In February 1993, Listener deputy editor Denis Welch went bananas over bananas and G-code devices were the latest thing.
The Listener, February 13 1993
1993, and deputy editor Denis Welch responds to the news that New Zealanders led the Western world in consumption of bananas – 18.2kg per Kiwi per year, outstripping the Germans by a massive 4.1kg.
“We never used to eat that many bananas,” wrote Welch. “Well into the 60s, in fact, the country was always chronically short of them. Now, we’re insatiable. The reason? Probably state intervention, which ripened the Kiwi appetite to the point where it was ready to fall into the hands of market forces.” His list of 22 Things You Probably Never Knew About Bananas included the facts that “Some bananas are red”; “Scientists have been trying for years to breed a straight banana”; and “The average banana is 74 percent water. It also contains 16 minerals, 10 vitamins, six fatty acids, 17 amino acids, 14 other acids, seven carbohydrates, 14 amines and several other microscopic substances scarcely worth mentioning”.
Elsewhere in the magazine, Paul Smith interviewed the new chairman of TVNZ, Norman Geary. “There’s usually a honeymoon in this hot seat, but not for Geary,” wrote Smith. “His appointment in December was still fresh off the fax when it was attacked by Labour leader Mike Moore, who described it as ‘sinister’.”
Remember G-code devices? Every TV recording device now comes with the G-code system built-in, but in 1993, the Listener was giving away five G-code Instant Video Programmers and editor Terry Snow was explaining the intricacies of this newfangled device. The magazine of February 13, 1993, also ran stories about a problem gambler, the dangers of motorways, actress Patricia Routledge who was appearing in Keeping Up Appearances, giardia, and saving our textile heritage.
TV1 was screening The House of Eliott in its Montana Sunday Theatre timeslot, and TV3 was screening the Michael Aspel-fronted gameshow Give Us a Clue every weeknight at 7.00pm.
