RONNIE Mac joined 2MCE as a presenter in 1977 – yes, you read that correctly, Ronnie has been presenting on 2MCE for 41 years.
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He was introduced to the station by a work colleague who was also presenting a show and was asked by the then station manager, John Martin, to record a sample program.
Ronnie recorded that program on reel-to-reel tape in the studio using only one turntable.
He started recording at 8pm and finished at 1am, taking five hours to record a one-hour show. He was allocated a timeslot and Ronnie continued to pre-record his show for the next 12 months.
Ronnie’s first live program was the Wednesday breakfast shift which started at 6am and later he added the Friday breakfast shift to his routine and went on to present two breakfast shows a week for the next five years.
He moved into the Sunday timeslot in 1983, at first alternating with Les Bryant and then weekly and has presented his Sunday program for the past 35 years.
In 1960 at the age of 15 or 16, Ronnie joined the Carillon Theatrical Society and went on to perform with the society and the Bathurst Players for 35 years. Each year Ronnie had a role in the performances either singing in the chorus, dancing or even in a speaking part.
For Ronnie, radio is a type of performance and he draws on his experience with local amateur theatre groups to present his radio show. Through performing on stage, Ronnie learnt about the importance of diction and projection and he brings these skills to his radio show every week.
Ronnie brings half his CD collection into the studio for every program he presents. That’s about 400 CDs and it takes him seven trips from the car to carry them all into the studio.
He doesn’t come prepared with a play list, instead choosing music that reflects the mood on the day.
Thank you Ronnie Mac for your commitment to 2MCE. Tune In to hear Ronnie Mac on Sundays from 9am.
A taste of uni
LAST week Charles Sturt University hosted a My Day event to give Year 11 and 12 students a taste of university life for a day.
High school students and their parents were invited to campus to participate in practical sessions relevant to the courses they might be interested in.
I was thrilled to meet the students who spent My Day with the School of Communication and Creative Industries (SCCI) and see the work they produced during their time with SCCI academic staff working on course related activities.
I look forward to seeing some of the high school students when they starts their university studies in 2019.