Reeks 056/18 - Collected records of the Council of Churches Broadcasting/Radio 2CH

The Reverend Bernard George Judd, a student at Moore Theological College from 1941-1942, was ordained Deacon in 1942, Priest in 1943, and began his long ministry at St. Peter's, East Sydney in 1947. Reverend Judd's many active interests, including Secretary of the N.S.W. Council of Churches from 1957 and Director of Hammondville Homes from 1946, led to his being awarded the M.B.E. in 1973. In 1993 he was awarded the Medal in the Order of Australia for services to the community, particularly for his work with the NSW Council of Churches. The papers held document Reverend Judd's active involvement in several organizations campaigning for contemporary moral and political issues, specifically — The Protestant Convention of 1953, the 1959 State election and the 1974-1975 Sunday Trading Debate.

A broadcasting license was granted to the NSW Council of Churches in 1931, with the first broadcast made on Radio 2CH in 1932. In 1936 Amalgamated Wireless Australasia took over the operation of 2CH. In 1944 the station facilities were purchased by Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia). As a result of changes to the Broadcasting and Television Act 1969, in 1970 the NSW Council of Churches Broadcasting Company was established and became the licensee of 2CH. In 1989 a new company, Council of Churches Broadcasters Pty Ltd was established, and Radio 2CH Pty Ltd was also established to hold the broadcasting license and operate the station. In 1995 CCB sold its shares in 2CH to Radio Superhighway Pty Ltd, now known as Macquarie Radio Network. In 2011, a Deed of Trust was executed between the NSW Council of Churches and CCB, creating a Broadcasting Committee which integrates the broadcasting activities of the two bodies. CCB and the Broadcasting Committee meet conjointly.
In 2015 the Macquarie Radio Network merged with the Fairfax Radio network to form the Macquarie Media Network, which required them to divest themselves of 2CH. In January 2017, 2CH was sold to a consortium of Oceania Capital Partners, Glenn Wheatley and John Williams. In June 2020, it was sold to Pacific Star Network, who switched it to a DAB+ only channel, before it went off air in June 2022.