2CA
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2008) |
 | |
| Broadcast area | Canberra RA1 ([1]) |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1053 kHz AM, DAB+ |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Format | Classic hits, oldies |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | 14 November 1931[1] |
| Technical information | |
| Power | 5,000 watts |
Transmitter coordinates | 35°13′12″S 149°8′56″E / 35.22000°S 149.14889°E |
| Links | |
| Webcast | [2] (available 2CA is streaming again) |
| Website | Official website |
2CA is a commercial radio station on the AM band in Canberra, Australia, which originally began broadcasting on 1050 kHz changing to 1053 kHz in 1978. 2CA has had many owners since its inception and is currently jointly owned by regional radio operators the Capital Radio Network and Grant Broadcasters. The station's current format is classic hits music and targets a mature audience aged 45+.
History
Established by Albert John (Jack) Ryan, an AIF veteran and former signaller during the first World War, Canberra's first commercial radio station - 2CA - began broadcasting with just a small 50 watt transmitter from the back of Jack's electrical repair shop in the Canberra suburb of Kingston on 14 November 1931. By 1933 the station had increased its transmitter to 500 watts and moved to a small purpose built studio on a low hill close to the Queanbeyan - Canberra road (near what is now the intersection of Hindmarsh Drive and Canberra Avenue). The hill quickly became known as "Radio Hill". By the late 1930s the 2CA studios were moved from Radio Hill to a new building in Mort Street, Canberra City, next to the Civic theatre. The transmitter power was increased again from 500 watts to 2,000 watts and moved to Gungahlin.[2]
In 1975, Canberra’s second commercial radio station, 2CC, began broadcasting and soon topped the Canberra ratings survey, continuing its dominance over 2CA throughout the latter half of the 70s and most of the 80s. In 1986 2CA went to air in stereo-AM from the then new Mitchell Transmitter site along with 1 new Nautel Transmitter and the old STC valve transmitter brought across from the old Gungahlin site as a spare. In 1988, FM 104 (now 104.7) & Kix 106 (now Mix 106.3) went to air as Australia's first supplementary FM licences (also the first commercial FM licences in Australia since 1980). FM 104 was a supplementary licence of 2CA, and Kix 106 a supplementary licence of 2CC.
Over the years the 2CA studios were housed in numerous buildings in the City including 64 Northbourne Avenue (until the site was re-developed as an office building in 1983) and then the first floor of the Jolimont Building, also on Northbourne Avenue. The 2CA studios had to be evacuated on 29 November 1993 when a man crashed his car into the ground floor of the Jolimont Building and tried to blow up the building. Staff from both 2CA and FM104.7 had to be rescued from their first floor studio by smashing a window and climbing down a ladder.[3]
In the mid-1990s, Austereo, owner of 2CA & 104.7 and ARN, owner of 2CC & Mix 106.3, merged to form a joint venture ownership of both FM stations - Canberra FM Pty Ltd, selling off 2CA and 2CC to the Capital Radio Network. Both 2CA and 2CC were then moved to their current shared studio building in the Canberra suburb of Mitchell.
In 2004 Grant Broadcasters purchased part ownership of Radio Canberra Pty Ltd (2CA & 2CC) to form a joint venture with the Capital Radio Network. Since then, the broadcast range of the channel has been focused almost exclusively on Canberra. It also covers some neighbouring districts extending as far as Yass in the North (55 km from Canberra CBD), Tharwa in the South (30 km from Canberra CBD) and Bungendore in the West (40 km from Canberra CBD).
Ratings
| 104.7 | 18.8 (18.0) |
| 666 ABC | 15.9 (17.3) |
| Mix 106.3 | 15.8 (15.5) |
| Triple J | 10.9 (9.0) |
| ABC Classic FM | 8.4 (9.2) |
| 2CC | 7.4 (5.8) |
| ABC Radio National | 6.9 (8.0) |
| 2CA | 5.6 (5.7) |
| ABC NewsRadio | 4.6 (4.2) |
External links
References
- ^ Gibbney, Herbert James (1988). Canberra, 1913-1953. Canberra: Australian Government Pub. Service. ISBN 0-644-06065-4.
- ^ http://www.act.nationaltrust.org.au/documents/RadioHill1.pdf - Peter Dowling
- ^ Attorney General's Department Disasters Database Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Nielsen Media Research Survey 1, 2011