ABC Brisbane’s gardening guru Annette McFarlane may have exited the building suddenly, of her own choice, but she has not been forgotten.
Stand-in Saturday Breakfast host Joel Spreadborough played a tribute package compiled by producer Sophia Thomas and featuring some famous voices from the ABC’s past and present who hosted or produced the program during McFarlane’s incredible 35-year stint.
Also included was Gardening Australia host Costa Georgiadis, who says:
Now, Annette, I can feel you cringing about all these accolades, but guess what? I'm going to pile on as well because from the time that I met you, the detail and care with which you have engaged with thousands and thousands of people — and not only inspired them but given them the tools and the knowledge to go out there and connect with nature and gardening and plants and the world around them. You’ll always remain an inspiration to me … enjoy the next chapter.
From Spencer Howson: “How on earth are the green thumbs of Brisbane going to be able to start their Saturdays without you on the radio? This is going to take a lot of getting used to.”
Phil Smith: “… after 20 years of healthy, beautiful green leaves and no fruit, I have chopped down that avocado tree. You were right; I should have bought a grafted one.”
Chris Welsh: “For so many years, your gardening talkback show has been such a must-listen-to program that I was surprised to hear the ABC let you retire from gardening talkback.”
Sally Rope: “… the word authenticity gets thrown around a lot in this business, but you don’t get to 35 years on air without it. That’s what I think of when I think of your gardening segments — it’s exactly as you are when you’re not on the radio. No-nonsense, just getting the job done, but also with a real joy in what you do and imparting that knowledge.”
The tribute also has snippets from Loretta Ryan, Karen Dorante, Rebecca Levingston, Kate O’Toole, Rob Minshull, Mel Bampton, Dennis Martin and Tim Cox.
Here’s a short excerpt:
You can hear the full audio, and the rest of Saturday Breakfast, on the 612 ABC website here.
Tuning out
Laura Anderson, a newsreader who has been heard on 4BC (where she was also news director) and, more recently, KIIS 97.3 and the ARN network, has called it quits.
She announced on social media that “it’s time to see what life is like beyond the newsroom”.
She’ll be gaining practical experience with a law firm while completing a law degree. Anderson thanked her former colleagues and noted: “Change is scary, but exciting.”
I enjoyed working with Laura at 4BC. I know she’ll do well in the future, and I wish her all the best.
Also on social media, producer Stuart Creighton has announced that he’ll be “behind the glass” for Ashwin Segkar on ABC Radio Overnights from 2am to 6am on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for the rest of this year.
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And another thing...
I stirred the pot a little with my recent video about the radio business, but I feel I may not have made my point strongly enough.
When it comes to the big media networks, being inside the bubble is valued more highly than seeking out genuine conversations about what makes good content, what audiences and advertisers want, and how to have a sustainable business model in challenging times.
My point is that they should take the time to listen to contrarians, not just to each other. And that is something even those currently going through the entrails of the Kyle Sandilands and Karl Stefanovic debacles in podcasts and online forums are reluctant to do.
You don’t learn a lot when you only listen to people who agree with you.
P.S.
I’ve been served a lot of ads for Skygate — but they all made the mistake of thinking I’d heard of it before and knew where it was. In fact, I had to Google it. Turns out that I have been there; I just thought the whole complex was called DFO.
Disclaimer: Disclaimers are overrated.
Overrated?? How so? I guess I officially belong to the “otherwise upset” cohort of readers!