By David Rogerson
When John Laws recently announced he was packing up the Golden Microphone after 70 years in the business it hit me as one of those things you expected to hear at some time, but maybe not right now. The reality is Friday November 8 is his final on-air day on the Super Radio Network‘s 2SM. In part 2 on the radio life and times of John Laws, we go behind the panel to hear from the “Desk Jockeys”. These were the people who sat on the other side of the panel, rolling that famous Herb Alpert intro of El Presidente on air, so that “The John Laws Show could be heard right across Australia.”
That Herb Alpert intro
I sent a shout out on social media asking for anyone who was one of those “Desk Jockeys” to share their stories and memories of being part of getting the John Laws show to air. I’d expected a handful of responses. Well, I got that wrong. Within 24 hours over fifty responses came flowing in faster than a run down the hallway for a quick bathroom break while the news is on.
You’ll probably recognise the names of many of the “Desk Jockeys”. For them The John Laws show was where you cut your teeth on panelling a live land line or satellite feed into your radio station each weekday.
So many responses mirrored this one from WAVE FM’s current GM Gavin Flanagan:
“Is there an announcer who didn’t panel The John Laws Show? I did in Alice Springs from ‘93 to ’96.”
Similarly, this from Greg Willmette:
“The time out countdown from Murray Happ would come down the line to return after a break . You’d be grabbing carts to fill in the time. Then later in the day taping rural news during the message period. 4LG in Longreach was not on daylight saving time so, the first hour of the Laws’ Show had to be pre-taped. If you missed it, you were gone.”
Sue Carter is currently the Content Director at GOLD 104.3 in Melbourne. Her early radio days at 2MC in Port Macquarie were spent Desk Jockeying Lawsie’s show. Christmas time was extra busy for the coastal resort market:
“2MC was playing 21 minutes of ads during peak tourist season and John Laws in Sydney was running about half that. Fortunately, 2MC’s on air delay was my best friend. We jumped in and out to lose songs and play ads instead in place of Lawsie’s songs”
Hot Tomato’s Simon Carey has an unexpected Desk Jockey memory:
“Sitting in the studio at 5SE Mount Gambier in 1991, waiting for Country Comment to come down the line, when I got the go ahead to roll tape. Instead of Country Comment I was suddenly privy to an intense conversation between John Laws (couldn’t mistake that voice), and someone with him I couldn’t identify. Lawsie was sharing his thoughts on a well-known radio personality. None of it complimentary! But what you hear in the studio, stays in the studio.”
Joel Gosper who now hosts drive on NEWFM Newcastle, headed straight out of AFTRS to 5MU Murray Bridge:
“My day one duty at 5MU was to panel the first 2 hours of The John Laws Morning Show each day from 2UE. It was really a rite of passage and an honour for most new radio announcers in regional country radio to take this Desk Jockey role on. The opening theme of John’s show would play and then we would hear those words “Hello World” followed by his monologue. I would listen intently as he expressed his views on the world in a relatable way that the audience would engage with.”
Joel reckons panelling The John Laws Morning Show taught him the importance of the “audience” and how to entertain them through information, some laughs and tapping into the emotions of a regional Australian audience:
“It also taught me and many other announcers the skill of the “Time Out.” I would be juggling the paid commercial content to fit just in time for the return of the program. When the process was seamless, John would come back on cue by saying ‘thirteen thirteen thirty-two is our open line number, let me know what’s on your mind Australia and work your fingers to the phone.’ To me, that was the sweetest sound on radio.”
Dominic Steele recalled the memory of both panelling John at 2MO and going on to become 2UE News Editor and work alongside him. This adds additional details to Cheryl’s phone call you heard about in Part 1:
Paul Batchelor and Ruth Woodhams have memories of changing technology in how The John Laws Show was delivered. Ruth says:
“In 1996 to 1997 I was at 4KZ doing drive but also panelling John Laws with DigiCart and CDs.”
And technology changes for Paul?
“Carts, then DCS Wave station then Simian Even Wizard for windows 3.11 (the system that’s now Zetta and all in between). You’d hear Lawsie’s panel op cue you down the line ‘….30 secs stations… no no wait 60 no sorry 90 secs stations from now.'”
