The 1980/s – Golden Years

The '80s saw 4BC maturing in leaps and bounds, successfully allowing the station to stay at the top of its game.

4BC and the Community
Live descriptions of Rugby League Football were introduced on 4BC in February 1980 when 4BC was awarded exclusive broadcasting rights of this popular code of football. John McCoy became the chief caller. Sporting coverage was increased in the Summer of 1981 to include exclusive commercial radio involvement with Cricket.
 

During 1980, its Golden Year, 4BC planned numerous community activities including the presentation of Golden Awards of Excellence for achievement in many fields of community endeavour.

At the Awards Dinner, 4BC Manager Mr Ian Renton said:

'4BC is proud of the community role it has played in its first 50 years and is eagerly looking forward to the future. The station has demonstrated that it has been responsive to the times and it will continue to take an innovative approach to new situations and problems which will confront it in the times ahead. Our aim is to keep 4BC an attractive station for listeners and advertisers'.

4BC's community involvement continues and is too varied and too numerous to list in its entirety. Some of the more significant activities in the '80s include - the Annual Raft Race on the Brisbane River; Easter Egg Appeal for underprivileged children; Christmas Carols and free entertainment for the whole family during the Festive Season; staging FREEPS (Free Recreation and Entertainment for Everyone in Parks) Concerts in conjunction with the Brisbane City Council; promotion of and involvement in the Warana Festival each year.

In early 1981 4BC adopted the Bribie Island Surf Life Saving Club as a worthwhile cause and directed a lot of charitable money raised through the year towards providing equipment for the Club. These items included - a new surf boat, surf reel, shark tower, rescue board, competition tent and sponsorship of a Miss Surf Girl Entrant.

FM Radio Prompts Big Changes at 4BC
In August 1980, commercial FM radio was introduced to Brisbane, changing the radio market considerably and increasing the choice of programs for listeners.

As a result of this market change, it was necessary to look at 4BC's format in relation to the needs of the community it served, and on October 1, 1981 one of the biggest programming decisions in 4BC's history was made and launched.

An agreement was signed with the Queensland TAB to broadcast descriptions of all events on which the TAB operated in Queensland for a period of 15 years, renewable every three years.

Each month, 4BC covered 133 different Galloping, Harness Racing and Greyhound meetings on 70 different landlines around Australia - and this was to increase later.

4BC's new format of Sport - Talk - News brought a change in personality line-up. Breakfast host Mike Ahern was followed by another well-known and popular Breakfast radio personality - Wayne 'Wayney-Poo' Roberts. Haydn Sargent continued hosting the top-rating talkback program from 9am-noon and on November 12, 1982, celebrated his tenth anniversary on 4BC by hosting a lunch for 300 listeners.

By the end of 1982, 4BC's new sound and content had proven to be very popular, and announced this acceptance by becoming '4BC - We're Brisbane'.

The Commonwealth Games
1982 also saw the XII Commonwealth Games in Brisbane. After virtually years of planning, it became a reality on September 30. Brisbane preened herself as she had never done before, emerging as a mature, sophisticated city, but still remaining a warm, friendly place in the sun. The many thousands of competitors and visitors shared the enthusiasm with which they were greeted. 4BC, as a responsible citizen of Brisbane, decorated 4BC House with coloured and running lights and was the first city building to display the flags of the 54 participating countries. The Lord Mayor, Alderman Frank Sleeman conducted the official positioning ceremony from a cherry-picker.

4BC was also the head station of the Games Consortium - a body set up to present the Games coverage by commercial radio. This network extended to 90 stations throughout Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea and Britain. The Consortium was awarded the Rothmans Media Award for the best radio coverage of the Games, winning from the ABC, BBC, NZBC and the Canadian Broadcasting Commission.

4BC became the head traffic station for the entire Commonwealth Games in association with the Metropolitan Transit Authority. In addition to all these roles, 4BC conducted many fund-raising activities prior to and during the Games with all monies going towards the cost of staging the Games.

1984 saw the Olympic Games held in Los Angeles and 4BC was proud to have the commercial radio rights and to give extensive coverage of the entire Games.

4BC Introduces United Network News
In 1985, 4BC launched its United Network News to 10 radio stations throughout Queensland and this continued to expand as more stations became interested in taking 4BC's Network News. Approximately 12 journalists covered the service, working in a very well equipped newsroom and having access via satellite to the world's largest news organisation - the giant American CBS Network.

1985 also saw the Queensland General Manager, Mr Ian Renton (pictured) appointed as National Operations Manager and transferred to Sydney. In 1986 the appointment was announced of Mr Ian Renton as the Network General Manager.

The following year of 1987 saw the announcement of a name change to The Australian Radio Network - known as A.R.N.

1988 was a most exciting year when 4BC moved from our old home in Wharf Street, to modern premises in Macrossan Street. Our new abode nestled beneath the Story Bridge with million dollar views of the Brisbane River and Kangaroo Point Cliffs. This was World Expo year, which produced an abundance of activity on the Brisbane River viewable from 4BC offices and studios.


Source: 4BC