focusinterview.
STEVE MCMILLAN 2AD ARMIDALE IS CELEBRATING 80 YEARS IN BUSINESS. WE CAUGHT UP WITH STEVE MCMILLAN TO FIND OUT HOW FAR THE BUSINESS HAS COME.
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hen and why did 2AD first begin? A licence for 2AD was first commissioned on the 31st May 1935, but it was not until February 5th 1936, that 2AD was able to start the broadcast. The then Manager, John Creighton, was the first person to speak. Also on the first few minutes was the then Armidale Mayor O’Connor and member for Parliament D H Drummond. The first broadcast was in a house that was located adjacent to the North Armidale Apex Lookout and was the home for 2AD until the current Broadcast House in Rusden was fitted out in 1957. How has broadcasting and the technology changed over the years? Over the years the technology has changed, from transmitters to the actual in studio consoles; they have all evolved over 80 years. Back in 1936, records were the way music got played, and what was called carts; they contained all sorts of content for broadcast. Then as it evolved, and with the computers, it went from vinyl records, to CDs, to downloads, to nowadays, 98 % is all on computers - the songs, the ads, the news service comes via satellite links. It is a lot easier nowadays to operate. The 2AD console in the studio is very old, put in way back in the early 1970s, but still does the job. Tell us about some of the personalities who have worked at 2AD over the years? 44 new england focus.
I cannot find out about some of the in the 1930s, to Elvis, to Michael Jackson, we announcers in the early years. Doug Mulray say we play the best songs of all times from worked here in the 1960s; he went on to the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s, and we do. bigger things on radio and on TV, and is Tell us about the current team at 2AD. probably the highest profile announcer. John As I write this, there are 10 staff at 2AD. Laws has been with 2AD for around 35 years, Peter Raymond is an institution here, having when he worked out of 2UE and 2GB, and we been here for 35 years and doing Breakfast for now have him at our head quarters at 2SM in most of those years; many people have woken Sydney up with Pete. What are some of the highlights in 2AD's Tara is our newest staff member. Tara reads 80 years? the news bulletins, and is on air on 2AD You can gather many highlights over 80 afternoons. years. The Little Boy Lost up Guyra Michael Abbott is on 2AD sometimes, way caused everyone in the to fill in, but is mainly on Breakfast local community to be out on FM 100.3. Keren is on FM looking for Steven Walls, 100.3, 10 to 2 weekdays, or wanting to know then we have Melissa Back in 1936 about him. Barton and Debbie Myhill e records were th I believe that the doing sales, out and ayed , way music got pl d breaking news about seeing the clients. lle and what was ca d service, no matter We have Teegan Taylor ne ai carts; they cont r fo t what the story was and en nt all sorts of co about - a world ” broadcast. event, an Australian event, or a local event - people probably first heard about it on radio. Over the years, the many community events we have been behind, and some of the different things we tried ... In recent years, pay it forward; we asked people to pay forward a coffee for someone less fortunate, then in conjunction with FOCUS and others, we did a drought appeal that raised over $45,000 for farmers two or so years ago. Then the music, whether it was Bing Crosby
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Gail Rogers doing our reception, schedules, and accounts, and then there is me, Steve McMillan. I am the Manager and do sales also. Plans for the future? In the future, 2AD will still be around, instead of 1134 - that could be changing in the near future - and with new technology we should have little interruption. We will still bring you the best music of all time. Digital radio will be around regional NSW in the next five years, giving listeners more choice of what to listen to. 2AD is a part of the Super Radio Network, along with 20 other stations across NSW and Queensland. Thanks Steve.