Television veteran Johnny Young will entertain television pioneers at TVW Channel 7’s 50th Anniversary Reunion on Sunday October 18th, 2009.

John who was one of the station’s first teenage stars, now hosts Radio 6IX’s Big Breakfast.

He will reform and perform with his original Johnny Young and the Strangers band, consisting of John Young, John Eddy, Warrwick Findlay, Don Prior and Tony Summers.

The veterans of WA’s television industry will reminisce about the early days of television in Perth when they gather at the October 18th celebration at Channel 7’s Tuart Hill studio – the same studio where the State’s first telecasts originated on October 16th, 1959.

Live appearances leading up to the TVW reunion will take place at the following venues…

Fri 31st July, 2009 at the Swan Yatch Club 8 till 12pm.

Tickets 9339 3520

Sat 1st August, 2009 at the Dudley Park Bowling Club 8 till 12pm.

Tickets 9535 2695

Sun 2nd August, 2009 at the Swan Yatch Club. Sunday Sess. 5 till 9 pm,

Tickets 9339 3520

Ron (DINGO) Reddingius – Now 57 year’s young.

History …Started my first job with TVW at the ripe old age of 19.

Today: - Has produced a TV program called ‘HOME in WA’ which I have supplied to TVW 7 for the last 10 years. At today’s date (30^th July 2009) have delivered 350 episodes.

Joined TVW in 1969 when protocol demanded (Sorry Mr Cruthers). That all video tape and telecine operators wear ties. Can you imagine the occupational safety issues this would create these days? All those moving film projectors and tape machines – It’s a wonder no one died. We simply put our ties in our shirt pockets. (I think).

I wasn’t allowed to touch a piece of equipment for 6 months while being tutored by a lovely lady, Dianne Hodge and our own Kevin Campbell. (KVC). Kev, remember delayed telecasts …with tapes going across from one machine across the room to another?

Two machine configuration for telephone talkback program delay to facilitate censoring in the event of inappropriate phone calls.

Film breaks and panic stations. The Cap Card machine in which we used to heat our pies…and the dreaded slide projector.

Life was fun back then…it was live but more so, involved television with drama, hi skills required and attention to detail. Fault reports, the advent of AVR’s, Video Disc, the TEP, ACR, C formats and BCN’S. The change to colour when Sir Charles pulled the lever and around the metro area we set of fireworks. The huge OB’s, Birdman and Bath Tub Rallies at Yanchep. Speedway…footy…live studio…In Perth Tonight – Alexandra the Great 48…Wow, she made an impression on this young Tape Operator.

Stuart Wagstaff with Alexandra The Great 48

I could reminisce for hours I think…

But to summarize. In my opinion, while today’s television content, technology and systems are hi tech…you can’t actually trust that what you see is real anymore.

Back in the good old days you could feel it, touch it and be a very important part of it.

Now we centralize…a huge main frame, and very little staff interaction. What needed 15 employees is now only 1. Remember when the cafeteria was full and the place was alive?

I sometimes walk into Tapes – Telecine at TVW and it’s like walking into a Television Morgue…The white board with the countdown to the closure still there for all to see…

A couple of old C formats still just barely operational and old boxes and junk everywhere.

But we must move on …I am very much looking forward to the reunion.

HOPE to see you there!

Ron (DINGO) Reddingius

Ron Reddingius – Executive Producer

Ron (DINGO) Reddingius is Executive Producer and manager of DINGO is Talent, a production company that started some 19 years ago as a talent management company. Now DINGO is Talent has evolved into a production company of good standing. A company that is regularly invited to produce TV commercials, Corporate Videos and quality Television Programs such as HOME in WA and several years ago, ‘Have A Go TV’.

‘Dingo’, as he is affectionately known to industry friends, boasts over 39 years experience in the television industry in WA. Since 1969 he worked for Channel Seven Perth, the last 18 years as Commercial Production Manager/TV Commercials Producer within the 7 sales department. Since resigning in 2000, his competent freelance team and production company has focused on producing nearly 350 episodes of this quality and very successful TV series just for Channel Seven and GWN viewers…

Working hand in hand with Adrian (ADO) Faure, Dingo is proud to surround himself with a great team of professionals that have only one goal. To produce the best for our clients and produce interesting, factual and memorable entertainment.

