Editing 2BS 95.1 FM

{{short description|Radio station in Bathurst, New South Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2019}}

{{Infobox radio station
| name             = 2BS
| logo             =
| city             = [[Bathurst, New South Wales]], Australia
| area             = 
| branding         = 2BS 95.1 FM
| frequency        = 95.1 [[Megahertz|MHz]] [[FM radio|FM]]
| repeater         = 
| airdate          = 1 January 1937<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article160345314 |title=OFFICIAL OPENING. |newspaper=[[The National Advocate]] |location=Bathurst, NSW |date=2 January 1937 |accessdate=10 November 2014 |page=2 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
| format           = 
| power            = 8 [[kilowatt]]s
| erp              = 
| haat             = 
| class            = Commercial
| facility_id      = 
| coordinates      = {{Coord|33.4157|S|149.5793|E|type:landmark_region:AU-NSW|display=title}}
| callsign_meaning = '''2''' – New South Wales<br />'''B'''athur'''S'''t
| former_callsigns = 
| affiliations     = 
| owner            = [[Broadcast Operations Group]]
| licensee         = Bathurst Broadcasters Pty Ltd
| sister_stations  = [[B-Rock 99.3FM]]
| webcast          = 
| website          = [https://www.2bs.com.au 2bs.com.au] 
}}

'''2BS''' is an Australian [[commercial radio]] station broadcasting to the [[Central Tablelands]] of [[New South Wales]]. Owned and operated by [[Broadcast Operations Group]], the station broadcasts a [[news talk]] and [[classic hits]] music format with local programming presented from studios in [[Bathurst, New South Wales|Bathurst]].

For close to fifty years, the station was operated by local proprietors Ron and Stephanie Camplin, and was previously owned by the [[London Times Mirror]] and [[Australian Consolidated Press]]. In June 2019, 2BS and its sister station [[B-Rock 99.3FM|B-Rock FM]] were sold to the [[Broadcast Operations Group]], owned by Bill Caralis.<ref name="sale">{{Cite web|url=https://www.radioinfo.com.au/news/end-era-2bs-and-b-rock-sold-caralis|title=2BS and B rock sold to Caralis|accessdate=3 June 2019|date=3 June 2019|work=Radioinfo.com.au}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Wireless Weekly - 1937 02 05 - 2BS Bathurst - Studio + Staff.jpg|thumb|right|Photograph of 2BS Bathurst studio and staff on opening day]]

[[File:Wireless Weekly - 1937 02 05 - Radio 2BS - Transmitter + Staff.jpg|thumb|right|Radio 2BS transmitter and staff on opening day of 1 January 1937]]

The station began broadcasting on 1 January 1937.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article160345314 |title=OFFICIAL OPENING. |newspaper=[[The National Advocate]] |location=Bathurst, NSW |date=2 January 1937 |accessdate=29 November 2014 |page=2 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Prior to that, a station owned by the Mockler Brothers, with the [[broadcast call signs|call sign]] 2MK, had existed in Bathurst, first broadcasting on 31 October 1925.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article118044367 |title=BROADCASTING STATION. |newspaper=[[The Bathurst Times]] |location=NSW |date=30 October 1925 |accessdate=29 November 2014 |page=2 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> 2BS was not always the intended call sign - 2BX was also considered. A station located at Meadow Lane, which was to serve both Bathurst and [[Lithgow, New South Wales|Lithgow]], was also projected to start in 1925 with the call letters ''2LE''. That station never eventuated.

In the 1950s, it was discovered that 2BS's signal was interfering at night with the signal of Melbourne station [[3AK]]. That forced 3AK to become a daytime-only station, having previously been an overnight station.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23304147 |title=Radio promise to RSL denied 'DOUBLE-DEAL' TILT ANGERS MR. MENZIES. |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |location=Melbourne |date=26 December 1953 |accessdate=29 November 2014 |page=4 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The problem was fixed in the 1960s by switching to directional antennas, which led to 3AK commencing 24-hour transmission. At that time, [[ACP Magazines|Australian Consolidated Press]] (ACP) owned both stations. In 1969, ACP sold 2BS to Ron Camplin, who owned the station until mid 2019.

2BS is an [[adult contemporary music|adult contemporary]] station with a prime target audience of 25+, playing music from the 1950s onwards. Its Breakfast and Drive programs are produced locally, with other programs being networked:  [[John Laws (radio broadcaster)|John Laws]], [[John Stanley (broadcaster)|John Stanley]], and the [[Continuous Call Team]] from [[2GB]] [[Sydney]].

2BS recently opened FM repeater stations in the surrounding towns of [[Blayney, New South Wales|Blayney]], [[Oberon, New South Wales|Oberon]] and [[Sofala, New South Wales|Sofala]].

While 2BS has been promoting itself as a rarity being one of the few remaining locally owned commercial broadcasters in Australia, however radio industry website Radioinfo sources say a sale of 2BS and BRock Bathurst was imminent in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radioinfo.com.au/news/ownership-speculation-continues-bathurst-2bs-seeks-switch-fm|title = Ownership speculation continues in Bathurst as 2BS seeks switch to FM|date = 9 May 2018}}</ref> In June 2019, the Camplins sold Bathurst Broadcasters to the Bill Caralis-owned [[Broadcast Operations Group]], which holds the license of [[2EL]] in the adjacent radio market of [[Orange, New South Wales|Orange]].<ref name="sale"/>

==See also==
*[[List of radio stations in Australia]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
* http://www.radioheritage.net/Story192.asp

==External links==
* {{official website|http://www.2bs.com.au/}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20041010004821/http://www.countrywideradio.com.au/station2bs.htm Countrywide Radio Sales profile]

{{Broadcast Operations Group}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2BS}}
[[Category:Bathurst, New South Wales]]
[[Category:Radio stations in New South Wales]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1937]]
[[Category:Classic hits radio stations in Australia]]