Greg Smith, who picked up a 2007 CRA Lifetime Achievement Award, is credited with being the program director who first took Austereo to the top. He told radioinfo, “I started at SA-FM in February 1984. It was very much Paul Thompson’s radio station then. The first survey came out and we went down. He said to me, ‘your turn now. Fix it’. Next survey we went up”.

From Austereo, Greg went on to found ESP, a program consultancy that is still retained by Austereo as well as scores of stations around the world.

Greg’s out of radio now and share trading from home. Apparently doing very well.

His advice for young people wanting a career in radio, I have three words: Attitude Determines Destiny. I forget where I came across them, but they really are three wonderful words that I’ve referred to most of my career.

“Also, try to learn from the best. I went to America and chased the best PDs – pestered them until I got an interview and asked lots of dumb questions but got good answers”, advised Smith.

Greg also told us that one of the best things happening in radio today is that it’s trying lots of new things, “Which is something commercial radio has to do or fall behind”.

When asked what was the worst thing about today’s radio, Greg replied, “The rate of pay for daytime music announcers. My advice for young people on that score is to either get into breakfast or become the program director”.