By Jason Dasey
It was the end of an era when Paul Barrett hosted the 101FM breakfast show for the last time earlier this month.
When Paul came off the air after his regular four-hour shift on August 2nd, it brought down the curtain on more than 25 years of bringing biggest hits, greatest memories, local information and traffic updates to the greater Logan audience.
The 48-year-old began the 5am to 9am shift in August 1998, still in his early 20s and having cut his teeth in professional radio in rural New South Wales. Today, he fulfills a number of other roles at 101FM, including the production of on-air commercials and staff rostering.
The breakfast show’s loyal listeners — with many tuning in outside the Logan area — have grown to love Paul’s regular segments like Battle of the Stars. They also enjoy his humorous banter with traffic reporter, Herb, and with Monday morning host Mike Bennett –- 101FM president — especially their 9-minute breakfast show at 8:51am for the change of shift.
“It’s been a good ride and I’m very grateful to the audience, but I feel like it’s time to hand the breakfast baton to someone else,” said Paul, who will continue to serve as a 101FM host during other parts of the day.
Paul, who grew up in Logan and attended St Francis College in Crestmead, was born with cerebral palsy. But he was determined not to let his disability prevent him from fulfilling his dreams in radio.
He also worked as a casual panel operator for 4BC and 4BH in Brisbane for six years and performed a similar role at River 949 in Ipswich over 18 months.
“I’ve been a fan of radio since I was 8 or 9… it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do,” Paul said.
Some of Paul’s former colleagues including ex-4BC program director Greg Cary, former 4BC news director Scott Mayman and ABC host Loretta Ryan — in addition to industry luminaries like Spencer Howson and George Donikian — were among those paying tribute to Paul’s quarter of a century in community radio.
“You’ve brought pleasure to so many listeners for so many years and you’ve earned their loyalty, respect and love,” Greg Cary said.
After years of setting his alarm for 2:45am, Paul said he was looking forward to having a sleep-in and spending more time with his partner, Samantha.
