The radio replaced the piano in New Zealand living rooms from the 1920s. In the evenings families gathered around to listen to music and other entertaining broadcasts. This 'family' was created for advertising purposes, but is a reasonable approximation of the New Zealand family at the time, though perhaps with one less child than would have been the norm. Here even the family dog gets to enjoy the entertainment. Mum and Dad supplement the radio's offerings with a book and newspaper.
You can listen to an excerpt from 'One man's family' of 1936 – this was the first radio play aired in New Zealand.
Using this item
Reference: 1/1-015683-F
by Gordon Burt
Sound file from Nga Taonga Sound & Vision. One man's family/Reference: 27063
Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.