By request, here is the “card” I faxed to John Stanley on Wednesday to congratulate him on his wedding. John spent the first few days of the week in Melbourne with his new wife on a Melbourne Cup honeymoon. John and his wife will take an overseas holiday as a second honeymoon later in the year.
(Click to enlarge)
Samuel
8 comments November 10th, 2006 at 07:44am
The title says it all really…welcome back John!
Samuel
5 comments November 7th, 2006 at 12:09am
As you would probably be aware from things I’ve written previously, 2UE’s weekday New Day Australia host Stuart Bocking is on semi-leave in Melbourne enjoying the Melbourne Cup carnival and reporting for 2UE, as such John Kerr is supposed to be filling in for him…fresh from his overseas holiday…but whoops? What was that? The plane or train or other form of transport leaving before John could get on board? Oh dear!
But never fear, Clive Robertson is here, and will fill in for Stuart Bocking and John Kerr. John should be back for the Tuesday morning show, and Stuart will probably be ready to take over from John on Thursday morning, allowing John to return to his weekend show on Saturday morning, unless Stuart gets stuck in Melbourne, in which case Clive Robertson or Clinton Maynard will fill in.
I’m still at a loss to find out who will fill in for John Stanley for his few days of honeymoon/Melbourne Cup leave this week, it’ll probably be Murray Olds…but we’ll see.
Samuel
November 5th, 2006 at 11:15pm
Unlike Channel Nine last year, ABC Television are spot on when they claim to be fifty years old…in fact, they are correct to the day.
On the 5th of November 1956, ABN-2 (see, the GST was coming all the way back in the 50s!) started broadcasting, and Robert Menzies (hence “Bob Commences”) said a few words to start the broadcast (well, it was near the start). The Sydney television station started up a mere 13 days before its Melbourne counterpart ABV-2 began, just in time for the Melbourne Olympic Games.
Tonight at 8:30, ABC Television are running a special “50 Years of ABC Television” broadcast, and tomorrow will be running the first of a two part series on “50 Years of ABC Television News”.
The ABC have been nice enough to put their opening blooper show broadcast online, which can be viewed by clicking here for Windows Media Format and here for MPEG4 format.
So, happy birthday ABC Television…and considering one of your more famous “Aunty” shows, I think the following song is in order!
For she’s a jolly good fellow, for she’s a jolly good fellow
For she’s a jolly good fellow (pause), and so say all of us
And so say all of us, and so say all of us
For she’s a jolly good fellow, for she’s a jolly good fellow
For she’s a jolly good fellow (pause), and so say all of us
Samuel
November 5th, 2006 at 06:40pm
The next few days on 2UE will be interesting…John Kerr is back in the country, and logically should be on New Day Australia right now…but he isn’t, and that’s because one of 2UE’s recently married people, Stuart Bocking, has taken leave to attend the Melbourne Cup, so John will be filling in for him on the weekday edition of New Day Australia until at least Wednesday.
Clinton Maynard is also on leave, so Clive Robertson is filling in for John Kerr this weekend…a lovely pleasant surprise…and I seem to recall that last time I spoke to him on New Day, I promised to call him again when he is on New Day again…looks like I have a task.
John Stanley is getting married this weekend, and is having his honeymoon in Melbourne for the Melbourne Cup. This probably means that Murray Olds will be filling in for him, although it would be nice to have John Mangos back for a change…but he fills in for Glenn Wheeler on the weekend now.
In semi-related news, this year will more than likely be the first time since 2003 that I have been away from home for the Melbourne Cup.
Samuel
16 comments November 4th, 2006 at 12:20am
As I was unwell yesterday and didn’t get a chance to mention it…happy birthday to 2CC which turned 31 years old yesterday.
Samuel
November 1st, 2006 at 08:33am
That headline could just as easily have read “Newish Manager Doug Bell Puts His Stamp On 2CC”, but I think the first headline works better.
So what am I going on about? Well 2CC have new imaging which presents them as a “hard-hitting” news and current affairs station, apparently they “aren’t afraid to ask the hard questions” and 2CC is “talk radio with teeth”. The new imaging is putting heavy emphasis on local programming, with promos for Mike Jeffreys and Mike Welsh on high rotation.
The background music on the promos sounds a bit more serious than the old promos, but not serious enough to sound like a news bulletin, which is probably a good thing.
New Day Australia now has at least three ad break intros, all replacing the one ad break intro used for years and years and years. My favourite is “It’s your call, New Day Australia on Talk Radio 2CC”. As it turned out during the day, “It’s your call” is the catchcry of 2CC and is featured in almost every station ID.
The open line number also features quite heavily, and in what I think is a first for 2CC, network programming is receiving voiceovers touting “13 13 32” as the open line number. There are a couple open line promos floating around which sound a bit snappier than the previous ones, and don’t have a rushed voiceover.
