THE region lost one of it’s longest standing radio identities this week, with the passing of ABC’s Ron Josephs.
The radio veteran’s dulcet voice had been a familiar sound in the Silver City since he first started broadcasting in 1970 from the 2BH studios.
Josephs’ began working at ABC Broken Hill in 1996, presenting the Saturday breakfast show and weekly Jukebox segment, among others.
“Ron’s passing will be a great loss to our team, our listeners and the Broken Hill community,” said station editor Andrew Schmidt.
“He was without doubt the most knowledgeable person in term of music and radio I have ever worked with. He was also the most reliable and dependable.”
Josephs celebrated more than 50 years on air in 2020, and was awarded his 25-year ABC medal in June, 2021.
Despite being 78 years old and having worked a half century in radio, Schmidt said, “Ron was as energetic, passionate and interested in the world as ever.”
“He was happiest in helping people to learn the radio craft or those seeking advice on music, our listeners just loved his extensive playlist,” Schmidt said.
“For Ron, his job was his passion as much as it was his career.”
His love of broadcasting and music saw him heavily involved in Broken Hill’s community radio station 2 DRY FM, where he mentored many emerging radio announcers.
“Ron saw so many changes during his lifetime in radio,” Schmidt said.
“When he started, he was using the old eight-track cartridge then turntables, vinyl and cassettes onto minidiscs, SD cards and USBs up until the digital age.
“He is simply irreplaceable, there was only one Ron Josephs.”
