Prime marks 50 years in Wagga

Prime7 Wagga Wagga is throwing itself a party tonight to celebrate its 50th birthday today.

Originally known as Riverina Television Limited (RVN-2), the first transmission began on 19th June 1964 at 7.00pm.

Transmitting from Mt Ulandra, the opening broadcast began with the Royal Australian Engineers Band from the Kapooka Army Barracks playing the Australian National Anthem on the grounds of the Kooringal studios, followed by an appearance of first presenter of the station, Paul Griffiths, welcoming viewers to the broadcast.

The first featured program on the channel was The Frank Ifield Show, followed by a documentary program Hollywood, The Golden Years and the first local news bulletin and weather report.

Prime7 will hold a gala function in Wagga Wagga tonight, hosted by former long-standing news presenter and current Prime7 network director of news, Doug Hogan.

Attending will be Prime Media group director Ian Neal, chief executive officer Ian Audsley, members of the executive team, current news presenter Natalie Forrest and former RVN-2 managing director Ted Thomas.

Local identities will include former news presenters Tony Pritchard, Allan Hull and Seven News reporter Ashlea Brown.

Prime7 station manager Steve Wright said: “I am very proud and honoured to be a part of Prime7, especially during this 50th Anniversary year. Five decades of informing and entertaining a very diverse region and 50 years of playing its part in the economic prosperity of the community.

“While I have only been with the station for a fraction of those 50 years, in that short time I have come to admire what the station and the people who have worked here have achieved. The passion, the ingenuity and pride they have for the television industry is as much a part of the station, as is the bricks and mortar.

“2014 is an exciting year for Prime7 and we look forward to many more.”