Eps. 14 - The Final Countdown

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Transcript

And here we are again, and no, I'm not Rod McClure. No, and I'm definitely not Gary Newton. But whoever we are, we're back with the final episode of the station, Remembering 3GL. So thanks for joining us. It's hard to believe that in 14 episodes we'll have covered, well as best we could, 60 years of a radio station that lived and breathed Geelong.

In our most recent episode, we spoke with former station manager John Humphrey. Yeah, and former program manager Dennis Scanlon. Who both gave us a bit of an insight into the turmoil that occurred in the first 12 months of 3GL being taken over by Hoyts Meter in October of 1987. 12 months down the track, in October 1988, Dennis Scanlon had resigned and another Dennis had slotted into the morning program.

Ah yes, young Dennis Walter. My old mate. Young back then. Oh, he'll tell you he's still young today, of course he is, aren't you [00:01:00] Dennis? So Dennis, that's Dennis Walter, he was well known in the day as a recording artist and he later became a regular at Melbourne's Carols by Candlelight and he'd go on to host of course Carols by the Bay in Geelong as well as continuing his career in the media.

But in 1988 much of that was still to come. Dennis was Geelong, of course, Geelong born and bred. So I imagine like most Geelong people, he certainly wouldn't have been aware that his local radio station would one day be his workplace. In an interview, um, going back then, in the Geelong Advertiser on October the 3rd, 1988, which was Dennis Waddle's first morning on air, he told the Addy that the program would be similar to what Dennis Scanlon had been doing.

He then added that we want to give the radio audience a more sophisticated professional program but still retain a local identity. Now I, I tell you this, knowing Dennis, he would have been put up to that. He wouldn't have, he wouldn't have felt that or thought that but he would have been put up. Someone may have [00:02:00] said that to him.

Make sure you make a reference to more sophisticated and more professional. Not that he would have known, but um, Dennis Scanlon, uh, kind of took that to heart a bit and he made his feelings known, uh, very clearly in a letter to the editor of the Drongaddy. In part, this is what, uh, Dennis Scanlon had to say.

He said, Sir, in my best Dennis Scanlon voice, Sir, I feel I must reply to some of the strange observations on radio made by Mr. Dennis Walter. He says the morning show on 3GL will be more professional and sophisticated. Maybe after 30 years in radio, Mr. Walter will have some expertise on to comment on what is professional in our industry.

When he says more sophisticated, I think he has, he has his words in a bit mixed up. What he really means is Blandness. Yeah. Sounds a bit like scanlan, doesn't it? It does it sort of straight to the point. But to be fair to, to Dennis Walter, that is, the letters to the editors kept coming and there was a letter from [00:03:00] Lynette Jones of East Geelong and she wrote, sir, I would like to point out that in his first week at three GL Deni, Walter made an incredible taboo.

He has been in the entertainment industry for quite a number of years and has experienced enough to give his his opinion on how three GL can progress. Well, clearer. Uh, Clare, Clary, Clary, Clary Kerger of Hyton. Hello Clary, if you're listening, nice to hear from you. Uh, he said, Sir, I'm writing to you to convey my displeasure at the direction in which Radio 3GL is going.

The people who have been on air in recent times have become a family unit in the Geelong area. This is no longer the case. Well, while all that was going on, the federal court, they'd thrown out an appeal against the commercial FM radio station license. being awarded to GLFM Limited. That was an appeal against it, you know, going to them.

So the appeal ended years of lobbying and, uh, it saw GLFM chairman, Mr. Bill Cook, declare that it was expected GLFM would commence [00:04:00] broadcasting by mid 1989. And surprise, surprise, or maybe not such surprising, if you've listened to episode 13. Leading up to Christmas, the Geelong News featured an article under the heading, Two more 3GL departures and this time the reference was to David Coburn and Joan Nielsen who between them Dedicated more than 71 years combined service to 3GL and David perhaps having a little dig at recent events He was quoted as saying I thought it was time to aim a higher target higher than 3GL and I will be doing, uh, freelance work.

