2Bob a sure bet after 25 years

Taree community station 2BOB FM is celebrating 25 years with a special four part archive broadcast and a subscriber drive.

Volunteer presenter Carol Lucas has dedicated months to the project, sorting through untold hours of old reel-to-reel tapes to compile each half-hour segment. 

2BOB started life when a large group of individuals from different walks of life met at the Wingham Town Hall in December 1982 to plan the acquisition of a Public Broadcasting Licence for the Manning Valley. The group formed an Association, submitted an Expression of Interest to the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal and commenced gathering information, raising funds and preparing a Planning Proposal.

In June 1985, the Association was the only applicant for the license at a hearing held at the Taree Courthouse by the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal. Not only was the licence granted, but the Association was also praised for the work it had done and the democratic structure it planned for its operation.

Thousands of people have participated in one way or another, as presenters, technicians or guests. Programs are broad-ranging, covering every music style, current affairs, education, women’s and men’s issues, environmental matters, health, poetry, literature, comedy and drama. 2BOB produces its own local news service, schools program and other special interest programs, including weekly Dutch, French, Filipino and German language programs.

The station’s transmitter tower was donated by local commercial station 2RE and erected  on Carey’s Mountain. The first studio was in a small side room in the Wingham SES lock-up garage at the rear of Wingham Town Hall where the sound of the roller door going up and down was a feature of some of the early broadcasts, now captured in teh archival recordings.

 

The first part of the historical series went to air during the Full Quid program last Saturday, and will continue at 11.30am each Saturday during April.

More details on the station’s facebook page.

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