Ray Hadley

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Ray Hadley : biography

27 September 1954 –

He quit auctioneering to become a taxi driver, so that he could spend his weekends getting casual work as a race broadcaster. By 1980, he was calling the greyhound races at Appin, Bulli and Nowra.

Radio career

2UE

One day, while driving his taxi, he was called to Radio 2UE in Sydney to pick up news director Mark Collier, who gave him casual work at the station. Within a month, he was presenting traffic reports for Gary O’Callaghan’s breakfast program, and did on-air promotions for various 2UE programs. He eventually landed up as an understudy race caller, behind Des Hoysted and John Tapp.

In 1987, Hadley was chosen to head up 2UE’s Rugby League coverage: The Continuous Call Team. The station had ratings victories 10 out of the 13 years 2UE had the rights to cover the game during his tenure.In 1994, he was the first league broadcaster since Frank Hyde to attract 200,000 listeners per quarter hour. During that time, he was also understudy and fill-in presenter for morning show presenter John Laws.

In 1999, 2UE lost the rights to the National Rugby League to 2GB. Faced with a difficult challenge to retain listeners, 2UE asked Hadley to present a rugby league program without access to the actual game. Despite this hurdle, the renamed Talking League Team won every rating period during 2000 and 2001. At times 2GB complained that the frequent "updates" given on the show extended to near real time commentary, which 2UE denied.

During his time at 2UE, Ray also broadcast at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and was commentating on Cathy Freeman’s memorable 400m race, where she had won gold. Freeman had later heard the replay of the race, and said that Ray’s call made it sound better than she thought it was. (This could use a source)

2GB

In December 2001, Hadley joined 2GB to present the weekend rugby league coverage but when fellow 2UE presenter Alan Jones came to 2GB in April 2002 Ray accepted an offer to present the morning show as well. " His talkback show started as a traditionally local, community and state-based current affairs oriented – but over the past two years he has extended his program to networks stations in regional NSW, Queensland and the ACT.

His favourite music genre is country and western (both traditional and modern) – especially new releases and some old favourites but would occasionally play nostalgic 50’s 60’s and 70’s radio-friendly pop hits. Hadley’s opening theme is "Murrumbidgee" by one of his favourite country groups, The Wolverines, who are also great mates, while the closing theme is the world famous country instrumental "Last Date" from renowned country pianist Floyd Cramer.

In 2009 Hadley started broadcasting to a wider audience. His program from 9am to midday is also broadcast to stations across Rural NSW, Queensland and parts of Victoria and through Canberra station 2CC. Those stations are part of the Southern Cross network owned by Macquarie Bank Media and Capital Radio and are some of the stations which also broadcast the Continuous Call Team.

While Hadley achieved a new milestone in May 2009 when his 2GB morning show ratings reached 19.1% (the best figure for a morning show since John Laws topped 20% in the early 1980s, and back then there were no FM stations in the Sydney market), he bettered it two years later when in May 2011 he became the highest ever listened to radio announcer in Australian radio, commanding an unprecedented 20.1%.

Awards

He has been named the best Radio Sports Broadcaster at the "Rawards" for the 8 out of the past 11 years, and was awarded an Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Queen’s Birthday 2002 Honours List for services to rugby league (as a broadcaster) and the community, through fundraising initiatives for charitable organisations.

Hadley won an accolade at the 2006 ACRAs (also known as the RAWARDS) for "Best Current Affairs Presenter". He won that award again 2009 and became the first radio broadcaster to win both that award and best sports commentator. He has won 20 major ACRA Radio awards since 1987.