1993-08: Murray Stevenson
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When I Think Back... by Neville Williams Murray Stevenson - 3: From radio broadcasting to responsibility for a complete TV station Having 'grown up' with Radio 2UE from its humble beginnings to a leading Sydney broadcaster, Murray Stevenson was quite suddenly faced with the responsibility of co-ordinating the technology for a major, new television station. It was a task which he discharged with distinction — responsible in part for earning him an OBE award for 'service to engineering, particularly in the field of radio, film and television'. 1955 was a notable year for Radio two years away in Australia — and its cord. Plans were in hand, moreover, to 2UE — its 30th birthday, celebrated profound impact on sound broadcasting. erect a new antenna of nearly twice the with a 24-page supplement in B cfcT From a virtual 'hobby rig' in a subur- existing height at nearby Homebush, and magazine. Perhaps the publicity had ban lounge room, 2UE had expanded to increase transmitter power to the something to do with the fact that Sta- into two studio/office complexes at regulatory limit of 5kW. tion Manager J.E. Ridley had been over- separate city addresses, with a full-scale Overall, 2UE boasted a Board of seas looking at television — now only transmitter on the river flats near Con- Directors with C.V. Stevenson (in retire- :-.-•• ••,:i*,•••• • :,..... Fig.1: ATN opened with only one functional production area — Studio-B. Studio-A, pictured here, was added during The scale of the project is evident from the size of the workmen on the job. 34 ELECTRONICS Australia, August 1993 ment) as Deputy Chairman, and a full- quin and sports broadcasters Ken Souter's book Company of Heralds time staff of 130 people. Howard and Cyril Angles. (1981), a 150-year history of the John Once a lone broadcaster, it had be- This had been Murray Stevenson's Fairfax enterprise. come the 'key' station of the 'Major' world — not on air, but behind the Around 1953, Associated broadcasting network with 17 affiliated scenes, where he had to make sure that Newspapers, which by then held a stations spread nationwide. Back in station equipment remained functional, majority shareholding in 2UE, fell on 1925, studio resources had amounted for around 17-1/2 hours a day, to the hard times and merged with the John to a microphone, a- wind-up satisfaction of a 17-station network. This Fairfax organisation. They, in turn, al- gramophone and a handful of 78rpm was even when a fire had gutted 2UE's ready held an interest in Radio 2GB and discs. In 1955, they included 70 as- Savoy House (Bligh St) Studios in 1943, its associated 'Macquarie' network. sorted microphones, a library of presumably after a current of air carried About that same time, there was talk 32,000 78rpm discs and over 1000 of live cigarette ash into a lint-laden ven- of commercial television being the then-new microgroove pressings. tilation duct. authorised by the Federal Government, In the studio complexes were facilities Summoned out of bed in the wee with reports that Packer's Consolidated to record top quality discs and tapes, small hours, Murray and his staff had to Press would be a certain applicant for a with high-speed tape dubbing facilities contrive to get a signal to the transmitter Sydney licence. to ensure rapid despatch of programs to for the breakfast session. They managed Cautious, but anxious not to be out- affiliated stations. The studios were to keep the station on air, after many of- manoeuvred, Fairfax organised a con- also available to independent agencies, fers of assistance — not the least being sortium comprising Fairfax/2GB, along with a special production team one from 2CH, to make a studio avail- Associated Newspapers/2UE, Radio which could conceive, compose amd able until further notice. But, for Murray 2UW, AWA and Email. Registered as produce 'singing commercials' to Stevenson, all this was to change abrupt- Associated Television Services, they order. A notable member of the team ly in 1954/55. were ultimately granted one of the Syd- was Des Tanner, an accomplished per- ney licences (ATN-7) — the other going former on piano, violin — and later, Television for Sydney to the Packer group (TCN-9). the Hammond organ. Some of what follows I recall Gavin Souter details a lot share shuf- In terms of entertainment, 2UE and myself because, as an employee of the fling within the ATN group, occasioned the Major network was 'home' for a John Fairfax group — then publishers partly by concern about a foreign com- dozen or more top-line radio stars of the of this magazine — I happened to be ponent in some participants' share day, including Bob Dyer, Dick Fair, in the right place at the right time. For registers and a Fairfax holding that Howard