2MCE-FM Bathurst celebrates 30 years of innovation

This month marks the 30th anniversary of community radio station 2MCE-FM in regional NSW. 2MCE was the first licensed non-metropolitan ‘public’ broadcaster in 1976. This month sees the unveiling of a commemorative plaque at the studios, and a celebratory dinner will be held this weekend for volunteers past and present recognising the 30 year milestone.

Located on the Charles Sturt University campus, the station has been providing a community broadcasting service in Bathurst and Orange under the principles of access, diversity and independence for its 30 year history. It was called ‘MCE’ after the original name of the education institution which housed it, Mitchell College of Advanced Education, which is now CSU.

Station manager Peter Tozer has told radioinfo: “Over 30 years, thousands of volunteers have contributed to the station as program presenters and in all facets of station operations… Celebration of volunteers past and present is at the centre of the 30th anniversary events during the month of May. They are the heart and soul of this community enterprise – without them, we wouldn’t be able to maintain the service.”

Beyond providing a diverse range of community radio programming by and for its regional communities, 2MCE also provides valuable curriculum support for students of Communication at Charles Sturt University, Bathurst campus. Tozer says the CSU Communication School has a strong track record of achievement with its graduates going on to be significant contributors in Australia’s media industry, “and 2MCE is a significant factor in that success.”

The station provides a real-life hands-on public broadcasting vehicle for news, current affairs, magazine and student music programming.

Tozer says: “It’s a brilliant achievement that volunteer input has maintained this community resource for thirty years. We all look forward to the next thirty years.”

Click below to hear an extract from one of the opening speeches broadcast on the station on its opening day.