FOR the last 80 years, 2CA has been “all things to all people” says program director Don Dawkins.

The station reaches the milestone on November 14 and over the years has seen numerous ownership, management and format changes.

It has also seen many radio personalities come through its doors, such as John Blackman, Steve Liebmann, Michael John Fewster, Jimmy Pilgrim, Terry Malcolm, John Kerr, Peter Leonard and Greg “Robbo” Robson, who has been associated with the station for the past 30 years.

“2CA was the home for a lot people to come to from a regional station to a major regional then to step up and go on to a metropolitan,” Don said.

“People like Blackman went from here to Sydney or Melbourne radio and then obviously into TV.”

Canberra’s first radio station started from humble beginnings in 1931 by the late AIF veteran Jack Ryan, with the help of right-hand man George Barlin.

According to Don, the station has had its ups and downs over the years, particularly after its now-sister station 2CC opened in the mid-’70s.

“The ‘80s were pretty turbulent for 2CA,” he said.

“There were a lot of ownership changes, but also a lot of format changes. “And basically it’s gone back to where it was in the early ‘80s, which is classic hits station playing solid-gold songs.

“That’s where it’s been most successful. It tried its hand at being a talk station and, on a couple of occasions, a light and easy station.”

The station also traditionally ran broadcasts from America, with breakfast or daytime shows broadcasting for specific events happening overseas.

“We were promoting Canberra to the world,” Don said.

“In fact, we did a lot of that over the decades, ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s.”

Now, 2CA is welcoming the digital radio with open arms.

“After so many years, I guess it was all things to all people providing a wide variety of on air product at the time from the horse racing, even pre-TV doing a lot of serials at night,” he said.

“2CA, for a long time, had to really cover a wide range of people, styles and tastes.”

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