Paraparaumu Radio Service- Cinema Advertising Slide

Description

Not many people in Horowhenua may have gone to Raumati to buy a radio- but some will remember the PYE PZ69! This model was on the market in 1954 and had luxurious sound quality provided by six valves. Most radios only had five and budget models had to make do with four! This PYE also had the versatility of eight wave bands.

It cost thirty nine pounds, seventeen shillings and sixpence- the equivalent of over $1000 in today's inflation adjusted money. On top of that the owner had to pay an annual licencing fee to listen to their radio. This remained in place until 1971. However, cheaper radios at less than half the price were also available. 

PYE only started selling their radios in New Zealand the year before the PZ69 went on sale. These early models were based off English radio sets- but before long PYE NZ was designing their own and were buying a large share in their local partner AKRAD radio (based in Waihi). PYE even started selling televisions here in 1959. A bold move- given that the first public station was still a year away!

Identification

Object type

Image

Date

1954