It began when the Whitlam Government established radio stations 2EA in Sydney and 3EA in Melbourne in June 1975, when as SBS aired its first radio broadcast.
The Whitlam Government created 2EA and 3EA to provide information to non-English speaking communities, particularly about the then-new national health scheme, Medibank (the forerunner to Medicare), and other government programs.
The “radio experiment” was only meant to run for 12 weeks, delivering pre-recorded messages in the languages of migrant communities — four hours a day — to Sydney and Melbourne audiences, in seven and eight languages.
In 1976 year later, under the Liberal Fraser Government, a Consultative Committee on Ethnic Broadcasting was established — a step in recognising the need for multicultural media.
The 1942 Broadcasting and Television Act was amended to formally create the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS).
The new legislation came into effect on January 1, 1978, and SBS Television launched its first test broadcasts in April 1979. These early programs, aired on Sunday mornings, and featured content in various languages.
It all began with radio
Station 2EA in Sydney went live on June 9, 1975, followed two weeks later by 3EA in Melbourne, on June 23.
The lead-up to those early broadcasts was marked by community support — particularly from the Greek Australian community — with support from Al Grassby, Minister for Immigration in the first Whitlam Government.
Themis Kallos, Director of SBS Greek Radio, said the launch of 2EA and 3EA began with these historic words:
“This is Al Grassby, on behalf of the Australian Community Relations Office, welcoming you all to Radio 2EA, the voice of ethnic Australia.”
At 3EA in Melbourne, the broadcast was introduced by Dimitris “Takis” Gogos, founder of Neos Kosmos, in whose name the station’s operating licence had been issued. In Sydney, the 2EA licence was issued under the name of Takis Kaldis, then the Neos Kosmos correspondent in the city.
Those first the words spoken during the inaugural Greek-language broadcast on 2EA and 3EA — words that soon became reality.
“Good morning. Today we’re broadcasting for the first time, and we don’t know if anyone is listening, how many of you are listening, or where you’re listening from.
“But we hope that before long, the whole Greek community will be tuning in.”
Through 2EA and 3EA, and later through SBS, dozens of Greek Australian journalists emerged —informing, entertaining, and connecting the community.
About 18 months before SBS’s forerunners launched, Neos Kosmos reported on 31 January 1974 that the Australian Broadcasting Control Board had lifted the 2.5 per cent cap on foreign language content. Stations could now air more non-English programs, provided they included English translations. Media Minister Senator Doug McClelland, acting on a submission by Immigration Minister Al Grassby, said the move aimed to encourage broader access and commercial support. At the time, migrants made up 20 per cent of the population — up from 14 per cent in the early 1950s — and the change was seen as a step toward ending media discrimination.
The new migrant radio station 3EA will begin operating in Melbourne on 23 June. It will broadcast programs in seven languages, including Greek.”
The case for a national broadcaster
The editorial also raised the role of public broadcasting. In other migrant-receiving countries — such as West Germany — foreign language content was abundant and government-supported. Why not in Australia?
The piece suggested that Canberra should consider sending a bipartisan parliamentary delegation to study migrant policies abroad — including the provision of multilingual programming — as part of a broader commitment to migrant integration and support.
“We strongly supported the call for multilingual broadcasts and are proud of the government’s decision,” Neos Kosmos had written in the lead-up to the launch of ethnic radio.
“Now let’s ensure these programs reflect the best of Greek — and broader migrant — culture and art.”
These efforts bore fruit. On the front page of Neos Kosmos on June 9, 1975 — the day SBS Radio began its Greek-language broadcasting in Sydney — the headline was “June 23 marks the launch of a new migrant radio station”
It read:
“The new 3EA station will commence broadcasts in Melbourne on 23 June, airing programs in seven languages — including Greek.”
Last Wednesday, a newly appointed government committee held its first meeting in Canberra, chaired by Mr Bayutti, to review the technical and operational matters of the new station.”
