Kōrero: Sports reporting and commentating

Alan Allardyce is shown broadcasting the first rugby match on New Zealand radio. The station was 3AC and the game was between Christchurch and Old Boys on 29 May 1926.  Play the sound file to hear Allardyce describe the broadcast and how it was received.

Transcript

I got permission from the Rugby Union and we managed to get the gear on Lancaster Park and did the match on the 29th of May, 1926. It was just completely out of the blue that I decided to go and give it a go, but apparently it was a success.

Interviewer: Whereabouts did you broadcast at Lancaster Park?

Up at the top of the stand, which is ruled to be unsafe.

Interviewer: How was the broadcast received by the listeners?

Oh, very well received, letters to the paper and letters to the station and all sorts, it was very, very popular of course. It had a bit of something novel, they'd never heard anything like it before.

Interviewer: What kind of approach did you adopt to the game? Did you try and describe every movement?

Oh yes, tried. Followed the game quite closely. That was one of the things most of the people said that they were able to ‘see’ the game, which is what you wanted.