Joan and David were farewelled with a retirement function at the Ambassador Hotel. I think there must have been some sort of a contra deal going at the Ambassador Hotel because there were lots of farewell functions there. Not that you and I had one. No, I missed that. I had a burger across the room. In mid December 1988, the 3GL program guide in the Geelong Advertiser The Monday to Friday lineup stated Michael Lachlan doing the brekkie session.

I think Paula, Paula [00:05:00] Contell was, or Paula Clegg as she was then, uh, was doing that. Dennis Walter, mornings. Some bloke called Gary Newton was doing afternoons. Tim Hine, my old mate, who's, uh, now living in Vienna, in Austria, was doing drive. Greg Wood, Greg Woodhouse, who I actually ran into on a plane. Only a few weeks ago, coming back from Sydney, Greg was doing early evenings, Rick Fletcher, another, another old mate who I'm regularly in contact with via Facebook, was doing night times and Gavin Morris, Midnight Till Dawn.

I don't remember. Ring a bell? No, I don't remember Gavin. My apologies, Gavin, if you're listening. And well, as 1988 was drawing to a close, it appears Nick Scott and Hoyts, they wanted to finish the year on a high, and set up 3GL for a positive start leading into the 1989. Mmm, a four page lift out supplement appeared in the newspaper.

The front page of the supplement featured photos of people enjoying life on the coast with the Geelong's own 3GL Classic [00:06:00] Hits logo, wishing everyone a Happy New Year and a summer to remember. Yeah, page two of the supplement, it featured a photo under the heading of, uh, Geelong's own 3GL team. It seems to be a picture of probably all or most of the 3GL staff possibly taken at Johnson Park, I think.

Those who were left, you mean? Yeah. They didn't take photos of those that had left. No. Uh, also there's a photo of the sales team with the heading, Radio Works, especially when they're We're involved. Yeah and a headshot of Nick Scott appearing under the heading of a change for the better with Nick Scott saying here in Geelong a great effort has been made by a team of enthusiastic and skilled broadcasters in bringing 3GL to its full and true potential.

Photos and comments from the 3GL announcing team appear on page three. And page four featured photos and details of the locations such as Torquay, Ocean Grove, Lawn, Anglesea, Bowen Heads, all part of 3GL's summer activities. But some things didn't change. The New Year had barely got underway when the [00:07:00] Geelong News featured a story under the heading, Gene Claims Foul.

Journalist Paul Stafford informed readers that a fifth wrongful dismissal action had been lodged against 3GL following the sacking of production manager Gene Fiske. Five? My goodness me. Well, Gene said he was extremely disappointed with his treatment and explained that Actors Equity had lodged the unfair dismissal action with the Victorian Industrial Commission.

Yeah, he said, um, he found the whole thing a big disappointment and after having worked at 3GEL for eight years, he expected something better. According to Gene, he had intended to take one month's holiday. It was told about 5pm on the day he was due to commence those holidays that he had accrued too much leave and would have to take three months.

And things got a bit worse from there. The day before Gene was to return to work, he received a phone call from Nick Scott advising that a courier was on the way with his outstanding pay and he would not have to turn up for work. Isn't that nice? You get a phone call to say, don't [00:08:00] bother coming in, we're sacking you.

So Gene joined the 3GL hit list. As for his unfair dismissal claim, well, you'll have to talk to Gene about that. Yeah, I imagine he got something out of that. I would have thought so, absolutely. Knowing Gene. Knowing Gene, he would have done okay, I think. Anyway, approaching the end of January 1989 and the Geelong Addy informed its readers that Geelong's 58 year old AM radio station, 3GL, Expected to convert to FM within six months.

Iadi explained that Hoyt's Media would exercise its option to convert to FM following the granting of Geelong's first commercial FM radio license to another company the previous year, that was GLFM. That's right, yep. There's a lot going on. Nick Scott, he said the name 3GL would disappear. He said the new name had yet to be announced but would have three letters to comply with FM guidelines.

