Keith McGowan

Keith McGowan OAM (9 March 1943 – 22 December 2013) was an Australian radio presenter. He was born in Melbourne, Australia and died there, aged 70 years.[1][2]

Keith McGowan OAM
Born (1943-03-09)9 March 1943
Melbourne, Australia
Died 22 December 2013(2013-12-22) (aged 70)
Melbourne, Australia
Cause of death Stroke
Residence Melbourne, Australia
Nationality Australian
Occupation Talkback radio presenter
Employer 3AW
Home town Melbourne, Australia
Spouse(s) Angela McGowan
(Married 2006)
Children Nathan and Tania (from previous marriage)

Radio career

McGowan got his first job in radio in May 1957, when he started as an office boy at 3UZ at the age of 14. His mother had heard about the job while listening to the station.[3] Then he worked at the following radio stations in order: 3TR, 7BU, 7HO, 6PR, 3TR (again), 2NM, 2KA, 2HD, 2UW, 3MP, 3DB, 3AK, 3AW.

McGowan first made a name for himself in Perth at 6PR in the mid-1960s, where he and his station, then known as The Home of the Good Guys rose to the top of the ratings.[4] After his retirement, McGowan stated that his days at 6PR from 1964 to 1968 were the highlight of his career.[5]

In 1990 he joined Melbourne radio station 3AW hosting the overnight program Overnighters from midnight until 5.30 am Monday to Friday. McGowan would develop a cult following in Melbourne through this long running show. Regular contributors were Brad Higgins, Nick Le Souef the "Outback Legend" and Chris DeFraga on motoring. The Antiques and Collectibles Radio Show was also featured, from midnight to 2 am Friday mornings. Tony Shields, from Shields Stamps and Coins and Rick Milne were regular contributors.

He celebrated his 50th anniversary of broadcasting on 27 May 2007.[6]

McGowan retired in July 2011, after presenting the Overnighters program on 3AW for 21 years. His final program was broadcast on Friday, 22 July 2011.[7] McGowan said the highlight of his career was that after 54 years of broadcasting, "I chose my own time to give it all away".[8]

Television

In the 1960s McGowan hosted a show called Teen Time On Ten on regional Victorian television station GLV-10.[9]

Recordings

In 1979 McGowan had a top ten hit in Australia with a narrative piece called A Little Boy's Christmas Prayer which has since been re–released on compilation CDs.

He also compiled and released a nostalgia CD containing tracks by various artists, called And Then Came Rock n Roll.

Publications/writing

McGowan published six books, known as the Overnighters books. Titles include Thanks for the Memories, You Must Remember This, Motherhood and Apple Pie and Good on You, Dad.

Following his retirement he was a regular contributor on radioinfo a website for broadcast professionals.[10]

Personal life

McGowan married his wife, Angela, in February 2006 on a paddle steamer in Echuca, Victoria.[3] He had a son and a daughter from his first marriage, to Jill.[11]

McGowan bred and raced standard-bred (harness) horses[12] and travelled extensively throughout Australia, particularly in the outback.[13] He supported the St Kilda Football Club[11] and Melbourne Storm.

In January 1977, McGowan was a passenger on the train that left the tracks and hit a bridge causing it to collapse on two carriages of the train, resulting in 83 deaths. The tragedy occurred in Granville in Sydney's west and became known as the Granville rail disaster. McGowan survived because he always sat in the last carriage as he felt it was safer. His first-hand reporting of the tragedy on radio 2UW, on the John Laws program, was "one of the most powerful news reports filed in Australian radio", according to award-winning news reporter and journalist, Andrew Rule.[11]

Overnight on 19 December 2013, McGowan suffered a stroke in his sleep and died at approximately 11.00pm on 22 December 2013, after his life support was switched off.[1][2][14]

The late Keith McGowan was recognised in the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours with an OAM for his service to broadcast media spanning 54 years.[15]

References

  1. 1 2 Gillett, Christopher (23 December 2013). "Former 3AW radio star Keith McGowan dies after suffering stroke". Herald Sun. News Ltd. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Vale Keith McGowan". Radio Today. Radio Today. 23 December 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  3. 1 2 "Night owl has no plans to fly the coop". The Age. Fairfax Media. 12 July 2010. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  4. ↑ "Good Guy Keith McGowan dies aged 70". Perth Herald. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  5. ↑ "Keith McGowan still a good guy". 6PR. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  6. ↑ Keith McGowan celebrates 50 years in radio. 3AW website | Retrieved 23 March 2013
  7. ↑ Keith hangs up the mic (3AW Blog, 1 July 2011)
  8. ↑ "Apologies to Keith McGowan". radioinfo. radioinfo. 30 April 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  9. ↑ Teen Time. Television.AU website | Retrieved 23 March 2013
  10. ↑ radioinfo | retrieved 23 March 2013
  11. 1 2 3 Rule, Andrew (26 December 2013). "No saint, but he talked a good game". Herald Sun. News Ltd. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  12. ↑ Harris, Rob (23 December 2013). "Tributes flow for Keith McGowan". The Weekly Times. News Corp. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  13. ↑ Westbury, John (12 October 2012). "Keith McGowan–Overnighter to Overlander - October 2012". What's Up Downunder. Parable Productions. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  14. ↑ "Keith McGowan". 3AW. Fairfax Radio Network. 21 December 2013. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
  15. ↑ http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2014/06/09/queen-s-birthday-2014-honours-list-released.html
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