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| 2HR Hunter River
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Macquarie Network Logo |
Operated by Hunter River Broadcasters Pty. Ltd., 2HR supplies the Macquarie Broadcasting Service to the Hunter River Valley. The station commenced operations on September 6th, 1937, with aerial power 300 watts, wave-length 441 metres and 680 kilocycles.
Studios and General Offices are prominently situated in High Street, West Maitland, and the transmitter at Lochinvar, eight miles from Maitland on the New England Highway.
Day programmes are presented from West Maitland from 6.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. From 6.30 p.m. 2HR takes a relay from 2GB and becomes the vital Hunter River link in the Macquarie Broadcasting Network Chain, bringing leading Australian radio programmes to the near north.
During this period listeners hear the complete Macquarie line up of shows, including the "Colgate Palmolive Programmes," Vacuum Oil's "The Woodleys," Nestle's "Nick Carter'' and "National Singers," the Maxam Library, Penfold's Musical Comedy Half-hour, Caltex Oil's "Youth Speaks," Johnson and Johnson's "Quiz Kids" and S.T.C. 's "Magic and Moonlight." Many other "Top of their class" shows also figure on the 2HR programme. In addition 2HR provides a very comprehensive and popular week-end Sporting Service.
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2HR Transmitter at Lochinvar |
2HR feels strongly a sense of duty to listeners throughout the Rural Hunter River District, and presents the Agricultural Magazine of the Air every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 p.m., also the "Farmers' Question Box" on Friday mornings at 8 a.m.
The Station Manager, KEN ROBINSON, recently resumed work after an absence of several years' active duty with the Armed Forces.
The technical side of 2HR is handled by ALEX MATHER, Chief Engineer, who has nursed the station from birth, and his assistants, ROBERT BEST, Resident Engineer for more than six years, and KEITH RUDKIN, who joined the staff early this year.
ANNOUNCING STAFF
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Maurice Bernard |
MAURICE BERNARD: Salesman and Senior Announcer, joined 2HR early in March, 1945. He has been connected with entertainment and radio for more than 20 years. Maurice is a veteran of World War 1, and celebrated his seventeenth birthday in the trenches in Belgium. Maurice Bernard is known as the "Ranch Boss" to early morning listeners, who, judging by the continuous flow of mail, enjoy the "round- up" songs around the old corral. His community concerts and studio features have been sparkling highlights in 2HR's programmes. Quite a number of charity appeals have proved successful under his direction.
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Clarrie Wood
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CLARRIE WOOD: 2HR's Happy Heavyweight, midday and early evening announcer, is the newest arrival at 2HR. He joined the staff early in April, 1945. After being discharged from the Army in 1943 Clarrie held many and varied positions before making radio the ultimate choice. Before enlisting in 1939, Clarrie aspired to the heavyweight wrestling championship of Australia, but is now content with being the heavyweight champion of the air. His Bing Crosby Session on Sunday has countless listeners, as has the "Fling With Swing" session daily at 12.45 p.m. In addition to announcing, Clarrie keeps his eye on local publicity and advertising copy for the station.
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Ken Weedon |
KEN WEEDON: Announcer - Sporting Editor, has been with 2HR since February,1944.
Though still the youngest male announcer on the staff, Ken is the oldest identity. He entered the radio profession after discharge from the R.A.A.F. Prior to enlistment in 1942, he was a cub reporter with Truth and Sportsman Newspapers. Born nine miles from where the well-known "Dog sits on the Tuckerbox" at Gundagai, 22 years ago, Ken has spent the greater part of his life at Singleton, N.S.W. Under Ken's direction, the 2HR Sporting Sessions have grown to the most comprehensive and most popular in the district. Apart from the sporting, Ken is the afternoon announcer, the station catering especially for the individual listener through his request sessions between 2 and 5 p.m. daily.
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John Herr
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JOHN HERR: A very recent arrival at 2HR is programme supervisor and is introducing many popular sessions to Hunter District listeners. Before entering Radio, John worked at many and varied jobs, and has always taken a keen interest in amateur theatricals, with a view to making a career for himself on the stage. John is heard conducting "Industrial Interlude" (a programme for workers) every afternoon Monday to Friday from 3 till 5 p.m.
2HR - Hunter Valley, Broadcast Year Book and Radio Listeners' Annual of Australia 1946-47. Editor: C C Faulkner.
© Ray Crawford Collection, Radio Heritage Foundation.
Digital version of text, images and layout © Radio Heritage Foundation 2005.
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I'm cheap. |
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 "Macquarie Network Logo")
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 "Maurice Bernard")
 "Clarrie Wood")
 "Ken Weedon")
 "John Herr")