Craven, Smoky Dawson, Fran- other details I am indebted to Gavin might be deemed to exceed 50%. Souter says that this latter unease was dispelled when Fairfax General Manager Angus McLachlan raised the matter with the then Prime Minister. Mr Menzies is quoted as having replied: "Mac, if you're fools enough to put more money into television, who are we to stop you?" As it turned out, the Fairfax group did emerge with a majority interest in ATN, with Managing Director Rupert A.G. Henderson virtually 'calling the shots'. According to Murray, Henderson's experience was limited to the print media — "but he seemed quite fascinated by show business!" Casting around for a technically in- formed right-hand man, he remembered A.W. ("Tony') Whitlock, who had supervised the Company's investment in a fleet of reporters' cars equipped with AWA-based two-way radio. Whitlock was currently in charge of the Fairfax London office. Huge challenge Whitlock was bidden to drop every- thing and return to Sydney immediately, to help get the ATN project under way! "What about my home and family?" "We'll look after them. You just get Fig.2: As viewed from floor level, this studio with 'Stevenson' acoustic here as soon as you can!" treatment was originally fitted out for large scale productions using So it was that Tony Whitlock reported E-Cam technology. Now designated Studio C, it houses mainly permanent to R.A.G. Henderson, subsequently find- sets, as for the Seven News, etc. ing his way down a couple of flights of ELECTRONICS Australia, August 1993 35 time technical manager — in short, a son was 'all steamed up' about the chief engineer. need to find an appropriate site for the At this point in time, Murray ATN studio complex. It had to be stairs to the R&H office in the same Stevenson's earlier diversion into film elevated; accessible from the city; spa- building. It wasn't that John Moyle and I and studio technology gave him an edge cious enough for multiple studios with figured in the scheme of things; simply in the world of TV broadcasting. With technical facilities, offices and a recep- that, as a long-time reader of R&H, Tony the concurrence of 2UE management, he tion area to cope with studio audiences, felt that we'd understand the situation was invited by R.A.G. Henderson to be- amenities for staff and visiting per- well enough to share his concerns about come full-time Chief Engineer of ATN- formers, landscaping and parking areas, what the assignment involved. 7, with the prime responsibility of and a microwave tower with line-of- However, when Whitlock did take it getting the station to air. sight access, especially to Gore Hill. All upon himself to make executive With the PMG having set down this, and room for future expansion. decisions, Henderson tended to question basic ground rules for the transmitters, The problem was that neither the his judgment; and after about 10 weeks, it was no great hassle for Murray to original expert committee nor the appointment was terminated. Tony co-ordinate the purchase of property Henderson's request to Fairfax manage- was sent back to the London Office, and and the contracts for the provision of a ment personnel to act as discrete his family's transfer to Australia suitable tower, antenna and transmitter `spotters' had come up with a suitable reversed in mid voyage! at Gore Hill, adjacent to the ABC's site. So in sheer exasperation, Hender- Tony Whitlock was duly replaced in ABN-2 installation. son headed off in his car to spy out the the scheme of things by C.G. (Later, when the ABCB increased the land for himself. Alexander, a TV station manager from permissible height of TV towers in the It took a while, but in due course, the NBC network (USA). But that mid 1960's, ATN agreed to contribute to Murray received a phone call to arrange didn't work out either and Alexander the cost of a tower being erected in near- a time and place for him to be picked up was succeeded, in turn, by James by Artarmon by the new Channel TEN- to inspect a likely looking semi-rural Oswin. Until then Manager of 10, supporting a shared antenna array site, compromising 20 acres or more. So Macquarie's Melbourne radio station 1000ft or 305m above mean sea level). it was that he found himself in a chauf- 3AW, Oswin proved equally successful Provision of the initial transmitting fer-driven car with an independent as General Manager of ATN. facilities was essentially an en- property consultant and the Managing Meanwhile, decisions about siting and gineering exercise. However the Director — the latter replete with black equipment had been entrusted to an ex- siting and planning of an ambitious suit and Homburg hat — heading in the pert technical committee, originally set studio and administration complex — general direction of Epping on the City's up by Tony Whitlock.