How do you spell K Rock? That's not three letters is it? I'm trying to work that out myself. But they were going to call it something else originally, I can't think what the name was. [00:09:00] It calls on its three C A T. Ah, yes. There you go. I knew it had cat with it. Three C A T. There you go. That is the actual official name.

It's now known and has always been known as, as KROQ. The conversion to FM would cost Hoyts, uh, Hoyts Media more than one and a half million dollars, including a federal government conversion fee of half a million dollars. And in the meantime, it was hoped that 3GL would be operating from its new studios above the Commonwealth Bank building in Millrible Street by early February.

It's still here. That's where we are. I know we're getting off track, but that's, I think it's straight across the road from where 3GL opened in 1930, the old, yeah, right over the road. Very local still. Yeah. Anyway, the site for the new FM transmitter had been purchased on Murruddock Hill in Drysdale, Which was the highest point on the Ballarine Peninsula.

And Hoyts had lodged a planning permit with the Ballarine Shire Council for the 120 metre transmission tower and ancillary buildings. [00:10:00] And I've got here, Dean may be able to confirm this, which he's already done. The advertiser explained that unlike AM sound waves which travel along the ground, FM waves are transmitted through the air and need to have a line of sight with their destination.

You have to get up high. A very high spot with the transmitter. Scott also informed the advertiser that Hoyts had invited GLFM to co site a transmitter on the new mast. An agreement had still to be reached. He went on to explain that cooperation between the two FM stations would end at the sharing of the transmitter facilities.

Now to the important stuff. Footy. Football. Since 1932, 3GL had committed itself to covering the Cats and there was concern that with the switch to FM, the football coverage might be affected. I don't think there was ever a serious consideration, uh, of them getting rid of Footy as the advertiser reported January 24, 1989.

GL will upgrade its popular football program and become Australia's first FM sports broadcaster. [00:11:00] The addy quoted Nick Scott again as saying, the football had always been one of 3GL's biggest rating winners and had traditionally been done very well by 3GL. It made me smile because not very often Nick gave credit to the old 3GL.

A compliment. And of course the other thing that you haven't mentioned there was, it was also very good revenue. Well, it certainly was, yeah. So Scott went on to say we've done our homework, really, in Geelong and believe a combined football and music program can be successful. Yeah. Isn't that what they already had?

Well, I think it was. Um. They did play a bit of music. Yeah, I'm sure they did. Yeah. Anyway. Anyway, there'd be some positive changes. The coverage would start earlier and finish a bit later. There would be more around the ground commentators and some new faces would join the team. The main commentary team back then would be unchanged.

Teddy Whitton would still captain the site, supported by Peter Legrand, Brian Brushfield and Peter Pearson. Yep, uh, that was the plan. In the meantime, another station, uh, stalwart was preparing to say goodbye. Uh, [00:12:00] another? Another one. Shark spotter signs off. was the headline in the Geelong Advertiser. Of course, uh, Gary Roydhouse had been much more than a shark spotter during his time at 3PL.

He was Gary of all trades. He was an announcer, sales, promotions, he did it all. He even was at one stage mayor of the city of Newtown. I'm not sure when he found time to catch 40 Winks, but he, he felt it was time to move on, and so he was packing his bags and heading north to Noosa. While he was rubbing on the sunscreen, not surprisingly, GL was still making headlines in the local press.

Here we go again. Despite therning objections from local residents and following intense debate, the Ballarine Shire Council issued a permit for 3GL to erect its FM transmitter at Drysdale. At Drysdale. And an advertising feature in the Addy on Tuesday, March 28, 1989 had Hoyt's media boasting, we've brought you a better radio station, Geelong's own Classy Kits 3GL.

Yeah, the feature was spooking, 3GL's moved to its new offices and [00:13:00] studios in the Commonwealth Bank building and included interviews with sales manager Mike Andrews, program director Phil Darkins, and of course station manager Nick Scott. To be fair, while much of the station remembering 3GL has looked of late at the personal impact that Hoyt's Media's takeover of 3GL had on the staff, I guess it has to be acknowledged that the millions of dollars spent on new offices, studios and technical equipment was in many ways overdue.

