View source for 2CH

{{other uses}}
{{Use Australian English|date=March 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name               = 2CH
| logo               = 2CH_radio_logo.png
| city               = [[Sydney]], Australia
| area               = 
| branding           = Classic Hits 2CH
| frequency          = DAB+ Sydney 2
| airdate            = {{start date|1932|02|15|df=y}}
| last_airdate       = 10 June 2022
| format             = [[Classic Hits]]
| power              = 
| erp                = 5kW
| haat               = 
| class              = 
| facility_id        = 
| coordinates        = 
| callsign_meaning   = '''Ch'''urches = The Council of Churches
| former_callsigns   = 
| former_frequencies = 1210 [[kHz]] AM (1932–1935)<br/>1190 kHz (1935-1952)<br/>1170 kHz [[Amplitude modulation|AM]] (1952 – 22 October 2020)
| owner              = [[Sports Entertainment Network]]
| licensee           = Radio 2CH Pty Ltd
| sister_stations    = 
| webcast            = 
| website            = [https://web.archive.org/web/20220609025043/https://www.2ch.com.au/ www.2ch.com.au] }}

'''2CH''' was a commercial radio station in [[Sydney]], Australia which aired from 1932 to 2022. It was latterly owned by [[Sports Entertainment Network]].

==History==
[[Image:AWA 2CH transmitter ermington 1.jpg|thumb|The old 2CH transmitter in [[Ermington, New South Wales|Ermington]]]]
[[Image:AWA 2CH transmitter ermington 2.jpg|thumb|The old 2CH transmitter]]
'''2CH''' commenced broadcasting on 15 February 1932 on 1210&nbsp;kHz.<ref>{{cite news |date=5 February 1932 |title=2CH to Open Soon |page=8 |newspaper=[[Sydney Morning Herald]] |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16839156 |access-date=1 May 2010 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>[http://www.2ch.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1833&Itemid=55  2CH Celebrating 80 Years of Entertaining Sydney! ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321063941/http://www.2ch.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1833&Itemid=55 |date=21 March 2012 }} – 2CH. Retrieved 15 February 2012.</ref> It moved to 1190 kHz in September 1935,<ref>{{cite news |date=30 August 1935 |title=New Wave Lengths |page=11 |newspaper=[[Sydney Morning Herald]] |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17184965 |access-date=25 April 2010 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> then 1170 kHz in 1952.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sydney Morning Herald |date=30 May 1952}}</ref>

===Ownership===
The CH stands for "churches". In 1944, the NSW Council of Churches sub-let the licence to [[AWA Technology Services|AWA]] who provided program content for six days per week, with the Council of Churches being responsible for programming on Sundays. By 1991, [[MLC Limited|MLC]] had a 74% shareholding.<ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/122336038 Cross-ownership leads to resignation] ''[[Canberra Times]]'' 9 January 1991 page 15</ref> It was sold to [[John Singleton (Australian entrepreneur)|John Singleton]] in April 1994 becoming part of the [[Nine Radio|Macquarie Radio Network]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Lecky |first=Sue |date=21 April 1994 |title=Singleton Short-Circuits 2CH News |page=3 |newspaper=[[Sydney Morning Herald]] |department=News and Features |url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?docID=news940420_0084_2518 |access-date=26 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321004828/http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?docID=news940420_0084_2518 |archive-date=21 March 2012}}</ref> In June 2003, its studios moved from [[Sussex Street, Sydney|Sussex Street]] to [[Pyrmont, New South Wales|Pyrmont]].<ref>[https://radioinfo.com.au/news/2ch-end-era/ 2CH end of an era] Radioinfo 5 February 2003</ref>

In January 2017, 2CH was sold to a consortium of Oceania Capital Partners, [[Glenn Wheatley]] and John Williams for $5.6&nbsp;million.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2CH sold to Oceania Capital|url=http://www.radiotoday.com.au/news/whats-new/10222-2ch-sold-to-oceania-capital.html|access-date=19 December 2016|website=radiotoday.com.au|date=19 December 2016 }}</ref> The station had to be sold to comply with an undertaking given to the [[Australian Communications & Media Authority]] following the merger of the Macquarie Radio Network and [[Fairfax Media]] (owners of [[2GB]] and [[2UE]] respectively) to comply with legislation allowing one party to only control two radio stations in a market.<ref>[https://mumbrella.com.au/glenn-wheatleys-eon-broadcasting-adds-2ch-network-forced-macquarie-media-sale-416672 Glenn Wheatley's EON Broadcasting adds 2CH to network after forced Macquarie Media sale] ''[[Mumbrella]]'' 19 December 2016</ref>

