Remembering Vic Blackwood
Former Australian radio station owner, broadcaster and engineer Vic Blackwood has passed away at his home in regional Victoria, says his wife in a post on Facebook.
In the 1980s, Vic was encouraged by radio programmer John Brennan to move from the engineering department at 2UE into an on air role where he hosted overnight shows.
Vic, who then lived with his family at Point Clare, assisted Central Coast community radio station 2CCC (later becoming Coast FM) during its test transmission period in the early 1990s.
He later went on to purchase radio station 4LG in Longreach developing it into a solid local western Queensland radio station that generated future industry stars Matthew O’Reilly, Greg Wood, Greg Willmette, Luke Grant & Matt Stephens. Vic also hosted the breakfast show on 4LG. He sold the radio station, and West FM, in 2003.
Vic was the first person to roster me on to a presenting shift on radio. He suggested that I should spend a night with general duties police in Gosford to record a ‘night of crime.’ So, on Saturday 4th May 1991, I joined two cops as they roamed the streets of Gosford. And, the following Saturday at 6am, I presented 2CCC’s ‘Police Roundup’ hour of radio on 96.3 FM. My radio show would have been average at best, but it was a an excellent introduction into radio producing and presenting — and I thank Vic for his encouragement.
In recent years, Vic remained involved in the radio industry through a narrowcast radio licence at Tocumwal which is located on the NSW-Victoria border, and community stations in regional Victoria.
Vic Blackwood had been battling cancer and, in 2014 doctors told him he had only 3 weeks to live if he didn’t join a cancer drug trial. In January 2016, he featured in media stories about a cancer drug trial. Click here to watch his story.
Vic passed away overnight in Sale, said his wife Maree Blackwood.
Vale Vic Blackwood.
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