Adrian Faure – Producer

After abandoning a ‘double major’ degree in English and History at UWA Adrian found himself in the boomtown of Bunbury working for GWN as a Television cameraman. After determining that he may have managed to find something else that he wasn’t particularly suited to he decided to move into the fields of editing and producing. After a brief stint in Adelaide he settled at TVW 7 Perth working his way as the Senior Editor and Supervisor of the videotape and editing areas. At that time, for those that remember, the system of choice was a CMX, attached to a device called an ADO to manipulate pictures. Amazingly archaic considering the digital based systems of today.

Compounding the pain of cantankerous machinery he also had to contend with countless producers, directors and clients all with their own demands. He was very sort after as a senior at such events as the 1996 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney Olympic Games for The Seven Network, and the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth games. As a Promotions Producer he produced and directed many promotions including the TVW7 40th Anniversary Television campaign.

Now a TV Veteran (prematurely some might say!), he has been pro-actively involved in the editing of over 500 Television Programs including Good Morning Perth, Timemasters, Amazing, Our WA, Perth at 5, Talking Cars, Lets Go Gardening, Have a Go TV and of course, Home in WA. Since 2004 he has successfully managed and run his own editing facility ‘Electric Easel’ based at the studios of Channel Seven in Dianella. This year the role of Producing HOME in WA becomes his focus and his aim will be to preserve the integrity of the show but to enhance it with fresh young ideas and strategies.

Jan Maher (nee Swift) was a Graphic Designer with TVW from 1983 to 1989. Jan married TVW Promos Editor Marty Maher, who worked for TVW from 1986 to 1997. They now live in Victoria.

The photos provided here represent Seven staff on social occasions, from the mid 1980’s to the early 1990’s.

A number of the photos feature happenings at TVW’s 30th Anniversary Ball.

Jan Maher Collection

Jan’s Image Gallery can also be viewed at our Flickr site, where detailed photo descriptions are provided.

Jan Maher Image Gallery

Jeff Newman points out that eligible people can register for the TVW Channel 7 50th Anniversary Reunion at the following web site www.tvwreunion.com

If you have worked for TVW Channel 7 in the last fifty years, then you are eligible to attend the TVW Reunion. If you have not yet registered, then please click on the button below and register now!

List of present or former TVW staff who have registered for the TVW reunion.

Geoff Stewart’s TVW staff photo collection

Engineering 1995 – Presentation Demolition Crew

This was taken on the evening (at about 4am) we move the old Presentation suite to a temporary location in video tapes ready to start the construction of the new Stereo Presentation.

Left to right – Frank Gradisen, Allen Smith, Geoff Stewart, Graeme Pennifold, John Katavatis, Steve Crowell

Engineering 1995

Engineering department in the OB garage.

Back row – left to right – Darian Spence, John Katavatis, Geoff Stewart, Mathew Walker, Chris Cant, Bryan Wheeler, Mark Allan, Steve Gilks.

Front row – left to right – Barry Young, Graham Warner, Geoff McCann, John Maker, Peter Dales.

Family Feud PEC April 1979

The last few shows were recorded on the stage at the Perth Entertainment Centre while the Tuart Hill Studios were being rebuilt and upgraded. Jim was repairing a faulty camera viewfinder.

Left to right (those visible) – Trevor Kerslow, Jim Tinker, Geoff Stewart.

Geoff Stewart and Dave Buswell – Telethon Prep 1989

It use to take about a week for engineering to prepare for the 24 hour Telethon, rewiring the studio for the extra cameras, audio sources and TV’s to name a few things.

The picture shows Geoff and Dave in VMU1 setting up the talkback and camera systems.

Keith Geary and Geoff Stewart – Steadycam and RCA TK76 1979

The Steadycam was the first of its kind to be used in Australian television and the RCA TK76 was the first of the handheld colour 3 tube cameras used for production and electronic news gathering (ENG), but it still did not have a tape recorder build in.

This photo was a publicity shot.

Miss Universe – Pinnacles Engineering Crew

Miss Universe 1979. One of the production shoots was at the Pinnacles, Engineering went to the site by road a few days before the contestants were flown in by helicopter from the Cataby Road House.

Left to right – Tim O’Dea, Camilla Rudd, Steve Binks, Geoff Stewart

Miss Universe – Pinnacles Steadycam

One of the first jobs for the new Steadycam and RCA TK76 camera was the shoot at the Pinnacles.

Left to right – Trevor Kerslow, Steve Binks , Mark Stanbury

RCA TK760 Camera – Studio

The RCA TK76 could be configured as a studio camera and became the TK760. TVW had three TK760 for use in Studio 3 the News and Current Affairs studio.

