Adversity & Resilience: Communication

Amateurs star on radio
The first radio station in Australia was 2BL Sydney which began to broadcast in 1923. Many local people at this time made their own crystal radio sets, tuned with a “cat’s whisker” and tried to listen to what must have been a rather thin and scratchy sound.

The Rialto Theatre at North Ipswich took advantage of the interest to hold “Concerts by Wireless” in 1924. Described ungrammatically as “the most unique entertainment ever presented in the city”, it gave patrons the opportunity to hear broadcasts from all over Australia, adding that “The set installed at the Rialto is working wonderfully. A lady singing in Sydney on Monday night was heard to great advantage”. Radio sets were on display and members of the local Radio Club gave talks on how they worked.

Queensland radio began in 1925 when 4QG was started by the Queensland Government. This station, along with all other “A” class stations, was nationalised in 1932 to form the Australian Broadcasting Company.

With its rich tradition of music, Ipswich was the venue for several early outside broadcasts by 4QG. These included a concert by St David’s Society in 1926 and a function at Blackstone in 1927 to unveil a Bardic Chair about to be sent to Wales as an eisteddfod prize. The most frequent performers were probably the Cambrian Choir and the Vice-Regal Band who were heard throughout Australia, promoting the city’s image.

Some early radio broadcasts in Ipswich were made by amateurs. Around 1930, Percy Wood was granted a licence, a frequency and a call sign 4PW. With friend Bob Davidson, he fastened his aerial onto the high-level water tower at Cribb and Foote and set up a studio in Central Chambers in Nicholas Street.

“Perc brought in all the gear he had at home including a turntable, half a dozen records, a lot of valves and condensers which were assembled to make a transmitter – and we were ready to go. Our time “on air” were from 8am to 12 noon Sunday mornings.

People started to write and phone to say how much they enjoyed the program. The Central Hotel was three doors from the studio. The owner Mrs Townsend was an admirer of Richard Tauber and loaned records for broadcasts. She then offered her lounge for a live broadcast. We had never made an outside broadcast before and this was a challenge Perc could not resist. It meant more tests, adjustments and a land line across a few roofs. Then one Sunday morning, we assembled a group of first class Ipswich artists and put to air a concert of which any radio station would be proud.”

Norm Hart was granted a licence in April 1931 and also broadcast on Sundays, playing records for listeners. The announcer was Terry Forsythe who later joined 4IP and 4BH. Stan Mackintosh of Woodend also had a licence and a call sign 4PK.

In 1935, a commercial radio station 4IP started in Ipswich. W.J. Johnson had applied unsuccessfully for a licence three years earlier. Other cities such as Toowoomba already had their own station so Johnson had persisted, forming a local company and eventually obtaining the required licence.

The studios occupied two upper floors of the Old Flour Mill in Brisbane Street in the Top of Town, owned by the Johnson family. The first manager was Royston Marcus who had previously been at 4BK and who had a particular interest in producing radio plays.

The local station made a big impact on community spirit. There were concerts by local artists and choirs, and request programs with names like “Kalbar Calling” for country areas. Local people such as librarian Ray Jones gave talks and businesses gave what we would now term “advertorials” on the latest products available in their stores. Later there was also a children’s program each Friday afternoon, a very ad lib presentation with local children simply turning up and volunteering to perform on air.