Radio History

Ron Casey was on 2GB up until he was no longer required when Singo had finally realised he needed to pull out the chequebook to poach talent from the #1 2UE to get 2GB anywhere close to #1.

Sacked in controversial circumstances due to comments about aboriginals.

He knew how to stir the pot and best of all, took an interest in nurturing not demonising young staff, bullying which is still rife in the TV or radio industry.

@Laoma, not in Sydney and internet not prevalent in final years, so never heard him on radio.

He was never really a presence in Melbourne although i recall years ago he got into strife for berating Nokia as being an Asian company (It’s actually Finnish)

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I seem to recall him on 2KY back in the 90s but I never actively listened to him.

Actually I remember him on 2SM, around 1967 when he hosted talkback. When he was at 2GB in the early 90s he used to prepare his programme using a small manual portable typewriter!! This was when they had their studios in Sussex Street. He would ask the young lady handling all the stationery supplies to get such things as typewriter ribbons, carbon paper and the like, he also used to make a lot of typos and he would just “x” them out…

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The thing I remember the most was the brawl between Ron Casey and Normie Rowe on the Midday TV Show in the 1990s over the Republic.

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Amusing about the local announcers. I wonder if many went onto bigger markets and longer careers in the 80’s from 4MB?

Taking the overnight feed would’ve minimised costs on infrastructure, cart machine with commercials/promos to fire on the pulses. No need for early style automation that was cumbersome, limited and often malfunctioned.

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So 2HD were local in mornings prior to the mid 90’s with two hosts from 9am to midday? Wow.

What address was NEW at prior to moving in at Sandgate?

Was wondering if anyone recalls the Lite & Easy incarnations of 4IP and/or 2SM. I only vaguely recall Lite & Easy 1008 in Brisbane because I was listening to FM104 almost exclusively once Stereo 10 ceased. I’m very curious as to what the playlist looked like. I vaguely recall hearing some up tempo stuff from Whitney Houston but also some real easy listening music as well. Would love to hear people’s recollections of what type of music was played.

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2HD even had Harry Criticos doing mid dawns up until the late 90s. I think this stopped when Caralis bought the station.

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Sussex Street sure funded the station well.

Did it need Labour Council support? I seem to recall 2HD rating quite well for a period… maybe not the years we’re talking about here?

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Yes, hence my comment, during Labor’s time, NEW and HD were competitive and rating well. Bill benefited from that legacy for sometime after acquiring the duo in was it 99?

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Looking at my Newcastle radio ratings records that go back to Survey 4, 1997, 2HD remained competitive against KO/NX after Bill acquired it until about 2002, when the station axed its local evening program in favour of Grahame Gilbert. NEW was a different story, in which their ratings fell as soon as Bill bought it, but was back to being fairly competitive during 2001-02, when it went back to a rock format.

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here’s a short aircheck from when Lite & Easy 1008 started:

and the launch TV commercial:

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I only really recall hearing the following songs on either Lite And Easy station:

1008 Brisbane - “Wonderful Life” - Black

1269 Sydney - “She’s So Beautiful”’ - Cliff Richard

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Here’s some I remember from Lite’and ‘Easy 1008:
Rick Astley :”When I Fall in Love”
Louis Armstrong “What a Wonderful World “ this song was featured on the soundtrack for the movie “Good Morning Vietnam” was released in 1988
George Michael(the late great)”Father Figure”
Can’t remember anymore it was 30 years ago after all :blush:
I remember they sounded like Smooth FM sounds like today

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Excellent! Thanks heaps for that.

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Wow in am stereo, nice

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Similar ad used by 3XY for its relaunch as XY Easy Rock circa November 1988

YouTube: d0nkeyshines

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The TV advertising for 2SM/Lite & Easy 1269 was similar in concept to the spots for Light & Easy 1008 & 3XY Easy Rock:

Of course there are other examples of the same TV ad campaign being used for multiple radio stations in different markets (such as the 1993 TVC for Gold 104.3 in Melbourne later being reused for the launch of 2WS-FM 101.7 in Sydney), but I’d be here forever if I was to make an attempt at listing them all! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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