2CC
Broadcast areaCanberra RA1 ([1])
Frequency
Programming
Language(s)English
FormatNews talk
Ownership
Owner
2CA
History
First air date
31 October 1975 (1975-10-31)[1]
Former frequencies
1210 kHz (1975–1978)
Technical information
Power5kW
Transmitter coordinates
35°13′4″S 149°7′11″E / 35.21778°S 149.11972°E / -35.21778; 149.11972
Links
Websitewww.2cc.net.au

2CC is a commercial radio station on the AM band in Canberra, Australia. It began broadcasting on 1210 kHz in 1975[2] changing to 1206 kHz in 1978.[3] It is jointly owned by Capital Radio Network and Grant Broadcasters.

History

2CC, which began broadcasting on 31 October 1975,[4] was Canberra's second commercial radio station, originally broadcasting popular contemporary music.[2][5] 2CC began test transmission on 29 October 1975.[6] 2CC continued its dominance over Canberra's other commercial radio station, 2CA, throughout the latter half of the 1970s and most of the 1980s.[7] In June 1983, Australian Broadcasting Company Pty Ltd (now ARN) purchased the station.[8] On 1 February 1986, the station began broadcasting in AM stereo.[9] In 1988, KIX106 (now Mix 106.3) and FM 104 (now hit104.7 Canberra) went to air as supplementary FM licences. KIX106 was a supplementary licence of 2CC, and FM 104.7 a supplementary licence of 2CA.[10] In the mid-1990s, ARN (owner of 2CC and Mix 106.3) and Austereo (owner of 2CA and 104.7) merged to form a joint venture ownership of both FM stations, selling 2CC and 2CA to the Capital Radio Network in the years 1994[11] and 1997 respectively.[12][13] In 2004, 50% ownership of 2CC and 2CA was sold to Grant Broadcasters.[14] Currently, 2CC broadcasts a news talk format with some of Australia's best known and highest rating presenters, such as Ray Hadley and Alan Jones.

The broadcast range of the 5,000 watt transmitter covers Canberra and the Southern tablelands region of NSW including Yass, Queanbeyan and Bungendore. The 5,000 watt AM signal travels as far as Cowra, Gundagai, Goulburn, Cooma and Braidwood. 2CC also broadcasts from Black Mountain Tower in Digital (DAB+) and streams its program on its website at www.2cc.net.au as well as other streaming platforms.

2CC was originally located on Bellenden St in Crace, before moving to Hoskins St in Mitchell. The AM towers are located near the original studio building.

In August 2019, 2CC and its sister station 2CA, moved into a multi-million dollar state of the art broadcast centre (Canberra Radio Centre) directly next door to 2CC's old original premises on Bellenden St, Crace.[15][16]

Programming

Local content

2CC broadcasts Canberra's only commercial talkback format. It has a local breakfast program with Stephen Cenatiempo, which debuted on 13 July 2020.[17]

In July 2019, 2CC axed its local breakfast show, hosted by Tim Shaw, in favour of relaying the 2GB breakfast show with Alan Jones live from Sydney.[18] Shaw was moved to the afternoon drive program when the change took effect.[19] Jones was previously heard on 2CC in a one-hour highlights package which began airing in 2010 from 11am until midday.[20] The 11am highlights package was replaced by the final hour of 2GB's Ray Hadley Morning Show, which 2CC also airs live from Sydney.[21]

The decision to replace a local breakfast show with a Sydney program was criticised by local ABC Radio Canberra newsreader Julian Abbott who expressed his disappointment at 2CC being left with just one weekday local program.[18] Just a month after being moved from his former breakfast show, Tim Shaw announced his resignation after having been with the station since 2016.[22] The station's previous breakfast host before Shaw, Mark Parton left the station in November 2015.[23][24]

However, the majority of 2CC's daytime and nightime programming is syndicated from Sydney with programs hosted by Ray Hadley, Deborah Knight, John Stanley and Michael McLaren. 2CC airs a three-hour afternoon program from 3pm with Leon Delaney. Weekend programs include Life and Technology on Saturday at midday, House of Wellness on Sunday at midday and Healthy Living on Sunday night.

Local programming on weekends include Garden Gurus, Trading Post, Pet Tales, Canberra Weekender and Sunday Roast from 9.00am to 12.00pm hosted by Chris McLengahan, Eddie Williams, Pete Davidson and Ian Meikle, as well garden experts Paulene Cairnduff and Keith Colls, vets Nonna Green, Lucy Fish and pet behaviourist Heike Hahner.

