Townsville presenter ‘Pricey’ reflects on 100 years of radio

Radio is celebrating 100 years in Australia with Townsville’s longest serving broadcaster Pricey saying it’s not going anywhere.

Radio has hit its 100 year milestone and outgoing Triple M breakfast presenter Steve (Pricey) Price has been working in the business for over half of that time. He has seen a lot of technology come and go during that time. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Australian radio has hit the 100 year milestone, but Triple M presenter Steve ‘Pricey’ Price believes it is going to last another century.

He never had doubts of radio’s longevity when he joined the industry 52-years-ago due to broadcasters’ abilities to adapt, its immediacy as well as its occasional imperfections in the moment.

“I’ve always believed from the first time I saw a broadcaster on the air how magical that little wire is,” Pricey said.

“It’s people that make this radio, everyone has a story.

“That’s what I felt all these years ago and seeing the changes over the years.”

Gallery: Townsville radio legend Steve ‘Pricey’ Price’s life in pictures

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Australia’s first radio transmission came from 2SB and showcased soprano Miss Deering accompanied by the St Andrew’s quartet, in 1923.

A century later commercial radio can tap into 13 million listeners across 260 commercial radio stations, while at a local level, Pricey just has to press a big button and share his two-cents to an audience that could fill Townsville stadium.

Radio has hit its 100 year milestone and outgoing Triple M breakfast presenter Steve (Pricey) Price has been working in the business for over half of that time. Picture: Shae Beplate.

When Pricey joined the industry in 1971 he started as a panel operator, which meant that he played records or playing the advertisements from cartridges, while the announcer sat in the other studio with only a microphone.

He saw the changes that progressed; from turntables, to CDs, and then to digital systems with no moving parts whatsoever.

Technology might have changed but the importance of connecting with each individual listener rather than catering to the masses remained the same, as was the ability to adapt.

“I’ve got to be prepared to change,” Pricey said.

“I’ve got to be prepared to understand people, understand their thought as everyone should in life anyway.

“Because that’s what this is; radio is two people at a bar, two people at a restaurant, two people talking.

“When people stop talking, radio will go.

“And you’ve got to be prepared for people at the drop of a hat to say something you don’t expect, because that’s also the motive of radio; the glorious, the unexpected.”

Originally published as Townsville presenter ‘Pricey’ reflects on 100 years of radio