Topical 10/9/20

Narrabri almost had an AM radio station in the 1930s, applied for by station 2GZ, which was established in October, 1935, near Orange. The Courier building was erected in 1936 and a soundproof studio was included. The radio licence was sought, but not forthcoming, evidently because Moree, 2VM, and Gunnedah, 2MO, already had licences. “Apparently, 2GZ was issued a licence at Narrabri as ‘2IN’ which never went to air, despite the studio being installed,” according to ‘Australian Old Time Radio’ website. However, The Courier studio was later used in the 1970s by, among others, the late Bob Lipman when he was an announcer, and a popular identity, for 2MO Gunnedah. A former Courier journalist recalls that Bob and some Courier staff, left Narrabri one morning in the 1970s to go to Armidale for a regional Country Press Association conference. Bob was supposed to be presenting his afternoon show from Narrabri live at 2pm, so he pre-recorded it. “On the trip to Armidale Bob was a nervous wreck as he listened to his show play through, anxious that a technical glitch or something else would interrupt it. I don’t think he had told his boss he was going to pre-record the show!” Topical’s correspondent recalled.