2GB

2GB

City of license	Sydney, Australia
Broadcast area	Sydney, Australia
Slogan	Your City, Your Station
Frequency	950 kHz AM (1926-1935) 870 kHz AM (1935-1978) 873 kHz AM (1978-)
First air date	23 August 1926
Format	talkback radio station
Affiliations	MTR 1377
Owner	Macquarie Radio Network (Harbour Radio Pty. Ltd.)
Sister stations	2CH
Webcast	[1]
Website	2gb.com.au

2GB is a commercial radio station in Sydney, Australia broadcasting on 873 kHz, AM. It is Australia's most popular talk-back radio station, and is the number one station in Sydney.

History

The station commenced broadcasting in August 1926. The operator, Theosophical Broadcasting Station Pty Ltd, owned by interests associated with the local branch of Theosophical Society Adyar, was granted a radio broadcasting licence for the Sydney, area.

In 1933, 2GB became the first Australian station to play transcription records, and had the world's largest transcribed record library at the time.

In 1936 the controlling interest in the station was purchased by Denison Estates Ltd. A new board of directors was appointed under chairman Sir Hugh Denison and included Frederick Daniell and A. E. Bennett, who continued as Station Manager.

In what radio historian Richard Lane termed "The Golden Age of Australian Radio Drama", Denison and his media adviser Daniell inaugurated the B.S.A. Players (for Broadcasting Service Association), renamed Macquarie Players in 1938. Apart from locally-written and produced serials such as Dolly and Dan and Doctor Mac, they presented a full-length drama on Sunday afternoons. Writers included John E. C. Appleton, Lynn Foster, E. Mason Wood, William Power, E. V. Timms and Ken Pawley. Actors included James Raglan, Lou Vernon, Peter Finch, Betty Suttor and Harry Dearth.

In February 1938, the station launched the Macquarie Radio Network, in competition with the Major Network, started by fellow Sydney station 2UE.

In 1940, the station became the largest producer of radio drama programs in the Southern Hemisphere. During World War II, 2GB provided transcription records to the Australian Army's network of radio stations in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands.

On 27 August 1955, station announcer Ted Harris, aided by American Ted Schroeder, became the first man to give a direct ball-by-ball description of the Davis Cup from Forest Hills to Australia. Two years later, 2GB became the first Australian station to air news bulletins on the hour, every hour during its broadcast day.

Prior to 1964, the controlling interest (45%) was held by Broadcasting Associates Pty Ltd., with 14% owned by the John Fairfax group of companies, and the balance owned by various smaller shareholders. Broadcasting Associates was owned by A.T.V. (Australia) Pty. Ltd., the Australian subsidiary of ITV company Associated Television. In 1964, Fairfax purchased ATV's Australian assets, including the 45% share in 2GB.

Although the ownership of the station has subsequently passed to strictly commercial interests, the society was broadcasting on the station as late as 1975.

2GB currently has a transmission tower on Wentworth Point at Homebush Bay. Its location is visible via the Ryde Bridge, and also via the train line to Rhodes and Concord train stations.

Callsign and frequency

The number 2 of the callsign refers to the state of New South Wales which also has postcodes starting with 2. The two letters GB indicate an AM station, and were chosen to honour the Italian philosopher Giordano Bruno who was much admired by Theosophists. Its original frequency allocation was 950kHz and moved to 870kHz in 1935 then to 873 in November 1978 when channel separation was reduced from 10kHz to 9kHz.

Weekday Presenters

• Breakfast with Alan Jones
• Mornings with Ray Hadley
• Afternoons with Chris Smith (∞)
• Sydney Live with Ben Fordham
• Money News with Ross Greenwood (∞)
• The Super Show (Peter Switzer)
• Night-time with Brian Wilshire
• Australia Overnight with Michael McLaren (∞)
• Wake Up Australia with Andrew Moore (Mon-Wed) & Luke Bona (Thurs & Fri) (∞)

Weekend Presenters

• Weekend Overnight with Mike Williams (∞)
• The Garden Clinic with Graham, Sandra & Linda (∞)
• Home Improvement with Scott Cam(Saturdays), Simon Stevenson (Sundays) & Luke Bona (∞)
• Real Estate with Mark Moraza and Warren Moore (∞)
• The Bounce - AFL Brad McEwan & Chris Radburn (∞)
• The Continuous Call Team with Ray Hadley, Steve "Blocker" Roach, Bob "Bozo" Fulton, Darryl "The Big Marn" Brohman, Andrew Moore, Don Moseley and Joel Caine
• Wheeler On WHEELER! with Glenn Wheeler (∞)
• Health & Wellbeing with Luke Bona (∞)
• Your Health with Dr. Graham Malouf (∞)
• Sunday Nights with Rev. Bill Crews (∞)

(∞) Airs on MTR 1377 in Melbourne

Fill-in Presenters

• Warren Moore - Usually on sister station 2CH 1170
• Kel Richards

Macquarie Radio Network

• Macquarie Radio Network owns both 2GB and 2CH.
• Macquarie National News is the name of the news service of the Macquarie Radio Network, and is taken by various stations including 2KY, MTR 1377 and SEN 1116.

Former Presenters

• Brian Carlton (now The Spoonman on Triple M Sydney)
• Jack Davey
• Bob Dyer
• Terry Dear
• Ken Howard (race caller)
• John Tapp (race caller)
• John Pearce
• Gwen Plumb
• Andrea
• Dita Cobb
• Ian McRae
• Grant Goldman
• Tim Webster (now with 2UE)
• Malcolm T. Elliott
• John Laws
• Mike Carlton (now with The Sydney Morning Herald)
• Bob Rogers
• Peter Hand
• Owen Delaney (Australia Overnight)
• Phillip Clark
• Jason Morrison (now with 2UE)
• Murray Wilton (now with 2UE)
• Jim Ball

External links

• Brief History - transcript of talk by Alan Jones on the early history of this station and others
• Talkback Radio 2GB 873 AM
• Macquarie National News