2CA hits the big eight-oh!
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.”
Delighted to see so many faces from my days in the late 80′s. We were all so young and all so keen!! That’s me with the blonde hair wearing a red blouse (I think) facing the camera on the right hand side. Happy, happy days!!!!!
People in the photos…
Can’t help you with all of them, though here are some…
The tech’s name in the control room is Colin Harman
The two other men with Dave Gosper are (centre) Ron Collins – former General Manager and John Magowan (dec) Creative Director.
The gentlemen in the Production Suite are Marc Berger (sp?) at the production desk and Steve Shepherd (standing). The gentleman in the tie – I remember his face, but unfortunately not his name – he was, I seem to remember in the newsroom.
The blond man behind the production desk I believe is John Wicks.
The picture with the group on the Northborne Avenue median strip includes from Left to Right;
Lousie Cullen (right hand woman to many Labor leaders); Salesman Peter Barta; Programme Director Graham Cherry (dec) (with the headphones on); Production Director Marc Berger with the files; Announcer Gerry Hallahan with the beard; Creative Director john Magowan (who conceived the 2CA kangaroo logo seen on the jackets) and announcer John Tambouris in the white shirt with the beard. There are more, but they are obscured or facing the other way.
That photo was taken at another key moment – when 2CA moved from 64 Northbourne Avenue across the road to the first floor of the Jolimont Centre. These were days when radio stations felt it important to be central parts of the community and locate themselves, as the old Solid Gold 2CA jingle went, ‘in the centre of things’.
The second photo of the announcer from the 70′s is actually Damien Smith from the 80′s. He’s now with Channel 7 news in Sydney. We were fellow announcers at the station. Nice to see other people I worked with as well. Happy 80th CA..
Thanks Julian. If you spot anyone else you know in the photos – please let us know!
I’m just a retro guy Jules – always have been.
I now have a caption for your photo Damien! If you know anyone else in the pics, let me know.