A lot has happened in Steve Barker’s life in the year and a half since he finally switched off the early alarms and resigned as 4BC’s Breakfast newsreader.
But now he feels he’s in the right place, at the right time.
Having previously worked at a host of radio stations including 2GB, 2UE and Triple M, Steve recently embarked on a new career chapter, joining the team at Australian Independent Radio News.
Reflecting on the 4BC years, Steve tells Radio Today “No matter how much you love a job, position or opportunity, there comes a time when you need to pull out.”
For Steve, that time had certainly come. It was September 2024. Near on three years of 3.45am alarms had zapped his joie de vivre.
“The Daily 4BC mantra for me was ‘Energy UP – Enthusiasm ON.’ Every shift. Every day. Even when some thought I was a little weird.”
“You must do what works for you. Particularly to get through breakfast. Energy UP – Enthusiasm ON! Without fail.”
“Then I had to continue with mornings, every half hour. Relentless, yet rewarding.”
“However – to paraphrase former Nationals Leader David Littleproud recently – I was buggered!”
“Also, I think I had pushed Nine management enough on several topics,” Steve says. “I’ve always been a one-man band, who invariably ends up in an orchestra.”
“So when you make a tough decision (to leave) and follow through, what do you do next?”
Steve drew upon some previous advice shared with him by entertainment industry heavyweights in Kevin Golsby and Jon English: There will be quiet times. You need to have other skills.
“Fortunately, I have always had a passion for real estate and renovating,” says Steve.
And so, he made another life changing decision.
He sold the Brisbane base where he and his partner Jan had lived for four years and moved Hervey Bay.
“More water. Less traffic. Better lifestyle,” he smiles.
And a renovation opportunity to boot.
“I bit off a little more than I could chew, so I have ‘chewed like hell,’ for the past 15 months. Miss Jan and I now have a wonderful property with 2 home offices and views of the Coral Sea.”
During this time, Steve got a call out of the blue from AIR News owner Terry Daniel.
After a false start, lots of paint, gyprock dust and numerous tradespeople, Steve officially joined the AIR News team earlier this year.
“Back in the saddle, albeit on a different horse, which ironically, runs on the ‘9 radio track,’” Steve laughs.
In recent years, AIR News has acquired the services of experienced radio reporters including ex-ARN and Cruise 1323 Breakfast newsreader Alan Baskin, former senior Network 10 producer Mark Dransfield and former 3XY and Gold 104.3 News Director Michael Lynch.
“It works so well – with many experienced radio people, all working from home studios, adding professionalism and immediacy to nearly 150 stations across the country, hourly,” says Steve.
“The same joy. The same buzz. And you can wear overalls – which sometimes I do!”
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have one more wall to paint!”
Images supplied.