Yeah, that's Without saying, I guess, but like, um, if you hop back to Mary Walker, she said it wasn't so much the passing of a 3GL that she mourned, but the manner of her passing. Yeah. It was, it was brutal. How it was done. It was quite brutal. So Phil Darkins was keen to make it known too that these, and these are Phil's words, the transformation of 3GL was very closely linked to research undertaken to determine broadly what the people wanted their local radio station to provide.

And according to Mike Andrews, there was a Uh, great support from [00:14:00] advertisers. He was quoted in the Addy as saying, uh, the new philosophy and format is working and has changed the client's perception of radio in Geelong. Hoyt's director of engineering, Jeff Tomes, was in town and along with 3GL's chief engineer, John McConnell, was excited about the technical advancements.

Jeff informed the Addy that 3GL was now the most modern station in the Hoyt's fleet. So that says it all, I guess. But, uh, in a moment of reflection, John McConnell, uh, he, he clocked up 49 years at 3GL and he was quoted as saying, Past improvements at the station usually happened only when a piece of equipment broke down.

And Nick Scott, what have to say about all that? Oh, Nick, that's right. I forgot about Nick. Um, interesting you should ask. Nick was very keen to spruik the community service side of things. Oh, yes. He claimed that 3Gio's commitment to community service exceeded 300, 000 in both cash and kind, and that the station delivered over 700, 000 worth of community service [00:15:00] announcements per year.

And he also referred to the, uh, community services director who had a wealth of radio experience and, uh, his name was Gary Newton. All right. Well, uh, we'll leave it at that. I don't actually recall doing too much in the way of community service at all, but uh You obviously impressed Nick. It was a long time ago, so maybe my mind has just, uh, just left it.

Left home. Yep. Completely. With 3GL in new studios and preparing to switch on to FM, 3CS in Colac, which was part of the Ace Radio Network, it saw an opportunity to attract 3GL's former AM listeners. And radio boss Mark Day, he said 3CS expected to pick up many listeners when 3GL abandoned the AM dial. 500, 000 on studio modernisation and on a new transmitter, and it had also employed former 3GL favourite, none other than Dennis Scanlon.

Mark Day said he expected Scanlon's hard hitting style to attract many of the people who had listened to him on 3GL. And what did Nick Scott make [00:16:00] of all of this? Not much. 3CS, he said, is basically a country radio station, and I don't think the people of Geelong want to listen to a country radio station.

Okay, it's June 1989, and June was turning 60. June Thomas, that is, and after leaving 3GL, June, had moved across to the Geelong advertiser. She decided it was time to retire. We covered June's time at 3GL in our earlier episode, Wonder Women of the Wireless. Suffice to say, June was a much loved and respected woman, not just for her time at 3GL and the Addy, but for Also for her endless devotion to local charities, she was a real giver.

She's a great lady. And another long serving 3GEL employee was also hanging up the boots. Chief Engineer John McConnell was given a retirement dinner at Ah, the Ambassador Hotel, or in this case, was it a motel or a hotel? Well, it probably started as a motel and grew a bit bigger and became a hotel. I think it was a motel, anyway.

John, at 65 years of age, [00:17:00] was keen to notch up 50 years at the station, so it was agreed that he could continue to work part time until handing over the reins to Geoff Tomes. John said he was lucky to have worked at a job that was also his hobby, electronics and communications. Not so happy was 3GL journalist Susan Maury, who, um According to Union, information provided to the Geelong advertiser had been handed a cheque after finishing the Saturday midnight, midday news program and told not to come back.

Funny how this seemed to keep on happening, but Susan had worked at 3GL for two years and was about to head home to Wimmera for the long weekend. The Australian Journalist Association said it was shocked that an experienced journalist could be dismissed in this way. The union believed that, uh, Susan Moray's dismissal was handled in a similar manner to that of the former news director, Norm Ley, who had been sacked six months earlier.

