Author and former DJ Wayne Mac, with a mighty sigh, has informed radioinfo that he has sold his last copy of “Don’t Touch That Dial – Hits ‘n’ Memories of Australian Radio. The meticulously researched 400 page tome that took most of a decade of Mac’s life to produce, has won critical acclaim from the commercial radio industry, often acknowledged as among Australia’s hardest markers.

The book opens with a Foreword by the grand daddy of Australian Top 40 radio Bob Rogers. That in itself is a glowing testament of the quality and depth of its contents.

Forced to publish the book himself and with no financial assistance from any of the stations or networks that populate his work, it was always doubtful whether Mac would ever recoup his substantial investment. “If it wasn’t for the generous support from independent organisations such as Radiowise (owners of this site) AFTRS, National Film and Sound Archive, Jock’s Journal and JA Online Services who recognised the importance of this work, it may never have been published,” Mac said.

It’s taken two years since the book was first released in January 2006 to sell over a thousand copies worldwide mostly through direct marketing online. Mac says, “I’m thrilled to have sold out. Unless an outside investor wants to bankroll a second edition, I won’t be printing any more. Self publishing is a lot of work. So, I guess those who own a copy can consider it a collectors’ item.”

Wayne Mac and a portion of his classic book will also feature on radioinfo tomorrow as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Australia’s first Top 40 chart.

You can also catch Wayne Mac chatting about the Top 40 as a guest on 2UE with Ian MacRae from 9pm Saturday and on
6PR with Steve Gordon from 8pm (WA time) Sunday. Also from midday, Sunday, 2CH will replay an early Top 40 countdown with the late, great, Len London.