When 5AD was king of the kids

The Radio Heritage Foundation has released more insights into the golden years of Australian Radio, pre-television. This time the Foundation spotlights Adelaide’s 5AD (now Cruise 102.3FM), 4SB Kingaroy, 4LG Longreach, 7AD Devonport and 7BU Burnie, These are the latest in the popular series of Long Lost Australian Radio Stars hosted by the Radio Heritage Foundation at www.radioheritage.net

There were 65,000 ‘Kangas’ or members of the 5AD Kangaroo Club after just 14 years and they enjoyed music and much more from their Uncles and Aunts of the 5AD Advertiser Broadcasting Network during the mid-1940s.

“Uncle Richard” Dick Moore (pictured), “Uncle Charles” Charles Norton and “Aunty Peggy” Roberta Russell are the featured personalities in this nostalgic look back at a time when thousands of young Australians were active in this very popular radio club heard over 5AD Adelaide and relay stations 5PI, 5MU and 5SE. Find out more at http://www.radioheritage.net/Story210.asp

7AD Devonport and 7BU Burnie ‘provide a continuous day-time and dual night-time transmission’ and many young Tasmanians were members of their Sunpolisher’s Club and the Koala Club. Strange as it seems, listeners were happy to keep re-tuning their radio dials throughout the day as both stations alternated service to North West Tasmania in the mid-1940s.

Station personalities included Miss Rae Cross, Miss Joan Harrington, Stuart Field, John Ford and Ted Mays. Find out more at http://www.radioheritage.net/Story211.asp

Powerful 4SB “covers the rich districts of the Burnett, Moreton, Wide Bay and the Darling Downs’ with ‘clear uninterrupted radio reception” was the blurb in the 1940’s.

Manager G H Parker is one of a number of the mid-1940’s team at 4SB included in the feature, which also lists some popular programs as including ‘Songs of the Range’, ‘One Girl in a Million’, ‘Jack Davey’s Casting Bureau’ and many others of the era.

Radio 4SB was also connected to 4BC Brisbane and relays included Friday night boxing fights from the Brisbane Stadium and lectures by Dr W G Goddard. Find out more at http://www.radioheritage.net/Story209.asp

Central Queensland radio 4LG radiates from the centre of the state and serves ‘the woolgrower, pastoral worker and town dwellers’ according to the latest in the popular series of Long Lost Australian Radio Stars hosted by the Radio Heritage Foundation.

Garry Meehan and George Lloyd are the radio personalities mentioned in the feature, which was originally released some 65 years ago in 1946. At the time, 4LG broadcast for just ten hours daily. Find out more at http://www.radioheritage.net/Story208.asp