Norm had lodged an unfair dismissal claim and received an undisclosed settlement from Hoyt's media. Before the [00:18:00] case reached the Industrial Relations Commission, the Australian Journalists Association said it was nonplussed by 3GL's actions in sacking Susan Maury, in view of her heavy involvement in covering the previous year's Lara floods, which earned the station a National Media Award.

Yeah, doesn't make much sense, does it? There was a lot of things which media did that made absolutely no sense at all. And um, just looking at the radio guide that appeared in the Addy around this time, it was you Gary, hosting the breakfast show with Bogart Torelli. What was happening there? No. Not true.

It's not true. It was in the Addy. Never did. It must be true. Just because it was in the Addy doesn't mean it was true Rod. No. I never did the breakfast show. Oh goodness. Bogart did. She's a lovely lady. Not even on holidays or something? No. No, I don't think so. I hated getting up early. So, I still don't get up that early.

Um, no, I could never have been a breakfaster. I was briefly, I think, at 3SH in Swan Hill for a very short period of time, but, uh, no, I definitely didn't do breakfast. Yeah, you can't believe everything [00:19:00] you read in the paper. No, I think it might have been. Well, no, I don't know who it was, but it was definitely Bogart.

Okay. All right. Well, it's now Saturday, September 16th, 1989, and under the heading, A Bubbly Farewell for Departing 3GL DJ, now this is probably true, I hope, there's a picture of yourself and Nick Scott sharing a shampoos together. The story goes on to say, as you were bidding farewell after 10 years and 5 days at 3GL, unforgettable moments still blazed in your memory.

Interesting comment from Nick Scott. He said, it's a pleasure to finally shake hands and exchange best wishes with the departing announcer. What he forgot to add to that was a departing announcer who hadn't been sacked. Yeah, I guess. Did you want to talk? Well, I liked the bit about you and Don Dwyer on April Fool's Day.

Oh, yeah. That didn't go down well at all. with, uh, with management, et cetera. We had a, well, it was around the time that, um, the teams were, clubs were being, uh, told that they were going to have to relocate, [00:20:00] you know, the Lions. Fritz Roy went up to, uh, to Brisbane and, uh, that sort of stuff. And so, uh, Don and I had a joke, an April Fool's joke that suggested, uh, that, um, the Geelong Cats were going to be moving.

Uh, And, yeah, the footy club didn't appreciate it, management didn't appreciate it and the listeners didn't really appreciate it. The thing is, everybody believed that this was there, wasn't it? Well, they did, because, you know, it was on the radio. I can remember that much, probably hearing it as well, I'm thinking, God, what happened?

They shocked a few with that one, but, uh, no, it was never Never gonna happen. And I firmly believe to this day, it will never, never happen. No, never happen. Alright, well meanwhile, while waiting for three gel to get things happening at the transmitter site in Drysdale, GLFM had applied to the Federal Department of Transport and Communications for a temporary transmitter to be established at Anarchy.

And this, it was hoped would see Geo FM able to hit the airwaves before the year it ended. Dennis Scanlan was again. Stirring the pot when he put in an application to join the board of the Springding [00:21:00] festival his application was stymied when Nick Scott threatened to withdraw 3GL's involvement and Support for Springding if the now 3CS announcer Dennis Scanlon joined the board Yes, Nick not happy He told the Geelong advertiser 3GL and Springding had a three year agreement Which gave exclusive radio rights and sponsorship to the, uh, of the festival, just 3GL, uh, Dennis invited Nick to debate the matter with him on 3CS morning, but, um, not surprising, Nick declined the invitation.

And we should add that Springding, which was sponsored by PaaS Services, our good mate Dennis Parker, uh, was an absolutely fantastic event. Oh, it was favourite, wasn't it? Yeah. There were huge crowds. There were photos of people lining the banks of the Barwon River. That's right. There was lots of rafts that used to take part.

