Thanks to our friends at CAAMA Radio, 8CCC-FM reached the ears of people right across Australia, to neighbouring countries such as Papua New Guinea and East Timor, and across the world via streaming audio on the CAAMA Website – and all this via a USB plug-in modem from the Alice Springs Show at Blatherskite Park!  This all happened on 3-4 July 2009, with many of our regular presenters being able to co-present with CAAMA Radio presenters and come together with a new flavour of the Show.  I think this was the third year we have worked together in this way, and a fine way to celebrate our shared history at a historical year for the Show – celebrating 50 years

Actually there was a Plan B and C in terms of technology for this outside broadcast, wonderfully supported by the technical team at CAAMA Radio, coordinated from the deck and mobile phone by G-Man (Gerry Lyon) who listeners may remember as a regular broadcaster on 8CCC-FM until he moved to full-time broadcasting with CAAMA radio some time ago.

I first met G-Man at the old 8CCC-FM studios at Centralian College where he was part of a team that put together a energy and sprit lifting Maori magazine style show on friday evenings (music, conversation, requests, and lots of laughter and stories).

It was great fun having the opportunity to co-present with him on the Saturday of the Show and get a taster of the radio communications technology used by CAAMA.  During the program we talked with NT politicians, Chris Burns and Rob Knight, local film-maker David Curl about a new website The Red Centre Channel http://www.theredcentrechannel.com/, Jenny from the Electoral Commission, Christina Bara from NT Chamber of Commerce talking about her role with the Desert Knowledge Australia Outback Business Networks Project http://www.desertknowledge.com.au/OBN as well as getting plenty of feedback from other showgoers on all the key information like what is the best eat at the Show, the crafts, the parade, the events and competitions and of course the deadliest ride …

Our heartfelt thanks to the CAAMA team.