Parkinson’s Disease Claims a Quiet Achiever of the Broadcasting Industry

This week we said farewell to Graeme Greenwood, one of the quiet achievers of the broadcasting industry in Australia. 

Best known for his work in FM radio, Graeme was chief engineer in the creation of one of the first two FM radio stations in the country, 2DayFM, established in 1980 on behalf of three industry legends and co-founders: John Laws, Mike Willesee and Graham Kennedy. A technical genius with a passion for all things radio, Graeme eventually went on to become 2DayFM’s General Manager. He was a pioneer of radio automation and programming, leading to greater business efficiency and ultimately a speedier path to profitability for the fledgling station. 

Graeme’s other great passion was the sea. He had sailed many parts of the world by the time I met him and was fondly referred to as “The Admiral”. Middle-aged by then and down-to-earth, he ultimately had a big influence on my adult life. He nurtured long-term positive relationships with colleagues and friends and left an indelible impression on those he spent time with.

Graeme left the big smoke in the 1990s and headed to the Mid North Coast of NSW where he became co-owner of AM radio station 2MC and acquired the licence to build RoxFM (now HIT FM), gaining recognition as a local personality through community involvement. After a decade at the helm of commercial radio on the Mid North Coast, Graeme entered early retirement, selling his stake in the radio stations and moving to a house on the edge of Watson Taylor Lake. 

Graeme always opened his home to his friends. I and many others owe him enormous gratitude for his generosity throughout his life. A lifelong HAM (amateur) radio enthusiast, Graeme drew friends from all over the world. Shortly before his 60th birthday and just a couple of years into retirement, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. The disease took over quite rapidly and he lost his ability to drive and sail. Through various medications and alternative treatments he struggled to slow the progress of the disease and reluctantly moved back to Sydney. Despite increasing physical limitations, Graeme continued to challenge himself and found a new passion creating bold computer-generated art. Eventually he lost his ability to operate the computer keyboard too. Last week, after 16 years living with Parkinson’s, Graeme passed away. He was remembered by family, friends and former colleagues as a fearless navigator of the broadcasting world, mentor to many and a dedicated friend to all. 

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