Exactly. People would go and build them. Almost like a rowing race down the river. They used to have different teams and you'd row down and then they had the trolley, pushing the trolley down Mirabal Street. It was, it was a fabulous occasion. Lots of people would remember. And Gary, going back to Gary Broadhouse was heavily involved in that too.

Yeah, [00:22:00] yeah. Indeed. It was, uh, it was a very special time. Uh, so GLFM was. Back in the news, having purchased Melbourne AM station, managing director of GLFM was Bill Cook. He said both stations would operate from the revamped Corio distillery, which would be fitted out with the latest high tech digital equipment.

He said some programs would be broadcast in AM and AMX. FM. Yeah, which down the track did cause a bit of worry for some people, but on Friday, December the 8th, 1989, operating under the callsign 93. 9 Bay FM, the station invited the people of Geelong to join a switch on party in Market Square with giveaways, souvenirs, and great rock and roll.

I'll bet. I'll bet Craig was there. Craig Mettings. I think he may have been, yeah. He loves a party. Loves a party. Unfortunately, due to what was described as government bureaucracy, the station came on the air 47 minutes later. after the scheduled launching time. Yeah, apparently, verbal approval of the [00:23:00] transmitting equipment had been received, but a written authorization from the minister in charge had not arrived.

And it would have been illegal for the station to have gone on air. So eventually, the written thing did turn up. and to the sighs of relief of Bay FM staff and from the Yaddy, as they said, loyal hangers on in Market Square, Geelong's first FM station finally hit the airwaves 47 minutes after it was supposed to.

Yeah, okay, but that wasn't the end of the transmitter troubles. Both Bay FM and 3GEL would have a battle on their hands to appease unhappy residents at Aniky and Drysdale, who claimed the transmitters at both locations were interfering with their work. Yeah, and Wednesday, December 13, 1989, under the heading, It's Bordering on Anarchy, How about that?

How good is that? What a headline, Bordering on Anarchy. Oh dear. The Geelong Advertiser reported that Anarchy residents were unhappy with Geelong's new commercial radio station, Bay FM. Why was that? Is it because, as Addy [00:24:00] reported, the station's transmitter masked in its signal? on the FM 93. 9 frequency was playing havoc with television signals coming into the area, perhaps?

Apparently so. A number of furious Anarchy residents had contacted the Drong Advertiser to complain that their television reception had been destroyed. Some homes had lost all television channels, while others had Bay FM blurring out on Channel 7. Uh, Dean, aren't you pleased you didn't have to deal with that problem back, back then?

Ah, yes. Bay FM's General Manager Bill Cook said he sympathised with the residents and the station's technicians were working hard to find a solution. Yeah, I bet they were. He also may have mentioned that, uh, the Anarchy residents, or the Anarchy transmitter, was only a temporary investment prior to Bay FM sharing the 3GL new, much more powerful transmitter at Drysdale.

And that was a case of waving a red flag at a bull, I'm afraid, because the Drysdale residents were far from impressed. It's just a day after the Anarchy story appeared, [00:25:00] yet he, uh Had another interesting headline, Masked Could Wreck TV. Our journalist there, Lisa Walker, reported that Antigui's woes confirmed Drysdale people's fears.

She quoted Jack Smith from Bay City Antenna Service, who said the masked Antigui is transmitting with technology. But the tower near Drystyle has been allocated 35 kilowatts. That means there will be three and a half times the power output. Mr. Smith also said that further problems could occur when 3GL converted to FM.

That prompted 3GL's group engineer, Jeff Tomes, to get involved. I, I, I bet it did. I bet it did. Jeff, uh, was at his reassuring best. When he, uh, came in and said, there's no need to worry whatsoever because all steps that, uh, have and will be continued to be taken to minimise or eliminate any problems, and eventually they did.

They did. When 3GEL began testing the transmitter, some Drysdale residents, including, um, Drysdale Retirement Village [00:26:00] Manager, uh, Bob Salmon, claimed that, uh, reception on Channel 7 and 9 was, uh, Non existent. So, um, was the transmitter dismantled? No, they didn't go down that track. I didn't think so.