2CC production have obviously had a lot of fun and put a lof of effort into the new imaging, and some bright spark has decided to use snippets of Lawsie’s jingles in the place of the old music returns which used to clash with Lawsie’s own music returns. The jingles still overlap Lawsie’s music, but the transition from end of jingle to music return actually works surprisingly well.
On the subject of music returns, it sounds like 2CC have updated their music returns (the bits of music they play as they return from ad breaks if you’re wondering what I’m going on about) as well, a new set, it’s probably about time too. Unfortunately it still drowns out overnight programming when it returns from ad breaks, but overall it sounds more serious and focussed than the previous set.
A little while back 2UE dumped the half-hour “Best of Laws” segment at 11:30 Friday in favour of a “Five Days in Five Minutes” segment at 11:53. This has undoubtedly presented extra work for 2CC who have a locally produced hour-long “Best of Laws” segment on Sunday’s at 9am. I’ve been thinking about this, and now that 2CC have new imaging, I have to wonder if “Best of Laws” will be dumped in favour of “The Best of Mike Welsh” or (and this would be a tad odd) “The Best of John Stanley”. It would probably take the same amount of production, but would fit in with 2CC’s new-found local emphasis.
As fas as I can tell, the new imaging was launched as of Midnight, and is probably an early birthday present for 2CC, which turns 31 tomorrow.
Samuel
4 comments October 30th, 2006 at 03:30pm
It looks like John Laws had an absent minded and “whoops” moment recently, forgetting to mention that Telstra are one of his sponsors during an interview with John Howard about the privatisation of the telco giant.
2UE have taken action by notifying the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) of the breach of standards imposed by the ACMA’s predecessor, the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA). ACMA have launched an investigation.
The worst possible outcome (an unlikely one, but possible) here is that ACMA cancel 2UE’s broadcasting licence, and Southern Cross have to work out what to do with the Sydney based syndicated programming. Could the “John Laws Building” become a mere regional hub, providing programming for places outside of Sydney only? Would Southern Cross move their syndicated hosts to Melbourne’s 3AW or Brisbane’s 4BC? And what would happen to Lawsie?
Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that…and it probably won’t…I personally think that ACMA will just send Lawsie a “be more careful from now on” message after a lengthy investigation where they take into account the fact that he is almost always on the ball when it comes to acknowledging sponsorships, but the next little while could be very very interesting none-the-less.
Talkback king’s new cash-for-comment scandal
October 27, 2006 – 7:40PM
Radio talkback king John Laws is in hot water again for failing to
disclose his commercial agreement with Telstra in a recent interview
with the prime minister.In an echo of the original cash-for-comment scandal, Laws is being
investigated for allegedly discussing Telstra’s privatisation without
mentioning he is being paid by the telco.The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) today said it
would open an investigation into Radio 2UE Sydney’s compliance with
commercial radio standards.During the cash-for-comment scandal that broke in 1999 and again in
2004, it was revealed Laws and his rival, 2GB’s breakfast announcer
Alan Jones, received sponsorship money from customers, including Optus,
Qantas and major Australian banks without disclosing it to listeners.An investigation by ACMA’s predecessor, the Australian Broadcasting
Authority (ABA), found systemic failure in the commercial radio
industry to comply with self-regulatory codes of practice.The ABA later introduced new standards that ensured presenters of radio
current affairs programs were required to tell listeners about their
sponsors whenever they were mentioned on air to ensure fair and
accurate coverage of matters of public interest.Compliance with the standards is a condition of holding a licence.
ACMA today said 2UE, a subsidiary of Southern Cross Broadcasting, wrote
to it indicating it had breached the standard when Laws failed to
disclose his agreement with Telstra on his program on August 28, 2006.“During his program on that day, Mr Laws made mention of the
privatisation of Telstra, one of his sponsors,” Southern Cross wrote.“Telstra’s privatisation was also discussed in an interview with the
prime minister.“No disclosure regarding his commercial agreement with Telstra was made
during the program.”ACMA chairman Chris Chapman said the regulator acknowledged 2UE’s
action in bringing the breach to its attention.“However, ACMA has decided to commence an investigation into 2UE’s
compliance with the standards,” he said.ACMA had begun collecting documents and would examine them to determine
what steps needed to be taken, Mr Chapman said.ACMA has the power to suspend or cancel licences.
Southern Cross Broadcasting could not immediately be contacted for
comment.AAP
Samuel
12 comments October 27th, 2006 at 10:15pm
I had a strange dream last night…I went into the local TAB to pick up a copy of the Herald Sun newspaper so that I could get the form guide for the Cox Plate. When I went to the counter to pay for the newspaper, and for one reason or another pick up a balloon with a picture of a horse on it, I recognised the person behind the counter…it was John Stanley’s reverse tipster, the anonymous Kiss Of Death. I asked him why he was working at the TAB and he told me that he had a really large debt with them from last weeks tips and he was working it off.
