Friday, March 18, 2011

Springbok Radio Revisited




When I tell people that I work with Springbok Radio material at the SABC Radio Archives, I, in most cases (if age allows) see the curtains of remembrance open, and memories starting to roll in their eyes...  “I remember how we used to rush home from school to listen to the afternoon stories”, “I remember Taxi... and do you have Squad Cars...?”, “There used to be this quiz program... oh, and the Sari Award served as a jump start for a lot of artists...” and “Springbok Top 20, with, who again, oh yes, David Gresham...” are some of the dialogue playing in these memories.  And yes, I remember, in fact, it is so fresh in my memory as if it happened yesterday, because, well, it did!  Yesterday I listened to 13 programs of High Adventure, last week I listened to General Motors on Safari, and next week, let’s see, The Pip Freedman Show might happen all over again.


That is my job and my passion, to retrieve and catalog as many Springbok Radio Programs possible, in order to make it available to you, the loyal Springbok Radio listener. 

It all started with Frans Erasmus, from the Springbok Radio Preservation Society, whose passion for Springbok Radio never ceised.  He collected a lot of programs throughout his life, and is still working at it to get material from all collectors out there.  Yes, a lot of the programs still exist.  People recorded it, producers kept it, and now, through Frans, it is coming back to the SABC.  Factors like re-use of tapes and the non-existence of an official Archive in those years contributed to the fact that the SABC Radio Archives didn’t have a lot of the Springbok Radio material.  Copyright and broadcast rights of most of the material belong to the SABC though, which means exploitation by any means must go through the SABC.

My mission is to make Springbok Radio material available to the public.  I believe it belongs in the ears of those who remember, and of those who love good radio.  Therefor, with Frans’ help, I am retrieving as much material possible, as well as the copyright details thereof, so that you can buy and listen to the material again.
At the moment the focus is on “obvious” programs, of which the copyright clearly belongs to the SABC.  What I do is to catalog the material, and publishing the catalog to the SABC Media Libraries page.  Listener’s can then order material from our Radio Program Sales Department.  After this I will work on less obvious programs in order to clear the copyright and also make that available.

In the meantime programs can be listened to on the Springbok Radio Preservation Society’s stream.  I have a dream to make programs digitally available someday soon.  There are a lot of permissions needed for this, therefor it is a lengthy process, but I will keep at it till whenever!
So, folks, keep listening, and “if I don’t see you through the week, I’ll see you through the window.”
The cast of "Taxi", Patricia Sanders, George Korelin & Tony Jay



Retha Buys
Senior Archivist: Eng & Afr requests / Springbok Radio
Tel: +27 11 714 2772

22 comments:

  1. WHAT A SHAME THAT FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS DEPRIVE ONE OF THE FREE ENJOYMENT OF THE OLD SPRINGBOK RADIO WEB SITE WHICH BROUGHT PLEASURE TO SO MANY OF THE OLDER GENERATION.
    THE LEGAL RECTITUDE IS A COVER FOR PERHAPS FURTHER INDIVIDUAL ENRICHMENT AS IS SO PREVALENT IN THIS DAY AND AGE.

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  2. beurocrasy and red-tape ... Pathetic!

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  3. I´d love to listen to My Hartjie my Liefie again.

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  4. Retha you are a keeper of treasures and a true hero. I am REALLY going to try to access as many 'Take A Chance' programs that I can possibly afford. Strength to you.

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  5. Thank you Eddy! I only wish everybody could understand that we are doing our best!

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    1. How much are the tapes? how many episodes, and do you have a current list of titles - like "the Bloodhounds", etc?
      How soon can one get it?

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  6. Its so sad that we have to pay for those wonderful programs. We deserve it free of charge as it needs to be acquired to comfort the olde and depressed and not for resale.
    Those are memories that never can be erased so as tribute to the producers, writers and directors that have passed on, we should have it for free and their tallents and voices live on.
    Their voices brought us joy so its a shame in their honour to start charging.

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  7. Copyright? pethetic! The SABC? what isnt monopolised in this country yet we hear big empty words such as freedom.
    Why cant we have the freedom to acquire what was for the people?

    Those who recorded the programs are so lucky as they have their own entertainment as they are now old and depressed and only have their memories to live their rest of their lives through.
    I'm sure it brings them so much joy as they further away into degeneration.

    I wish you would stand for the people as they let alone have money to purchase but die of loneliness.
    Thank you.

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  8. Why cannot SABC create a new radio station - even wioth the same name when the stations are digitised next year, and broadcast ALL the programs, sponsored by totally new sponsors!

    It does not need to be a fully fledged station - just let it broadcast the programs from 6 pm to 11 pm daily!

    I was one of the most ardent listeners, and I still remember many episodes of many programs - like the Navy Lark, The Bloodhounds, Cold Power hot Line, Radio theatre, Venture, There is a Twist in the Tale, Squad Cars, Men From The Ministry, father Dear Father, Mind of Tracey Darke, Jet Jungle, and even series like "the day of The Triffids", etc.

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    1. Found two here:

      https://archive.org/search.php?query=Squad%20cars%20OTR
      https://archive.org/details/EpicCaseBookOfInspectorCarr

      Nic van Rhyn
      Swellendam

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  13. Where can we find the adverts that were displayed originally. Those from the 50s, 60s and 70s? The cars and cold drinks to hair products?

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  14. I would love to listen to "My liedtjie van velange' and other actuality programs such as Hospitaal Tyd, So maak mens, David Gresham and his music program en Dans van die Flamink etc. Is there anybody that knows where these can be found please let me know at sunrisevideop@mail.com

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  15. I would love to listen to 'My liedtjie van verlange, Dans van die flamink, So maak mens, Hospitaal Tyd, Creaking Door, Piet Pompies en David Grasham etc. These programs will take me back to my youth days. Will appreciated if someone can send me a link or info.
    Thanks alot.
    Yusuf

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    1. We are busy streaming a 2-hour stream that changes on a monthly basis of Springbok Radio Revisited material: Check http://www.sabc.co.za/wps/portal/SABC/springbok
      There is a compilation of Springbok Radio material that's been catalogued: https://sites.google.com/site/sabcmedialib/radio-archives/collections/springbok-radio/springbok-radio-catalogs
      Regards

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  16. Is there any way I can listen to the TV advertisements that were on the Springbok Radio Website? I'm doing some research and it would jog my memory to hear them again.

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    1. Hi Anon, we unfortunately don't have the copyright to the advertisements. The SABC Media Libraries only include the SABC Radio Archives, which will only have a few select of the radio advertisements of Springbok Radio. You are welcome to contact the request team via Refiloe Jele (jeler@sabc.co.za; 011 714 4879) to organise a listening session.

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  17. I too have been searching for a way to listen to the advertisements again. To organise a 'listening session' I presume one has to be in South Africa? I live abroad, am writing a book and would love to find a way to hear them again.

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  18. I listen often to your stream. I love in Zurich now, grew up in Johannesburg, listening to the radio plays on springbok radio tuned in my ear to stories and dialogue and I ended up being a writer. Wonderful memories. Do you have any "world of Desmond bagley" in the works? And there was an afrikaans spy show, I can't remember the name anymore, played in the mornings I seem to remember, about a kgb agent? Anyway, thank you for your passion and dedication, you make lives better and that means a lot these days.

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