The station posted a loss of $1.9 million on revenue of $2.4 million for the year to March 2019<ref>{{cite web|date=26 June 2019|title=Oceania Capital Partners Annual Report 2019|url=https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20190524/pdf/445bkzsth3j9ds.pdf|work=ASX}}</ref> In June 2020, it was sold for $11 million to [[Sports Entertainment Network]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-06-04|title=Craig Hutchison's sports network SEN has acquired 2CH Sydney|url=https://www.radiotoday.com.au/sen-acquires-2ch/|access-date=2020-06-05|website=Radio Today|language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=2CH to keep Music Format: That's a Croc... {{!}} radioinfo|url=https://radioinfo.com.au/news/2ch-keep-music-format-%E2%80%99s-croc|access-date=2021-03-04|website=radioinfo.com.au|language=en|archive-date=1 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301014236/https://radioinfo.com.au/news/2ch-keep-music-format-%E2%80%99s-croc|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Church thanksgiving===
On 18 February 2007, a thanksgiving service to celebrate 2CH's 75 years of broadcasting was held at [[St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney|St Andrew's Anglican Cathedral]] commencing at 2&nbsp;pm. The [[Peter Jensen (bishop)|Reverend Peter Jensen]], the [[Anglican]] [[Archbishop]] of Sydney presided with Rev. Dr. [[Ross Clifford]] preaching.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nswchurches.com/content/ComingEvents.aspx|title=NSW Council of Churches – Coming Events|access-date=13 February 2007|archive-date=27 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927015104/http://www.nswchurches.com/content/ComingEvents.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Transition to 'DAB+ only' radio station and final end ===
In August 2020 after the station was purchased by Pacific Star, it was announced that 2CH would be switching to only broadcasting on digital radio.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 August 2020 |title=2CH goes to DAB+ only as AM1170 moves to sport in Sydney |url=https://radioinfo.com.au/news/2ch-goes-dab-only-am1170-moves-sport-sydney/ |access-date=28 August 2023 |website=RadioInfo Australia}}</ref> 2CH was heard on DAB+ radio until 10 June 2022, after briefly simulcasting on DAB+ and 1170&nbsp;kHz in the AM broadcast band. The station used be live-streamed over the internet until the station demise.

Although not the first [[Digital radio in Australia#Current services|'DAB+ only' radio station]] in Australia, 2CH was probably the first to transition by relinquishing its AM radio frequency allocation.

[[Trevor Sinclair (radio presenter)|Trevor Sinclair]] broadcast his final show on the [[Broadcast band|AM broadcast band]] from Midday-7pm on 22 October 2020. Chris Kearns broadcast his show on both AM and [[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB+]] until midnight 22 October 2020, when the AM frequency 1170&nbsp;kHz was taken over by 1170 SEN, carrying a dedicated sports broadcasting network, known as the [[Sports Entertainment Network]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 October 2022 |title=Brandy and Brantz join 1170 SEN Sydney |url=https://radioinfo.com.au/news/brandy-and-brantz-join-1170-sen-sydney/ |access-date=28 August 2023 |website=RadioInfo Australia}}</ref> At 6{{nbsp}}pm on 10 June 2022, 2CH left the airwaves for the final time with Jane Nield as the last live announcer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sydney's 2CH on DAB+ {{!}} |url=https://www.2ch.com.au/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606122838/https://www.2ch.com.au/ |archive-date=6 June 2023 |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=2CH |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Patterson |first=Sarah |date=2022-06-09 |title=Goodbye 2CH |url=https://radiotoday.com.au/goodbye-2ch/ |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=Radio Today |language=en-AU}}</ref> This follows an 18 month legacy after the Sports Entertainment Network purchased the station in 2020, and an unsuccessful DAB+ trial.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Manning |first=James |date=2022-06-09 |title=Radio station 2CH axed! SEN pulls the plug after unsuccessful DAB+ trial |url=https://www.mediaweek.com.au/radio-station-2ch-axed-sen-pulls-the-plug-after-unsuccessful-dab-trial/ |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=[[Mediaweek (Australia)|Mediaweek]]|language=en-AU}}</ref>

The former 2CH medium wave frequency, 1170 kHz, is now used by SEN 1170.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Listen Live to 1170 SEN Sydney |url=https://www.sen.com.au/listen-live-sen-sydney |access-date=2024-06-12 |website=www.sen.com.au |language=en}}</ref>

Veteran radio presenter [[Bob Rogers (DJ)|Bob Rogers]] worked at the station, from 1995 until he retired in early October 2020, at the age of 93.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-09-28|title=Legendary broadcaster Bob Rogers confirms radio retirement|url=https://www.radiotoday.com.au/bob-rogers-2ch-retirement/|access-date=2021-03-04|website=Radio Today|language=en-AU}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20220609025043/https://www.2ch.com.au/ Official website]
*[[c:Category:2CH|Media at Wikimedia Commons under Category: 2CH]]
*[https://www.radioheritage.com/story26/ Radio Heritage Foundation - 2CH in 1946]

{{1116 SEN}}
{{Sydney Radio}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2ch}}
[[Category:Defunct radio stations in Australia|2CH]]
[[Category:Easy listening radio stations in Australia]]
[[Category:Oldies radio stations in Australia]]
[[Category:Pacific Star Network]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1932]]
[[Category:Radio stations disestablished in 2022]]
[[Category:Radio stations in Sydney]]
[[Category:1932 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:2022 disestablishments in Australia]]