If that dream proves anything…it’s probably that I get to listen to the radio at work just a wee bit too much!
Samuel
October 27th, 2006 at 02:36pm
It looks like Macquarie Bank are about to sell their massive Macquarie Regional Radioworks network of 85 stations. Macquarie, who have put a price of $600 million on the network, have cited new media laws and the news requirements therein as their reason for selling. Whilst hiring a few extra journalists would make a bit of a dent in Macquarie’s profits, it would hardly be a major issue. On the plus side, the stations now have the chance to be owned by people who actually care about local radio.
October 24, 2006 01:08am
Article from: AAPMACQUARIE Media Group is believed to be selling its network of radio
stations following the tightening of media laws over rural radio.Macquarie Regional Radioworks has put a sale price of $600 million on
its 85 radio licences which cover around 60 per cent of regional
Australia, The Australian reports today.The decision to sell is believed to have been prompted by the new media
laws’ stricter requirements for regional radio stations to produce more
local content, thereby preventing broadcasts from a network’s stations
from outside local areas.Macquarie has warned it would have to close at least 10 stations in
Tasmania, Western Australia and Queensland because of the new laws,
News Limited reports.It was criticised this month for hubbing news to its Western Australia
stations from the Gold Coast in Queensland.
Update 7:48PM: Macquarie are denying the story, which was published in The Australian. Macquarie issued a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange earlier today after being requested to do so.
While Macquarie Media Group (MMG) would not normally comment on media speculation, we have been requested by the ASX to respond to a media article appearing today in relation to a possible sale of Macquarie Regional Radioworks.
MMG advises it has not received any offer to buy Macquarie Regional Radioworks, nor has there been any decision to sell the business.
End Update
Samuel
1 comment October 24th, 2006 at 11:37am
Well in about five minutes it will be the start of Clive Robertson’s four morning stint on 2UE filling in for John Kerr and Stuart Bocking. I’m looking forward to this, Clive is great talent and it should be fun having him on during the wee hours, and I would imagine that 2CC will be pleased with nine hours of sharp-witted, quick-thinking, highly-entertaining presenters with Mike Jeffreys following Clive with the breakfast show.
But it is Friday the 13th, and whilst I don’t usually subscribe to such superstitions, this is a rather unusual Friday the 13th as the digits in today’s date add up to thirteen (1 + 3 + 1 + 0 + 2 + 0 + 0 + 6 = 13). I haven’t verified it, but apparently it is the first time since the days of Genghis Khan that such an anomaly has occurred. This does lead a pesimistic back-of-mind thought that on this particular day it might be wise to be wary of Murphy’s Law…whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.
So what could go wrong? Let’s see…2UE decide that Clive doesn’t need a producer and, just like Stuart and John, can answer the phones himself whilst running a radio show…a power surge causes various systems including the phone and the station audio computer to freeze, with the newsroom vacant Clive is the only person left in the building and so he sings to us for hours until one of the breakfast show staff turn up.
John Kerr, taking a flight out of the country today, suddenly finds that the airline have a pilot strike and he is now required to fly the plane…reluctantly John agrees and, due to a navigational error, lands at the North Pole where he is voted in as the new Santa Claus, and is not permitted to return to Australia except for present runs at Christmas.
2UE’s 11am fire drill sees everyone evacuated, including John Laws and the newsroom…a pre-recorded news bulletin is played, and a song scheduled to play after it, followed by an ad break…the chief fire warden accidentally locks the door to 2UE and leaves the key inside, providing 2UE and network stations with dead air for a couple hours while the locksmiths try to open a door which, due to extreme heat, has warped and has to be knocked down by the fire brigade.
When 2UE are finally back on-air, John Stanley proceeds with his “break mirrors and walk under ladders segment”, whilst trying to smash a mirror with a hammer he loses control of the hammer, which flies through the window and knocks out the station manager, who then falls down the stairs where all the staff who are due to be on air in the next 24 hours are standing. John Stanley is required to fill-in until 6PM Saturday, but due to a ladder falling on his head, a producer arranges a new “talking clock” network by dialling the talking clock and putting it to air, which is subsequently picked up by all network stations, but only for a few minutes as Optus D1 melts due to defective protective material, and takes out all Southern Cross network feeds with it.
Mike Frame and Kris McKenzie fill in on 2CC for the next three days whilst Southern Cross arrange a new satellite feed, taking six hours on/six hours off shifts.
At the very least, this proves that my imagination is still active!
Samuel
October 13th, 2006 at 12:00am
Exclamation mark exclamation mark…hmmm, got on a role with those exclamation marks.
