The Eddie Olek Story. By Keith McGowan.

Eddie Olek was born in Melbourne in 1967 and educated at Greythorn High, then Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, where he completed a two year course on “Audio Engineering for Radio and Television”.

Whilst at Greythorn High, Eddie was part of the “Student Access Breakfast Show” on PBS which led him to a months work experience at 3AW. Eddie told me “It was back in the era of John Blackman and Bruce Mansfield, and I told 3AW I would come in and work for no pay just to learn.” It was four weeks that Olek looks back on with good memories of being involved in programs right across the day.

Aged 21 and with a certificate to say he’d completed and passed his University course, Eddie started knocking on doors and sending out letters and tapes. “I sent them anywhere and everywhere,” he said, adding “It was 2LF (below left) in Young who gave me a chance, not so much for my announcing skills but because I could do production work as well.”

In the “Cherry Capital” Eddie did Drive and Weekend afternoons for two years till the urge to wander took hold and he made the long haul to 6MD Merredin, W.A –a station with a potential audience so small, you could do your program door to door –  it was just a speck on the map, 260 kilometres west of Perth, with a population today of less than 4000.

After three months of looking at wildflowers and ancient granite rock formations around the W.A. wheat belt,  Olek now homesick was ready to return to Melbourne where he began his 13 years at 3UZ, his multi skills proving invaluable.

Primarily employed as a Control Room Operator at the racing station, he also paneled, did production, and was on air with Father Gerard Dowling.

In spite of his love of radio Eddie Olek decided it was time to try something else, so in 2003 he became involved in real estate and property management. As so many others have learned once “out” of radio Eddie Olek wanted to be back “in.”

2006 saw him at SEN doing panel and production and this also involved “the old 3MP” and the ill fated MTR and the rebirth of 3MP as MyMP.

Olek’s years mostly behind the scenes and a little in front of the mike, sees him now enjoying radio more than ever as Drive and Weekend Lifestyle Show  presenter  on MyMP.

“It’s exciting to be here right now, I’m lovin’ it” he says. Eddie Olek has been married to Tanya for six years after a previous marriage which produced three children including a son, Joshua (left) who has followed Eddie into the business as panel operator for SEN’s “Morning Glory” breakfast show.  

MyMP is not included in the rating book at this time, but my gut feeling tells me that the old Mornington Peninsula call sign is being listened to again. Glenn Ridge on mornings is doing a talkback/interviews/music program that is a listenable alternative, so it’s not difficult to share Eddie Olek’s enthusiasm for the long dead “Bay City Radio.”

About to turn 45, the man with the Polish surname couldn’t be happier on “MyMP in the World’s Most Liveable City”.

  Keith McGowan