One of SBS Radio’s longest serving staff, Alex Catharios, Executive Producer of the Greek Radio Program retires this month after 36 years with SBS. radioinfo asked Alex for his thoughts on the role SBS Radio has played during his career and the role he sees for SBS in the future.
What major changes have occurred during the time of your service at SBS?
Step one – The Pioneer Stage
Al Grassby Minister for Immigration during the Whitlam Government initiated and supported the creation of an Ethnic Radio service. Thus, Ethnic Radio started operating on an experimental basis. Al Grassby allocated fifty thousand dollars for the first year to meet the rental and accommodation costs of the experiment. Senator McClelland contributed another fifty thousand dollars for the second year. Initially, there were programs in 8 different languages from rented studios at the Christian Broadcasting Service at Sydney’s Five Dock.
The Licensee for the first Ethnic Radio was print journalist Takis Kaldis who recruited a small group of journalists with some radio experience to man the first service.
These “ethnic radio pioneers” were dedicated to the ideals of a multicultural Australia and were convinced that Ethnic Radio could assist in better integrating immigrants to Australia and create a more equitable and just society.
The great success of the Ethnic Radio experiment was duly recognised by the Fraser Government which in 1978 established a Government Statutory Authority, the Special Broadcasting Service, to oversee the operations of 2EA in Sydney and 3EA in Melbourne, promising as well free to air Television programs, which became a reality in 1980.
Step Two: SBS Radio becomes a professional service
Gradually, the SBS multilingual broadcasters/journalists assumed professional status through appropriate training under the prevailing Australian Journalist Standards. Professional standards for Ethnic Broadcasters were established in 1987 and new recruitment processes occurred in parity with the rest of the industry and public service practice.
Step Three
SBS Radio expands nationally in 1991, servicing all major cities of the Commonwealth of Australia.
Step Four
Further expansion occurs in regional Australia. Events are covered by OB Vans. The Radio Service is equipped with specialist vans for outside broadcasts. There is also an increase of languages broadcast.
Step Five
A new era of media communications appears with the new millennium.
The introduction of “new media technologies” takes shape. New trends in Radio communications impose new challenges and different approaches.
Multilingual communications now come under the innovative banner of “Audio Lingual Content Programs.”
What do you think are the major achievements of SBS Radio?
a. First of all SBS Radio service – a unique service of one radio station communicating in more than 60 languages – has changed social perceptions and brought forward the multicultural, multilingual and pluralistic Australian society. SBS underlined the reality of the Australian social and cultural diversity. SBS removed the tyranny of distance which so adversely affected and isolated the Australian people from the rest of the world.
b. Secondly, SBS radio in the last four decades of its existence, has actively supported and substantially supported worthwhile causes. Through very successful Radiothons it contributed millions of dollars for relief in cases of national and international disasters, contributing greatly to world union in compassionate situations creating greater understanding.
c. Thirdly, again through very successful radiothons, lectures etc., SBS radio assisted in areas of scientific research and knowledge. Health campaigns in areas such as Diabetes, cancer, heart and arthritis as well as in a multitude other health concerns, including mental health, offered the opportunity to provide help and knowledge to society.
d. News and information was communicated in all areas of Australia, including the most linguistically and culturally remote communities of our country.
e. Finally, last but not least, SBS Radio in fulfilling its Charter obligations has contributed to the cultural and linguistic maintenance of the great diversity of the Australian population.
What is the role of the internet or on line radio for the third and fourth generations of Australian audiences?
The modern world offers through new technologies increased ways of communication, nationally and internationally.
SBS has to meet the new challenges in communication in order to be an effective communication tool. Our children and the generations after us are computer literate. The world is getting closer through new technologies. Hopefully, cultural and linguistic research and maintenance can be further enhanced through internet and new media which obliterate distances and time zones like never before.
If we accept that SBS Radio has been a pioneer in creating intra-national communication and understanding, then it stand to reason that we will be a more effective communicator through the appropriate contemporary technological developments. There is one way and that way is full speed ahead.
Alex was born in Deverni Greece and moved to Athens when he was 12. He studied Electronics and Mathematics and went on to study at the Military Academy. For his first commission, Alex managed the Army Radio Station in the northern Greek city of Kavala. After two years in the Army, Alex was appointed as an Officer at the Greek Telecommunications Organisation, and was responsible for telecommunications operations with the Greek commercial fleet around the world.
He migrated to Australia in 1968, settled in Sydney, and completed further studies in Electrical Engineering while working for Rank Xerox.
In 1975, Alex was asked to join Ethnic Radio 2EA where he was one of the first voices ever heard on the air and in 1977 was appointed Executive Producer of the Greek Radio Program in Sydney.
During the evolution of 2EA to SBS Radio (internally now known as Audio and Language Content), Alex has managed teams in Sydney and Melbourne and has travelled around Australia broadcasting at many major events.
Over the past 36 years, Alex has led the Greek Radio Program to great success. He has worked hard to establish and maintain a strong relationship with the Greek Community and has been “a wonderful Ambassador for SBS,” according to SBS Radio Management. For his contribution and professionalism he has been recognised with a number of significant awards in Australia and overseas.
Alex’s presence will be missed by his SBS family and by his many listeners, all of whom are very proud of Alex’s long and distinguished career with the Australia’s national multi-cultural broadcaster.
Congratulations on your retirement Alex.
Alex with former NSW Premier Bob Carr (above) and at an early OB (below)