Left to right – Shane Street, Ric Ardon, Susannah Carr

Robotic Camera Heads and Autocues Studio 3

Robotic Camera Heads were installed on the cameras used in Studio 3 (News Studio) because of the tight work space as the news, current affairs and weather sets got larger. Some time latter the camera pedestals were mounted on tracks fixed to the studio floor to aid in quick camera repositioning.

TVW Caption cards and test patterns

TVW Transmitter Standby Card 1

TVW Transmitter Standby Card 2

TVW Transmitter Standby Card 3

TVW Transmitter Standby Card 4

TVW Transmitter Standby Card 5

TVW Transmitter Standby Card 6

TVW Transmitter Test Pattern 1

TVW Transmitter Test Pattern 2

TVW Electronic Test Pattern 1

Colour TV Adjustment Card

Geoff Stewart Image Gallery

TelevisionAU is dedicated to the discussion of Australian television, in particular its history and evolution – as well as its present, and even future!! It covers everything including programs, personalities, TV stations and networks.

FIFTIES	SIXTIES	SEVENTIES
EIGHTIES	NINETIES	2000 AND ON

WEB: http://www.televisionau.com

BLOG: http://blog.televisionau.com

YAHOO: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/televisionau

YOUTUBE: http://au.youtube.com/user/TelevisionAU

TelevisionAU is dedicated to the discussion of Australian television, in particular its history and evolution – as well as its present, and even future!! It covers everything including programs, personalities, TV stations and networks.

FIFTIES	SIXTIES	SEVENTIES
EIGHTIES	NINETIES	2000 AND ON

WEB: http://www.televisionau.com

BLOG: http://blog.televisionau.com

YAHOO: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/televisionau

YOUTUBE: http://au.youtube.com/user/TelevisionAU

The 6PR interview with TVW’s former General Manager Greg Byrne can now be found at http://tvwreunion.com under the Media menu option.

Greg provides many humorous anecdotes about glitches with live TV ads, before the advent of videotape recording and replay.

TVW veterans Richard Ashton, Gordon McColl and Ken McKay had an enjoyable meeting with former TVW Chief Executive Officer Max Bostock, on Tuesday July 21st, 2009.

Max reminisces with Richard and Gordon whilst Ken records the event

Richard and Gordon listen intently to every word

All have the highest regard for Max, who joined TVW in 1960, in the role of Musical Director, and true to the early prediction of the late Brian Treasure, climbed the ranks to join the upper echelons of not only TVW Channel Seven, but also the Channel TEN Network. As Max points out, there was a time when former TVW executives were at the top at the Seven Network (Kevin Campbell), ATV Melbourne (Bill McKenzie) and Network TEN (Max Bostock). Wherever he went in the industry he encountered people who gained their grounding at Seven in Perth.

Oral history recording

Not only were many humorous anecdotes exchanged, as old colleagues reminisced, but valued insight was gained into the inner working of television stations, regarding matters of program scheduling and station philosophy.

Gordon tells the story of an aged lady viewer who had fallen asleep watching her TV, to be alarmed on waking in the early hours of the morning, to discover TVW broadcasting the birth of a baby, in vivid detail. Little did the viewer know that she had happened upon an unlisted broadcast for the medical fraternity. No doubt she found the graphic content alarming, in the strict and highly censored era of the early 1960’s. She immediately rang the station to complain of the disgusting material being broadcast, to then be enlightened by Seven’s polite switch board operator, of the secret nature of this broadcast, which was only aimed at gynecologists and other medical practitioners. In fact, TVW took the precaution of turning off the transmitter for an extended period, to safeguard against people tuning in. But then there’s no accounting for the sleeping and waking habits of sweet little old ladies.

Max was keen to emphasize how much of TVW’s operation was a team effort. It would be true to say that Max was fondly thought of as a father figure by the younger members of staff, for the way he cared about people and the product. He was also a mentor to many. A trait he had in common with Darcy Farrell, who also fostered many in the field of television journalism. Max and Darcy have the highest respect for each other, even though they often had to compete for the use of limited resources. Both program making and news gathering often needed to share the same same studio facilities. TVW did not have the vast space of a major Hollywood studio, so often hard choices had to be made, based on whose department had the highest priority.

Later we’ll provide a transcript of Max’s most relevant points, in his own word… rather than the paraphrased summary here.

While every effort is made to preserve the correctness of the TVW Roll Call, some errors or omissions may slip through. Please inform us via our Contact page of any anomalies. . List of all identified present and former TVW staff. List of present or former TVW staff who have registered for the TVW reunion.

If you are eligible to attend the TVW Reunion, but not yet registered, then please click on the button below and register now!