This Is The ABC

As The Australian Broadcasting Corporation turns 80 this week. We wish Happy Birthday to Aunty with this look back in time to 1955, when she was only 23, and discover a behind-the-scenes story revealing the kind of organisation that went into making a daily radio program. Reflecting on the fact that at this time the ABC was an audio only broadcaster this film has an unusual introduction. Instead of having written credits, the film opens with shots of the key National Film Board crew members at work on the program. The presenter, Rupert Chance, introduces each crew member as we see them on the screen. There are no written credits. The film has excerpts from radio programs at the time including Blue Hills, sports commentator Bruce Weber, newsreader Paul McLeay and Eugene Goossens conducting at the Sydney Town Hall. Made by The National Film Board. 1955. Directed by Shan Benson.

[@JonathonWoodgate]

My mum was only 2yo the year this was done. My grandmother used to listen to ABC all the time.

[@NFSAFilms]

Thanks. We have a lot more films to come so please keep watching.

[@RichardLaidlaw]

These are the Australian voices (and accents) I grew up with. But that was in the UK and the Middle East :) Some of them were still at it when I got to Australia in 1972. The "a's" have been getting shorter ever since... :)

[@gazzathomas1423]

my mother always listened to blue hills,i'll never forget the intro theme I first heard in 1949 on 6gf

[@klyvemurray]

6GF...Kalgoorlie??

[@fckuyo3918]

I remember listening to The Country Hour, Blue Hills and The Goon Show on ABC Radio in the car with my parents in the early 1970s.

[@pauljmeyer1]

So sad that I saw only a tiny fraction of a performance by the Village Glee Club as all their recordings seemed to have vanished.

[@dronexmail]

That song... I didn't know they've been the same all along...

[@Geebax2]

And to think that just 8 short years from this, I was to start work at ABC-TV.....

[@86StevoMackay]

And the ABC News wasn't just broadcast on the ABC stations but on commercial stations too. I am researching the history of our local commercial radio station here in Mackay and for several decades the commercial radio station broadcast ABC News as well even though we had an ABC station based in Mackay as far back as 1951

[@rbbonotto]

I enjoyed that. I hadn't expected the sense of humor.

[@allegra0]

Oh how things have changed....

[@CalebCluff]

Sixty-seven years on, The Country Hour is still on air at midday.

[@keithammleter3824]

I remember Blue Hills. My mother insisted on listening to it when I was a teenager. It was absolutely the most dreadful thing ever broadcast. Each episode began with a 5 minute recap of previous episodes, about 2 minutes of new script, and 3 minutes of recitation of all the names of people who were involved in making it.
The soapies broadcast on commercial radio were much better.
My father, like many older males at the time, always listened to the ABC News - but NEVER to any other programme. Things took a big leap forward when I got a transistor radio and filled the house with rock and roll. It turned out that a commercial station started broadcasting the latest tidbits from Parliament House Canberra - and Dad switched allegiance.

[@joshgalka9414]

Nice

[@OlympusHeavyCavalry]

I like this Channel a lot.

[@expatmartin]

It would be very interesting to know who were the performing artists in this film: singers and musicians. A great film thank you for uploading it.

[@NFSAFilms]

Very interesting. Shows how important the ABC has been to a nation wide audience. Thanks for letting us know.

[@Palifiox]

4GY in Gympie, a commercial station, also transmitted the ABC news

[@NFSAFilms]

Hi the term Aunty to describe the ABC is yet another borrowing from the UK and their term for the BBC - although not sure that they still use it. Something to do with not having anything on the radio or television that would offend your Aunty. I'm sure ABC content has offended quite a few aunties by now!

[@foureyestimesfour5191]

Is that Wendy Blacklock at 3:50 mark? It certainly looks like her!

[@martyncook5840]

Why are they speaking in English accents? I didn't know "BBC English" stretched so far.

[@NFSAFilms]

Yes. Received Pronunciation, as it was known, was the directive in places like the ABC at the time.

[@connorcore7008]

@@NFSAFilms To be fair on Rupert Chance, he was British born

[@geoffmorris189]

they were a great promotion for smoking!

[@anoshaljizani8808]

What year was that thanks

[@jasoncarpp7742]

LOL! I'll bet they have.

[@MarkyDav]

Seems legit.

[@saxongreen78]

Geoffrey! Wash your mouth out!

[@yurilemming4130]

Pommy accent grates on Australian ears, annoying toffy pretentions. 9 Million people must be early 50s, we sure were empty, lots of rabbits & sheep as I remember.

[@12121149]

Pommies not Aussies, that is why the non Australian accent,just sayin'