2GB
2GB is a commercial Australian radio station based in Sydney , broadcasting on 873 kHz. The focus of the program is on talk shows , making it the most popular and influential radio broadcaster in the Sydney area today (2007). 2GB is part of the Macquarie Radio Network company , which is majority owned by John Singleton .
The name
The designation "2GB" (in English spoken toGB correspondingly forGB ) stood for the Italian philosopher Giordano Bruno , whose works were highly valued by many theosophists. Annie Besant , the then president of Adyar-TG, claimed to have been Giordano Bruno in a previous incarnation and Leadbeater, a close friend of Besant, therefore used the designation "2GB" as a hidden homage to his girlfriend. The ownership changed later, but the name was retained. Today the station has nothing to do with theosophy, but pursues exclusively commercial interests.
history
2GB was founded in 1926 by the theosophist Charles Webster Leadbeater . The operator was the Theosophical Broadcasting Station Pty , founded on August 23, 1926 . Ltd . Theosophists held 52% of the shares, the first general director (Chairman) was George Arundale , managing director (appointed manager) was Alfred Edward Bennett . The transmitter served the Theosophical Society Adyar (Adyar-TG) and the Liberal Catholic Church in Australia as an effective tool to spread their worldview. Leadbeater was the first theosophist and one of the first representatives of a religious community to use the radio medium as a radio preacher .
In 1936 2GB merged with the broadcaster 2UE, Bennett became General Director of the newly founded umbrella organization Broadcasting Service Association Ltd. On December 23, 1936, the name changed to Broadcasting Station 2GB accordingly . In 1938 Sir Hugh Robert Denison (1865–1940) took over the Broadcasting Service Association and divided it, and thus also 2GB, into his Macquarie Broadcasting Services Pty. Ltd. a. This also ended the theosophical influence on the radio program.
Footnotes
- ^ A b Australian Dictionary of Biography, Bennett: http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A070266b.htm
- ↑ Australian Dictionary of Biography, Denison: http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A080303b.htm
Web links
- Radio station website (English)
- Short text of a talk show on 2GB (English)
- Article about news anchors on Australian radio ( Memento from January 28, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) (English, PDF document, 200 kB)