Interesting. As reported in the Addy, a 2. 50 part fixed the problem. 50, yeah. 3GEL supplied and installed a part called a trap filter free of charge to all residents experiencing problems since testing of the transmitter began. Wednesday, December 27th, 1989, the headline in the Addy Red Ballerina gets the picture.

The story quoted Jeff Tomes as saying about 75 complaints had been rectified and an estimated 200 unhappy viewers would have reception by the end of the week. Bad, 2. 50 a go, is it? It's a cheap adding. The story includes a photo of three jail technicians, John Sandles and David Mann, climbing up a ladder and sorting out the problem.

While all this was going on, another story caught the attention [00:27:00] of the Geelong Advertiser. Headline reading, Scott leaving for Gold Coast. What's that? Are you in the background? Is that cheering from 1989? A few whistles going on, yeah. The Advertiser reported that Nick Scott was leaving 3GL to take on the position of General Manager at 4 Triple G FM on the Gold Coast, another station that was owned and operated by, surprisingly, Hoyts Media.

So Scott announced his departure in a statement that was released to the newspaper, and a spokeswoman for 3GL said he did not wish to comment further. That's interesting, I wonder, anyway, well, it's his privilege I guess. Interestingly though, the person Nick Scott would be replacing at 4GGG, Barry Ferber, he told the Geelong Addy that he and Hoyts disagreed about the station's direction, so he had decided to leave.

Good thing too, because I betcha he was gonna get the sack! Barry Ferber had been General Manager at 4GGG for 16 years. It was Double G back then, but they went That must have been the FM, was it? Yeah, I think they did. I think they went to Triple G. He was General Manager for 16 years, but he'd [00:28:00] actually worked at the station for 22 years.

That's right. He was quoted as saying the station had been in turmoil since Hoyts took over. So the end was near. Saturday, January 27th, 1990, a little over two years after Hoyts had taken over 3GL and a touch over 60 years since the station came on air, the front page of the advertiser, newspaper Geelong Advertiser, informed its readers, 3GL goes FM today, but is keeping quiet about it.

3GL's program director, Phil Darkin, said, uh, we are converting to FM tomorrow. And that's all he would say. Two days later. featuring a photo of General Manager Mike Andrew holding under his arm a promotional logo of 3GL Classic Hits. Yes, and in the background, Phil Darkin could be seen polishing the new logo, KROQ FM.

And then came the comment from Mike Andrew that raised the ire of loyal and long standing listener, Mary Walker of Belmont. Yeah, here we go again. 3GL is dead and buried. Long live KROK. We don't even mention 3GL. [00:29:00] And so we're back where we started. Like 3GL, Mary Walker has also departed. KROK is 34 years old and 3GL is a memory.

But never forgotten. Not while we're alive. Chirping on about it anyway. And of course, although it's not the station of old, 3GL 1341 is back on the airwaves. So just to expand what happened to Hoyt's media, of course, once Hoyt's relinquished their ownership, Grant Broadcaster, Janet Cameron, took over both KROQ and BayFM, and along with that, the old 3GL Wavelink.

Now, it sat idle for some time until the Broadcasting Control Board, or ACMA I think as it's known now, said you've gotta, gotta do something with, with this, uh, if you don't. You may have to hand it back. So they decided to use it. After a bit of to ing and fro ing as to what they could call the station, well, the penny dropped.

And, uh, and Dean, who, Dean Gray, who's our chief engineer and recording guru here, decided that it was great to [00:30:00] call it 3GL. And that's what they did. They put an oldies format on and they're calling it 3GL. Of course, it's not the station of old, but it's certainly bringing back a few memories and lots of enjoyment to many, many people.

Still 1341. Yep. So, uh, I hope people who've listened to this podcast have enjoyed reliving what 3GL meant to Geelong. And when I set out to write a history of the station back in 1990 and interviewed so many people who are no longer with us, I just wanted it to be a sort of a positive story. And the last few years of the station under Hoyts were pretty tough, but 3GL was much more than that.