Anyway, John Kerr is now on holidays for three weeks, he is going overseas with his wife Rhonda, and will be back on-air on Monday November 6 (I don’t know why he’ll be back on a Monday…another holiday for Stuart perhaps?). He sounds very excited about it, and has been making some jokes about the fact that he will be flying out of the country on Friday the 13th.
John has been filling in for Stuart Bocking who is currently on leave, and seeing as Stuart doesn’t come back until Tuesday, Clive Robertson will be running New Day on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday…that will be interesting, Clive and middawn is not an obvious match for my mind, but we’ll see. I’m sure Mike Jeffreys will be pleased to hear his pal on the radio while he makes his way into work.
John seems to think that Clive will be filling in for him on the remaining weekends, although I would suspect that will depend on how Clive gets on in the middawn shift, and we will therefore have either Clive or Clinton Maynard.
I’m very confused about who will be doing what if somebody is ill or otherwise unavailable…perhaps if everyone is ill (Stuart, Clive & Clinton) 2UE could just ring up John Stanley and have him do a Midnight to 3PM shift…or perhaps John Mangos will find his way into the studio…he fills in for Glenn Wheeler on weekends, so it’s not impossible.
That being said, let’s just hope that everyone is well, and John & Rhonda have a lovely holiday.
Samuel
October 12th, 2006 at 05:30am
Yesterday I reported that it was Rob Elliott’s birthday, during that report I mentioned something about it being hard to find videos and/or photos of him on the Internet at the moment…this was a brainfade, and Malcolm made sure I knew all about it with this short email
Rob Elliott Videos……….YouTube
Thanks Malcolm! A search on YouTube for Wheel Of Fortune proved quite fruitful, and I now have photos and videos of Rob Elliott at his best, hosting “Australia’s favourite game show (cue audience) Wheel…Of…Fortune!”
First up here we have Rob Elliott introducing contestants on a 1997 “Celebrity Week” episode of Wheel, the contestants are Ross ??? (anybody know who he is?), Tempany Deckert (Selina Cook/Roberts on Home and Away) and Andrew Daddo (various Channel Seven gameshows and lifestyle programs, currently a reporter for The Great Outdoors). I don’t know what the person who uploaded this video was thinking, they’ve split it in half and cut off the start of the show, and the part of the second round.
None the less, this shows what a fantastic compere Rob Elliott is.
And here’s part two!
We also have a poor quality video of Rob Elliott in March 2000 giving away a major prize with the mystery wedge…notice the nice set? I think it was their best.
I did promise photos…well they’re just screenshots from the video, but they might as well be photos.
Rob Elliott always came across as a jolly, happy man
Rob Elliott with Tempany Deckert
Rob Elliott with “Ross”, Tempany Deckert, Andrew Daddo and the Wheel Of Fortune (Update January 31, 2012: Reader Phil has informed me by email that the “Ross” in this picture is Ross Higgins, known for his role as Ted Bullpit in ‘Kingswood Country’ and as the voice of Louie The Fly, among other roles. Thanks Phil! End Update)
Yep, I’d be giving them odd looks too Rob.
I hope you had a great birthday Rob…what are you doing these days anyway?
Samuel
October 9th, 2006 at 10:12am
Today, according to 2UE is Rob Elliot’s birthday. Rob is arguably best known for his role as host of Wheel Of Fortune.
Rob is shown in the lower right corner of this picture.
It is unclear whether Rob was born in 1965 or 1966, but either way, happy birthday Rob, Wheel was never the same when you left.
Samuel
11 comments October 8th, 2006 at 09:36am
I suppose if we put that jolly band of gentlemen (not a trio as I originally wrote) together on one show, it would be a very lively show, but I’m not sure that their personalities would work with each other. With that in mind, it’s probably a good thing that they’re not on the same show.
Glenn Wheeler has returned to 2CC’s weekend afternoon timeslot, and it looks like he will be on for the full six hours each day this summer and surrounds, it also looks like the overly Sydney-centric first couple hours which 2CC avoided last summer have been scrapped. Canberra listeners could be forgiven for thinking that 2UE and 2CC are owned by the same people today, as the 2CA/2CC traffic reporter, Dennis Leigh, is reporting on Sydney traffic for 2UE (and therefore 2CC) today.
When Glenn started on 2UE, he filled in on New Day Australia…and if his timecall at 12:14pm is anything to go by, he wants to do it again…”14 past midnight” indeed…maybe on the other side of the world…ah, that explains it…timecalls for the webstream!
Speaking of New Day Australia, with Stuart Bocking taking the week off for a well deserved break, John Kerr will be filling in until 5:30am on Thursday, John will then take some time off, and Clive Robertson will run the Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday shows. Stuart should be back for the Tuesday show.
Samuel
4 comments October 7th, 2006 at 01:01pm
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