Wayne Clark moves from radio station to cattle station after 33 years in the business

2NM and Power FM’s Wayne Clark has dealt with a lot of BS over his 33 years in the radio industry, but pretty soon he’ll be doing it fulltime.  

Before his departure from 2NM Jose Auditore talked to Wayne about his time in the business and his future, breeding Angus cattle, in this interview for radioinfo.

 

 

Where did you get your start?

It was the early 80’s at 2GN Goulburn and also spent some time at 3TR, 6PR, 6IX, 2DU, 2LT, Easymix Mildura, now 2NM and Power FM in Muswellbrook.

What were you doing before radio?

I went straight into radio from school, Seven Hills in Western Sydney, close to the original 2WS studios in Leabons Lane (now home to Hope 103.2).

Do you remember the first song you played on air?

It was either Billy Joel’s It’s Still Rock & Roll To Me or Racey – Lay Your Love On Me

Things have changed a lot at many regional stations, how many people worked at 2GN when you started?

Well we had five on-air shifts, sales, traffic, the GM, receptionist, the PD was Peter Watkins (Don’t know whatever happened to Peter Watkins) and we had a full time tech for one station! 

Is there someone you’ve worked with or met in your career that stands out?

Glenn Ridge. He was my PD at 3TR back in the early 80s. He was hosting a music program called ‘Breezin’ on the local TV station. He is a nice bloke and he came across like that on the telly so he was one I was pretty sure was going to get a bigger gig on the telly.

A little off topic but what’s your taste in music? 

Mainly MOR, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac

And TV?

I don’t watch a lot of TV, The Chaser and Stephen Colbert (soon to take over David Letterman’s Late Show slot on CBS). It will interesting to watch what happens.

I think we all have a guilty pleasure in music or bands that people may not know about (at this point I had to admit mine was Dido) what’s yours? 

Probably ABBA 

Apart from your own station, what else do you listen to?

Not much else, I do like FUN Super Digi, (Super Network’s DAB and online station) they have a pretty broad playlist and overseas, The Sound from NZ and some US stations.

Where is the industry going? Crystal ball, 5 years from now?

Definitely streaming. I was looking at a new Holden and they have Pandora but they have to sort out coverage issues, where I’m going I wouldn’t be able to use it. Poor mobile coverage. Digital in cars also needs to be more widespread. 

DAB+ of course will be more widespread but even in outer Sydney they have to boost reception.
 

 

Is there a chance we’ll hear him back on the airwaves again in future? It’s unlikely at this stage, said Wayne, whose partner breeds Angus beef cattle at a property 75kms from Glen Innes in the New England region.  His nearest station is the community broadcaster 91.1FM 2CBD Deepwater and he hasn’t ruled out “popping in,” but a full time return isn’t on the cards.

Wayne Clark did his final shift – The Cruze with Clarky,  at 2NM on Friday.

The crew at 2NM have aso welcomed back Joel Gosper, who has just returned to the station as General Manager.
 

Jose Auditore is a Sydney journo and producer and part of The Radio Green Room industry site on Facebook.

 

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