News

2CC provides a 24-hour news service. Its own, locally based, Capital Radio News Service provides news bulletins from 5.30am every half-hour during its breakfast show and then hourly from 9.00am - 6.00pm Monday to Friday. It broadcasts locally based half-hourly news bulletins from 6.00am - 9.00am (then hourly till midday) on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Overnight hourly news bulletins are supplied by Macquarie National News.

Sport

During the rugby league season, The Continuous Call Team is broadcast from 2GB each Friday night, Saturday and Sunday with live NRL action. In March 2019, the station lost the rights to local Canberra Raiders NRL games.[25]

Controversy

2002 plagiarism

In July 2002, 2CC was accused of plagiarism on the ABC television program Media Watch. The program alleged that journalist Kylie Johnson had been plagiarising stories from radio 666 ABC Canberra (now ABC Radio Canberra) news bulletins by changing a few words here and there and then reading them out on 2CC an hour later. In evidence, Media Watch presented transcripts of stories first broadcast on ABC Canberra and then re-broadcast on 2CC.[26] The management of 2CC and the directors of the Capital Radio Network declined to comment on this incident.

References

  1. ^ "Commercial Radio Broadcasting Licences" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  2. ^ a b "2CC 'in October'". The Canberra Times. 16 May 1975. Retrieved 21 October 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "New frequencies for stations". The Canberra Times. 11 October 1978. p. 11. Retrieved 3 November 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "First 2CC broadcast on October 31". The Canberra Times. 22 September 1975. Retrieved 21 October 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "STATION 2CC". The Canberra Times. 31 October 1975. Retrieved 21 October 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "2CC testing". The Canberra Times. 29 October 1975. Retrieved 21 October 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "2CC tops ratings". The Canberra Times. 4 June 1988. Retrieved 21 October 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ Downie, Graham (16 June 1983). "Accord reached on 2CC transfer". The Canberra Times. p. 1. Retrieved 21 October 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "IN BRIEF 2CC does it in stereo". The Canberra Times. 1 February 1986. p. 3. Retrieved 21 October 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "Qld consortium buys Macquarie". The Canberra Times. 27 February 1988. p. 1. Retrieved 21 October 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ Rosenberg, Jen (31 December 1994). "Radio station 2CC sold, format changes planned". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 21 October 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ JONES, MEGAN (20 March 1997). "Canberra FM shake-up". The Age. p. 3. ISSN 0312-6307. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  13. ^ MATHIESON, CLIVE (20 March 1997). "Cuts force operators to pool Canberra FM stations". The Australian. p. 21. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  14. ^ "Grant Broadcasters buys into Kevin Blyton's stations". RadioInfo Australia. 14 June 2004. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  15. ^ Wilson, Zanda (2 August 2019). "New Digs: Radio Canberra opens new studios for 2CA and 2CC". Radio Today. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  16. ^ "2CC and 2CA move into new studios". RadioInfo Australia. 1 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  17. ^ Wilson, Zanda (1 July 2020). "Stephen Cenatiempo will host local Breakfast show on 2CC Canberra". Radio Today. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  18. ^ a b Brown, Andrew (5 July 2019). "Alan Jones to take over 2CC breakfast as Tim Shaw moves to drive". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  19. ^ Blackiston, Hannah (8 July 2019). "Alan Jones takes breakfast slot at 2CC as Tim Shaw moves to drive". mUmBRELLA. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  20. ^ "Alan Jones now to be heard in Canberra on 2CC". RadioInfo Australia. 12 January 2010. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  21. ^ "2CC adds Alan Jones for breakfast". RadioInfo Australia. 5 July 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  22. ^ Brown, Andrew (22 August 2019). "Radio personality Tim Shaw leaves 2CC". The Canberra Times. Australian Community Media. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  23. ^ McIlroy, Tom (30 November 2015). "Breakfast radio host Mark Parton quits Canberra's 2CC". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  24. ^ "Mark Parton signs off from 2CC". Canberra CityNews. 30 November 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  25. ^ Helmers, Caden D. (9 March 2019). "End of an era: 2CC Canberra lose rights to Raiders games". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  26. ^ "Cheap news at 2CC". Media Watch. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 22 July 2002. Archived from the original on 12 February 2007. Retrieved 11 March 2010.

External links

Radio stations in Canberra
Capital Radio Network
Grant Broadcasters
Categories