Richard Kingsmill, Robbie Buck To Co-Host Special Broadcast On 2SER As Emergency Funding Reportedly Rejected

triple j broadcasters Richard Kingsmill and Robbie Buck are returning to the radio station where they launched their beginnings, 2SER, for a special broadcast tonight (18 May), Radio Info reports.

The pair return to where they got their start as the Sydney-based community radio station aims to celebrate its position as a platform for new broadcasters, journalists, and local music as it attempts to cement its future.

Last month, it was reported that 2SER may have only limited airtime left, with fears the broadcaster could close by July due to the cessation of vital funding.

As the Sydney Morning Herald reported, staff at the station – which broadcasts from the premises of University of Technology Sydney (UTS) – were informed that they had been unable to replace the funding which had been previously provided by co-owner Macquarie University.

Macquarie University announced the termination of its funding last year, with a spokesperson claiming the decision “aligns with the University’s responsibility to balance its core missions of education and research with long-term financial sustainability.”

Central News reports that a proposed emergency funding model to keep 2SER on the airwaves was reportedly rejected at a board meeting last week.

The University of Technology Sydney brought in radio consultant Tony Duke to come up with a new proposal, but Duke was reportedly only given nine days to come up with said plan. The proposal suggested the radio station would operate under a system of current UTS funding and revenue generated from 2SER.

Former 2SER manager Paula Kruger explained to Central News that the proposal model had been designed as a short-term structure while the station continues to seek long-term funding partners.

“It’s not ideal, but the way we see it, this is just a transition period,” Kruger said. “What we’re hoping it will do is buy us more time to have conversations with potential education partners.”

2SER was founded by UTS and Macquarie University and began broadcasting on October 1st, 1979, carving out a reputation as an influential presence on the Sydney airwaves over the coming decades.

Several prominent broadcasters have volunteered at 2SER over its lifetime, including former triple j broadcasters Richard Kingsmill, Robbie Buck, Tracee Hutchison, and Helen Razer, as well as other noted figures such as journalist and artist manager Stuart Coupe and politician Tanya Plibersek.