to the ban on importation, were allowed. Radio Transcription Discs were on the 'Banned' list. Australian Producers who had been calling for such a ban to protect local production, took advantage of this situation to build an Australian Industry. The importation ban of American Radio Transcription Discs continued even after the war, until the early 1950's.
There was however a brief exception to the ban. More on that later........
In November 1939 The Australian Government announced a ban on importation of goods from the U.S.A. to save their U.S. dollars for essential goods required for War. A list of goods banned for importation from America was promulgated. Goods already paid for or ordered prior to the ban on importation, were allowed. Radio Transcription Discs were on the 'Banned' list. Australian Producers who had been calling for such a ban to protect local production, took advantage of this situation to build an Australian Industry. The importation ban of American Radio Transcription Discs continued even after the war, until the early 1950's.
There was however a brief exception to the ban. More on that later........
What were we listening to?
This is a list that I add to as I research. It is a list of American Shows that I have confirmed as being broadcast in Australia prior to the Importation Ban. Many of these shows continued to be broadcast in Australia for a number of years. I note them as I see them appear in program guides. These shows were played in all states and Territories. These are not the only shows and I will continue to add to the list as I confirm shows.
1932 - Bringing Up Father
1933 - Tarzan commenced
1934 - 1936 - Black Ghost
1934 - 1937 - Black Magic
1935 - Eb & Zeb
1935 - The Witch's Tale
1935 - 1938 - Moon Over Africa (repeated many times)
1935 - 1936 Strange As It Seems
1936 - Ports of Call
1937 - Deerslayer
1937 - Detective Dalt & Zumba
1937 - Pinto Pete & His Ranch Boys
1938 - Album of Life
1938 - Black Flame of the Amazon
1938 - Cavalcade of Drama
1938 - Cinnamon Bear
1938 - Crime Does Not Pay
1938 - Frontier Fighters
1938 - Ghost Corps
1938 - Green Joker
1938 - Heart Strings
1938 - Hollywood Casting Office
1938 - Jerry of the Circus
1938 - Joe & Cynthia
1938 - Magic Island
1938 - Mamma Blooms Brood
1938 - Memories of Hawaii
1938 - Metropolis
1938 - Mutiny on the High Seas
1938 - Shamrocks
1938 - Strange Wills
1938 - That was the Year
1938 - The Lone Ranger
1938 - Tina & Tim
1938 - Thrills from Great Operas
1938 - Yogi Yorgessen
1938 - Your Hymms and Mine
1938 - Wings of the Morning
1939 - The Crimson Trail
1939 - Five Star Theatre
1940 - Frank & Archie Wantabane
1941 - Easy Aces
1932 - Bringing Up Father
1933 - Tarzan commenced
1934 - 1936 - Black Ghost
1934 - 1937 - Black Magic
1935 - Eb & Zeb
1935 - The Witch's Tale
1935 - 1938 - Moon Over Africa (repeated many times)
1935 - 1936 Strange As It Seems
1936 - Ports of Call
1937 - Deerslayer
1937 - Detective Dalt & Zumba
1937 - Pinto Pete & His Ranch Boys
1938 - Album of Life
1938 - Black Flame of the Amazon
1938 - Cavalcade of Drama
1938 - Cinnamon Bear
1938 - Crime Does Not Pay
1938 - Frontier Fighters
1938 - Ghost Corps
1938 - Green Joker
1938 - Heart Strings
1938 - Hollywood Casting Office
1938 - Jerry of the Circus
1938 - Joe & Cynthia
1938 - Magic Island
1938 - Mamma Blooms Brood
1938 - Memories of Hawaii
1938 - Metropolis
1938 - Mutiny on the High Seas
1938 - Shamrocks
1938 - Strange Wills
1938 - That was the Year
1938 - The Lone Ranger
1938 - Tina & Tim
1938 - Thrills from Great Operas
1938 - Yogi Yorgessen
1938 - Your Hymms and Mine
1938 - Wings of the Morning
1939 - The Crimson Trail
1939 - Five Star Theatre
1940 - Frank & Archie Wantabane
1941 - Easy Aces
I will add audio for the shows that have survived, so that you can hear what Australians were listening to in the 1930's, particularly in the period before we started to record to Transcription Disc.
Listen now to American Produced Shows broadcast in Australian prior to the Ban.
Craig Nugent supplied these labels to reinforce the Article in the section above, which advised that 3DB was broadcasting C.P. Macgregor U.S. titles in Australia. Craig indicated that 3DB actually re dubbed them for wider distribution. Above are examples of some of the 3DB Labels used. Note all three examples include the word 'Duplicate'.
Shows that Craig has examples of, include:
Talking Drums
Betty and Bob
Hope Alden
Cavalcade of Drama
Stars over Hollywood
Problems for Pamela
Shows that Craig has examples of, include:
Talking Drums
Betty and Bob
Hope Alden
Cavalcade of Drama
Stars over Hollywood
Problems for Pamela
Thanks to Jerry Haendiges from otrsite.com for supplying Black Ghost and Black Magic. Many thanks also to Old Time Radio Researchers Group of which I am a member, for supplying many of the other U.S. episodes.
The exception to the Ban on importation of Radio Transcription Discs from America? Wartime.
After Pearl Harbour, the U.S. entered WWII and American troops were stationed in Australia. It was thought that entertaining the American troops with radio shows from home, would make them less homesick and less of a culture shock for them.
Bringing in American Radio Shows on Armed Forces Radio Service Transcription Discs took quite some time and a lot of haggling with the Australian Government. To make things worse, the shows were to be broadcast in certain time slots on Australian Stations, instead of the Americans setting up their own broadcast equipment in their camps. Reading articles in the newspapers of the day, the service was on, off, on again and off again. Then when it actually started, it didn't last very long.
Initially the shows were divided up between the stations by a ballot. Then the fun started. Sponsors ads from the U.S. were left in the shows and they were advertising goods not available in Australia. Though some enterprising people started to overcome that problem. The fights broke out between commecial stations and the Government owned ABC. Commercial station complained the ABC was not allowed to advertise and the ABC complained that the commercial stations were making money from selling advertising on the shows. This was a problem because the actors and entertainers in the U.S. were donating their time and effort to assist the U.S. Government in wartime and it wasn't supposed to be for commercial purposes.
The to and fro got so bad that a representative from AFRA was sent out from the U.S. to see what was going on. The broadcasts stopped altogether soon after.
After Pearl Harbour, the U.S. entered WWII and American troops were stationed in Australia. It was thought that entertaining the American troops with radio shows from home, would make them less homesick and less of a culture shock for them.
Bringing in American Radio Shows on Armed Forces Radio Service Transcription Discs took quite some time and a lot of haggling with the Australian Government. To make things worse, the shows were to be broadcast in certain time slots on Australian Stations, instead of the Americans setting up their own broadcast equipment in their camps. Reading articles in the newspapers of the day, the service was on, off, on again and off again. Then when it actually started, it didn't last very long.
Initially the shows were divided up between the stations by a ballot. Then the fun started. Sponsors ads from the U.S. were left in the shows and they were advertising goods not available in Australia. Though some enterprising people started to overcome that problem. The fights broke out between commecial stations and the Government owned ABC. Commercial station complained the ABC was not allowed to advertise and the ABC complained that the commercial stations were making money from selling advertising on the shows. This was a problem because the actors and entertainers in the U.S. were donating their time and effort to assist the U.S. Government in wartime and it wasn't supposed to be for commercial purposes.
The to and fro got so bad that a representative from AFRA was sent out from the U.S. to see what was going on. The broadcasts stopped altogether soon after.