The committee included Walter Lippmann, Dimitris Gogos, Al Grassby, Rina Haber, Marou Alagich, Terry Fairbairn, Nassel Brennan, and Senators Gordon Davidson and Tony Mulvihill.
Following the meeting, Mr Bayutti said:
“I’m thrilled with the progress made. We’ll meet again on 30 June in Melbourne. I appeal to the Australian press — and especially the ethnic newspapers — to support our work.”
Gogos on Greek-language programming
Speaking about the Greek programming, Neos Kosmos founder Dimitris “Takis” Gogos said:
“The Sydney station, called 2EA, begins broadcasting in Greek on 9 June (today).
In Melbourne, an advisory committee — made up of representatives from all Greek newspapers — has been tasked with organising the Greek broadcasts. Among the invited members is Mr Andreas Skrenis, President of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria.”
This marked a milestone in the journey toward multilingual broadcasting in Australia — not just as a policy initiative, but as a cultural turning point for the Greek and wider migrant communities.
From print to radio: Greek voice of 3EA hits the airwaves
Dimitris Gogos in a public statement said, “3EA is not a business — it’s a community station, by the community, for the community”.
Just days before the launch of the new Greek-language program on Melbourne’s ethnic radio station 3EA, Neos Kosmos reported on the station’s plans, community involvement, and the public debate it sparked.
As published on June19, 1975, the new Greek program was scheduled to begin broadcasting on Monday, June 23 , with two-hour slots repeated three times throughout the day:
The program would feature Greek music and community updates, aiming to serve Melbourne’s growing Greek-speaking audience.
Community-led programming
A coordinating committee made up of representatives from all Greek newspapers was tasked with overseeing the content of the Greek-language broadcasts — a deliberate move to ensure broad representation and ensure that the reporting was unbiased and factual.
Within two weeks, a community-wide meeting of Greek organisations and associations would be held to decide on broader representation on the programming committee.
The station’s pivotal role
In response to confusion and criticism from some in the community, Dimitris (Takis) Gogos, founding editor of Neos Kosmos and a member of the station’s governing board, issued a public statement:
“Some people are trying to create confusion by suggesting that 3EA is a commercial station given to businessmen to serve private interests.
This is false. The station is not commercial.
Everyone working on the programs is a volunteer — no one is being paid.
The ten-member board appointed by the government includes two senators (one from the government and one from the opposition), a professor, an associate professor, and several representatives of migrant communities.
The makeup of the board proves that 3EA is not a business — it’s a government initiative for multicultural broadcasting.”
Gogos reminded the public that 3EA was a 12-week pilot project, with a mission to entertain, inform, and support the cultural development of migrant communities — a steppingstone towards the future SBS.
Daily broadcast: Greek on 3EA gains momentum
In 1975, Neos Kosmos played a key role in supporting Melbourne’s new ethnic station 3EA and its Sydney counterpart 2EA, which gave migrants a stronger voice.
Unlike ACCESS Radio, which allowed open expression on any topic within the law, 3EA was government-regulated for entertainment and information only, excluding politics and controversy.
Dimitris (Takis) Gogos, Neos Kosmos founding editor, gathered Greek newspaper reps and community leaders like Andreas Skrinis (Greek Orthodox Community) and Nikos Politis (Social Welfare) to form a programming committee ensuring broad community representation and guarding against private interests.
Gogos urged support for both ACCESS and 3EA, warning against premature criticism and stressing that success would strengthen calls for permanent ethnic broadcasting.
In August 1975, the government allocated $150,000 to continue 2EA, 3EA, and others temporarily. By September, 3EA expanded from weekly to daily two-hour broadcasts, including daily news covering Australian, Greek, and international affairs.
Leaders like Gogos, Antonis Toumbouros, Nikos Skiadopoulos, and Dinos Melidonis laid the foundation for Greek programs that would shape the future of ethnic broadcasting in Australia.