Paneling inside a radio Hub saw Desk Jockeys Jo Turner and Joh Switzer share their stories:
“I was occasionally paneling at The Hub in Albury“, says Joe. “Gotta love those back in 60 seconds, no 45 seconds, no wait, back now like Paul just said.”
Several thousand kilometres north in the Townsville Hub, Joh was switching and twitching:
“One of my Desk Jockey responsibilities was the regional Queensland heritage network. I enjoyed listening to the way John did his live reads while we were on local commercial breaks. He was just the best. A real one take wonder too.”
Would you like some poetry with your insulation?
In 1977 while I was working alongside Murray Happ, Gil Schultz and Tony Verhoeven at 2UW we were also responsible for packaging up all of the Best of John Laws Show Tapes. All Purpose Messengers would be there each Friday afternoon to collect a studio full of wrapped, packaged and labelled reel to reels.
In the mid 1970’s, Brendan Atchison (main picture circa 1977 while panelling John’s show) was PD at 5RM in Regional SA. He said he had been sent one of our tapes from his mate Steve Turner. Steve was working at 2ST and they were running the John Laws Show in mornings:
“I was impressed both by Lawsie’s presentation and the quality of the show.
I contacted Lawsie’s secretary Pam Stanley. Pam sent a further demo that in turn I put to air to gauge local listeners’ reactions. The response was enormous . I signed up for the program. Pam mentioned they preferred it to run in mornings but due to strong local content coverage at that time we opted instead to play it at lunchtime. There were no problems selling The John Laws Show to local clients. 5RM settled on six sponsors. Clients had the option to have John record their ads. A few did for around $100 for a 30 sec spot. Lawsie then was keen to build a network of stations. 5RM was among the first and certainly the first in SA to air the one hour John Laws Show. The program arrived via overnight courier on tape from 2UW with us holding a week’s supply in case of emergencies.”
Radioinfo’s “Greatest Memories of The Desk Jockeys” are some the greatest memories from the people who kept the John Laws being heard right across Australia. These memories are best summed up by Joel Gosper:
“I’ve done many things in my radio career. But panelling The John Laws Morning Show, wow that is a memory that will always stay with me.”
Footnote to the handmaiden’s – we are sending a copy of this article to Lawsie as well.
Despina Priala and George Caralis, the Managing Directors of the Super Radio Network told Radioinfo:
“On Friday, the 8th of November, John Laws, the undisputed King of Radio, will retire after 71 unparalleled years at the pinnacle of the Australian radio industry.
Super Radio Network directors, Despina Priala and George Caralis, have thanked John for the tremendous contribution he has made to radio and especially to the SRN, where he has spent the last 13 years hosting his morning show on 2SM and syndicated on many of the SRN’s 42 radio stations across NSW, QLD and the NT.
“We have always regarded John as the epitome of excellence in radio, welcoming him into the SRN family with respect and appreciation, as evidenced by the bespoke, superlative studio, complete with, yes, a golden microphone, that our father, Bill, had built for John’s exclusive use – in fact we hear that Kyle Sandilands and Ben Fordham, who both recently came to interview Lawsie at the 2SM studios in Pyrmont, were left in awe of his luxurious ‘on air’ digs!
From community leaders such as NSW Premier Chris Minns right down to Lawsie’s devoted audience on the SRN, people have been calling John continuously to reminisce and to thank him for having touched their lives. We and all our SRN staff join them in wishing John a happy and well-earned retirement.”
About David:
With a background covering over 40 years in Media and Communications, David Rogerson is experienced in nearly every facet of the radio and media communications industries from Group Content Director, to National Marketing Manager and Company Director. He is currently a lecturer and mentor at the Australian Institute of Music in the Masters and Bachelor degrees.
In 1997 he founded media and communications consulting company “Strategic Media Solutions”. David’s professional consulting career has seen him sought-after for his insights and client solutions in more than 15 countries around the world.
As a published author of media related books and entertainment journal articles David has personally mentored a wide range of media company directors, industry managers and entertainment executives. In the music field David’s experience covers marketing and digital content development for a range of artists including INXS and is part of the judging panel for the Australian Songwriters Association and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.