FIFTY years ago tomorrow, Logie Award winners Bobby Limb, Digby Wolfe, Bert Newton and Bob Dyer were beamed onto Ballarat television screens, waving hello to a brand new station.
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WIN TV, formerly BTV6, will celebrate its half century after it began transmitting from its Ballarat North location on April 27, 1962.
According to former news director Roy Taylor, who began at the station in 1962 as a film supervisor, the first person to appear live was ex-radio station presenter Eric Grasie, who was the new station’s ‘on air’ personality.
“What made television more intimate in those early days were the live hosts in between programs,” Mr Taylor said.
“In the case of BTV6, Eric would appear at the end of the program to introduce the next event.”
Click to view photos from BTV6 over the years
Mr Taylor said Val Oldfield, now Val Sarah, was appointed the station’s first female presenter four months later, working on children’s programs.
BTV6’s initial line-up included
Ballarat-made shows soon followed, including
International celebrities also appeared on the program, including English comedians Derek Nimmo, Dick Emery and Harry Secombe and Hollywood superstar Sophia Loren. John Farnham, Marcia Hines, Kamahl and Normie Rowe were all regulars.