It was Reg Gray, Jack Matthews, Jude Thomas, David Coburn, Joan Nielsen. It was about people, and as well as the announcers and technicians, it was the people in schedules and accounts, sales, copy, the record library. To pitch a few words from the mayor back in the day, O. C. Hearn's opening address on December 3rd, 1930, when he said 3GL.

He was talking about it, but for most of his life, he summed it up pretty well, [00:31:00] when he said, um, Three Joe gave its listeners a message of cheery hopefulness. And I've got to say, I consider myself pretty lucky to have been part of that. Yeah, I do too. It was a great time, and as someone pointed out to me, Um, just yesterday, um, we worked, uh, we worked in radio at a time when it really was super, super fun.

It was, yeah. It was great enjoyment. I want to say a big thanks to Nature's Cuppa Organic Ceylon Tea, available from Woolies. Yep. Uh, they've, they've been fantastic sponsors of ours for the whole week, so, for the whole series, I should say. Uh, so thank you very much to, to Ken Henderson, our good mate Ken, From EatRight Australasia, he was at through Jill back in the day.

He was indeed. He did, uh, drive for a period of time that now owns Nature's Copper Organic Salon Tea, available from Woolworths supermarkets also. Thank you to Sue RI Meyer from Safe Solutions Care. Check out more. They do offer fantastic respite for people aged and uh, disabled Safe solutions care.com au.[00:32:00] 

I might have to give this to a course. You are getting a bit old, aren't you? Look at how grey you are. Good God. I want to say a very big thank you to you, Dean. Dean Gray, thank you. Couldn't have done it without you. Really appreciate it. Uh, thank you to Jeff Brown from up on, uh, at Port Stephens. Bay FM up Nelson Bay.

And of course, uh, my co host. Yours truly. Yes, you. Well, thanks. What a wonderful job you've done. Thanks to you, Gary, for suggesting we do a podcast and I know I had to say, what's a podcast, but still, you know, as you know, we talked for quite a lengthy period of time when I found out that you had done all these terrific interviews with the likes of Reg Gray and others.

And I said to you, why don't you write a book? And you said, well, I don't know, I've got a few blanks and I'm not sure. And then when Geo came back on the air and we said, well. It's all meant to be, wasn't it? Let's, let's do the podcast. So I really do hope that people have enjoyed it. I must say that, uh, we have had some tremendous feedback.

I should, uh, quickly just, uh, drag up on my phone here, [00:33:00] uh, a note that I got from Bill, Bill Mason, who's, uh, listening to us again, no doubt today down in Tasmania. Uh, Bill, Um, very, very kindly, um, stayed in touch and sent us lots of terrific, uh, terrific feedback. And, uh, I, I just want to share with you a little line from Bill, uh, he said regarding episode 13, which was the last one with all the turmoil and stuff, and he said, they could make a miniseries slash movie slash neighbors slash home and away.

Out of that episode, I remember going to Classic Hits and the jingles were black and white compared to Mike Brady's punchy ones. 3G L on the West Coast Doesn't matter what you're doing In our city by the bay We're here to make it happen Through the night and through the day We're 3G L on the West Coast If you're here in our city Doesn't matter where or when you We're [00:34:00] the one you hear the most, 3GL on the West Coast.

Pleased you can all laugh about it these days. Yeah, good to hear. We can smile about it. And, uh, we've all, we've all recovered from those, those days. Yep, exactly. Thanks, Bill, for your involvement and, uh, tuning in and to all the others who have been regular listeners. And for those who might be just discovering the station, remembering 3GL.

Thank you. Might we be back? We'll see. Well, who knows? Time will tell. We shall see. 3GM on the West Coast Bringing you the music Playing you the songs West Coast information All year long 3GM on the West Coast Tomasiddy. com to the biggest on the point [00:35:00] Who do you like to hear the most? Three. Chief. Depp.

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