Former PM Paul Keating once famously said “If you educate John Laws, you educate the people.” The current incumbent, John Howard said "Talkback radio has played a greater role in shaping the outcome of an election over the last few years than other sections of the media." Now, 40 years since it was launched, the role and influence of talkback on politics and the community is a bigger talking point than ever before.
This is a special year for talkback radio given that 2007 marks its 40th anniversary. The official start date was April 17, 1967 when the government made it legally permissible to broadcast two-way conversations over the air.
This led to fierce competition among radio stations of the day as to who would go to air first. Mike Walsh started an open line program at 9am that day on 2SM. Politician Barry Jones was also on air in Melbourne on 3DB with a program called Talk Back to Barry Jones.
The new format proved very popular. By 1968, 12 metropolitan stations were broadcasting more than 250 hours a week of open line programming. Stations began dial-in quizzes, music requests and programs on controversial social topics.
In the 1970s, talkback declined in favour of music formats. However, the 1980s saw a revival with a number of AM stations introducing dedicated news and talk formats, and the rise of lifestyle programs featuring topics such as personal health, gardening and sport. The trend to increased consumer interaction and the emergence of mobile phones has seen talkback evolve even further. Today, it is common for FM music stations to feature some form of talkback, inviting their listeners to share their experiences and become active participants in the program. Where else could you ring in and ask your favourite celebrity a question you’ve always wanted to know?
As technology evolves, it is likely that talkback will become even more interactive and provide specialist content. We are already seeing radio stations delivering talkback content via podcasts and accepting listener feedback via email and their websites. Digital radio will take it even further, allowing talk stations to provide conversations on different topics on multiple audio channels, or a mix of audio and data such as images and text to supplement the main program. We could, for example, see a station broadcasting an image of the prime minister at the same time he is talking, or providing text and website links about where to go for more information on a particular topic being discussed.
To celebrate talkback’s anniversary, Commercial Radio Australia will host a “Legends of Talk” lunch later this year featuring many of the past and present stars of the medium. Personalities to be invited include Derryn Hinch, Charles Woolley, Mike Carlton, John Laws, Jeremy Cordeaux, John Stanley, Phillip Clark, Ernie Sigley, Mike Walsh, Ron Casey, Bob Rogers, Neil Mitchell, Clive Robertson, Angela Catterns, Hayden Sargeant, Howard Sattler and relatives of early talkback stars John Pearce, Ormsby Wilkins, Norman Banks and Claudia Wright.
We will also be making the celebrations one of the features of the 2007 Australian Commercial Radio Awards which will be held in Melbourne on October 13.
There will be four new categories of the awards this year. They are: Best Show Producer (Music and Entertainment); Best Show Producer (Talkback and Current Affairs); and the Best Salesperson category has been split into Best Agency Salesperson and Best Direct Salesperson.
The Australian Commercial Radio conference will be held on Friday October 12 at the Crown Casino. This is a very informative day on the latest in international trends in radio featuring world class speakers. Speaker details will be announced shortly.
Commercial Radio Australia is the peak national industry body representing commercial radio in Australia. Visit www.commercialradio.com.au for more information.
