2MO Gunnedah: A Fine Station in a Rich District
With a district population of 8,551, Gunnedah is one of the wealthiest pastoral districts in Northern New South Wales. In this locality 2MO has been broadcasting since 1930.
Gunnedah is the leading town on the North Western Line, and its primary production includes fat cattle, wheat, wool, fat lambs and hay. The Gunnedah coal mine fulfils railway and power house contracts. A large freezing works is situated at Gunnedah, where the Government has decided to establish at a cost of £120,000 modern killing and chilling works. To assist better wheat production, a plant breeding station has been set up nearby at Curlewis. Plans have been completed to build a base Technical College at Gunnedah to cost £80,000.
The Studios and Transmitter of 2MO are situated in Marquis Street. Two main studios are in constant use and an up-to-date control room houses the audio and transmitter equipment. A new announcing and control table now handles the majority of 2MO’s programmes.
This was designed and installed by 2MO engineering staff under the switched for audition purposes without affecting the operating programming and presentation. There are four pick-up channels, three microphone channels and a relay channel. Each channel can be switched for audition purposes without effecting the operating programrne channels. Each pick-up channel can be operated for the reproduction of ordinary records and transcriptions or for orthocoustic and panacoustic recordings. Inter-studio communication is provided bv a simple talk-back system. Audak magnetic pick-ups are used exclusively, while announcing channels are fed by Crystal, Velocity and Cardioid Dynamic microphones.
ERNEST S. TIBBETT, A.M.I.R.E. (Aust.): Engineer in Charge, Manager-Announcer, has been associated with 2MO for a number of years. Mr. Tibbett has had very considerable experience in general radio. He came from the engineering staff of 2TM, and holds a Broadcast Engineer’s Certificate of Proficiency and an Amateur Operator’s Certificate. Under these Mr. Tibbett actively operated experimental station VK2AEB during the pre-war years. Hobby – Photography.
NEVILLE PELLITT, Announcer, Programme Department – Copywriter, has been with 2MO since August, 1945, after experience in Sydney in air-work and stage productions, from A.W.A. Neville is heard mainly in 2MO’s breakfast programmes, from which he has built a very wide listening audience, also in the all live-artist programmes. The popular scripted programmes broadcast through 2MO are written by Mr. Pellitt. Hobby – Music.
DOREEN LAMBERT, in charge of Accounts Department, has been associated with 2MO for several years and has had wide experience in the announcing field. Doreen Lambert is heard in several sessions, and has gained widespread popularity.
RON GIBSON, Control Room Operator. is also a newcomer to 2MO. He is often heard presenting the early evening programmes as announcer, in which capacity he is rapidly gaining popularity. Ron was educated at Gunnedah Intermediate High School and is studying for qualification as a Broadcast Engineer, Hobby – Experimental Radio.
MARGERY BREEN has been with 2MO for over two years. She is responsible for the arrangement of broadcasting schedules and transcriptions.
Many fine features are heard in 2MO’s morning, lunch and evening programmes. The most popular is the Hillbilly request programme on Saturday evenings. Requests come from as far distant as Rockhampton and Invercargill (N.Z.). Local sponsors bring feature programmes, including George Edwards’ features, as well as recorded musical programmes. Another popular session is the live artist broadcasts. Much local talent has been brought forward in these programmes.
The record library has an extensive range of well over 3,000 recordings. A recent addition is a descriptive broadcast from Woolsley Park, Gunnedah, covering the meetings held by the Gunnedah Coursing Club. Bringing commentaries and results of sporting activities, Clive Brady does a fine job. At several points in the town telephone land-lines have been installed to allow regular actuality broadcasts. During the war, in conjunction with the Gunnedah Win-the-War Committee, through rallies and station features, 2MO’s Staff has been responsible for almost £100,000 for War Loans.
2MO has an Aerial power of 100 watts, operating on a frequency of 1,370 kilocycles. The station covers Gunnedah, Curlewis, Carroll, Mullaley, Kelvin, Boggabri, Wee Waa, Somerton and Manilla.
JOHN CAMERON, announcer and programme arranger is a new-comer to 2MO, having recently been discharged from the forces where he served with the Royal Corps of Signals in several theatres of war. John is heard mainly in 2MO’s mid-day an ardent lover of music and is very keen on amateur theatricals and singing.
2MO Gunnedah – A Fine Station in a Rich District, Broadcast Year Book and Radio Listeners’ Annual of Australia 1946-47.
© Ray Crawford Collection, Radio Heritage Foundation.
Digital version of text, images and layout © Radio Heritage Foundation 2011.
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I’m embarrassed to be here. I’m waiting for the state radio sponsor to arrive. He’s late. Please just ask me to go away. I’m cheap.