Spencer Howson
Encyclopedia
Spencer Howson is the "Breakfast" radio presenter on 612 ABC Brisbane
, an ABC
Local Radio
station in Brisbane
, Queensland
, Australia
. Columnist with the fortnightly free lifestyle magazine bmag
.
2011 is Spencer's twenty-first year in radio, fifteenth consecutive year on 612 ABC Brisbane
and tenth (sixth consecutive) as the breakfast host.
His family migrated to Australia
in 1981, settling in Brisbane. Spencer's first radio experience was at Brisbane
community station 4RPH
, part of the Australia-wide Radio Print Handicapped Network
, from 1990 to 1993. In 1991, at the age of 19, Spencer was elected Vice President of the 4RPH
Board of Directors
.
Spencer Howson joined ABC Local Radio in the Queensland city of Rockhampton
in 1993. He co-produced programmes presented by Andrew Lofthouse
and David Anderson
as well as presenting the Friday breakfast shift on 4RK (now re-branded as ABC Capricornia
). In 1994, when Andrew Lofthouse
moved to Brisbane, Spencer took over 4RK's 8.30am-11am shift. The first 15 minutes was a current affairs
round-up, networked across regional Queensland.
In 1995 and 1996, Spencer fronted the regional statewide 2-4pm shift. The programme emanated from Rockhampton until the end of June 1995. Spencer then moved back to Brisbane, whence he continued to present the statewide regional 2-4pm shift. From 1997 to 2000, Spencer Howson presented the 4QR (now re-branded 612 ABC Brisbane
) Breakfast Show. In 2001, he returned to his afternoon slot, this time broadcasting into Brisbane as well as regional Queensland.
In 2004 and 2005, Spencer hosted the 612 ABC Brisbane
4-6pm "Late Afternoon Show". He was named ABC Local Radio
"Broadcaster of the Year" in 2005 and returned to the 5am-7.45am Breakfast shift from January 2006. By the end of the year, the programme was #1 in Brisbane. It was the first time since 1984 that 612 ABC Brisbane
(formerly 612 4QR) had topped the coveted Breakfast ratings.
In May 2007, Spencer was listed in the inaugural Queensland edition of "Who's Who"
. The book "recognises and reveres" the 4,000 Queenslanders from the arts, community, business, sports, entertainment, rural, environment, medicine, science, media and politics "who have helped make Queensland what it is today".{[cn}}
In July 2007, Spencer Howson joined a "roster" of fill-in presenters back-filling the maternity leave of Jillian Whiting
on the Channel Nine
television show Extra
.
612 ABC Brisbane
612 ABC Brisbane is an ABC Local Radio station in Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of the largest stations in the network, serving as a base for Queensland programming - many programs are broadcast across the ABC Local Radio network in regional and rural areas of Queensland when those stations are...
, an ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
Local Radio
ABC Local Radio
ABC Local Radio is a network of publicly owned radio stations in Australia, operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.ABC Local Radio stations broadcast across the continent using terrestrial transmitters and satellites...
station in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Columnist with the fortnightly free lifestyle magazine bmag
BMAG
*Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery*Berliner Maschinenbau AG - German manufacturer of locomotives...
.
2011 is Spencer's twenty-first year in radio, fifteenth consecutive year on 612 ABC Brisbane
612 ABC Brisbane
612 ABC Brisbane is an ABC Local Radio station in Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of the largest stations in the network, serving as a base for Queensland programming - many programs are broadcast across the ABC Local Radio network in regional and rural areas of Queensland when those stations are...
and tenth (sixth consecutive) as the breakfast host.
His family migrated to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1981, settling in Brisbane. Spencer's first radio experience was at Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
community station 4RPH
4RPH
Radio 4RPH 1296 kHz is a volunteer manned community radio station in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.Radio 4RPH is a member of the Radio Print Handicapped Network. Its catch-phrases are, Your information station and Turning print into sound, and it is intended to serve all those who are, for any...
, part of the Australia-wide Radio Print Handicapped Network
Radio Print Handicapped Network
RPH Australia is the national peak representative organisaion for a unique Australian network of radio reading service designed to meet the daily information needs of people who, for any reason, are unable to access normal printed material...
, from 1990 to 1993. In 1991, at the age of 19, Spencer was elected Vice President of the 4RPH
4RPH
Radio 4RPH 1296 kHz is a volunteer manned community radio station in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.Radio 4RPH is a member of the Radio Print Handicapped Network. Its catch-phrases are, Your information station and Turning print into sound, and it is intended to serve all those who are, for any...
Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
.
Spencer Howson joined ABC Local Radio in the Queensland city of Rockhampton
Rockhampton, Queensland
Rockhampton is a city and local government area in Queensland, Australia. The city lies on the Fitzroy River, approximately from the river mouth, and some north of the state capital, Brisbane....
in 1993. He co-produced programmes presented by Andrew Lofthouse
Andrew Lofthouse
Andrew Lofthouse is a television and radio newsreader based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The English-born former teacher is the weeknight presenter of Nine News Queensland with Melissa Downes, having previously presented on weekends...
and David Anderson
David Anderson
David A. Anderson, is a former Canadian cabinet minister.Educated at Victoria College in Victoria, BC and the University of British Columbia, Anderson served as a foreign service officer in the Department of External Affairs between 1962 and 1968...
as well as presenting the Friday breakfast shift on 4RK (now re-branded as ABC Capricornia
ABC Capricornia
4RK, better known as ABC Capricornia is one of the ABC's original regional radio stations, predating the Corporation's inception on 1 July 1932. 4RK, as it was known at the time, began broadcasting on 29 July 1931 and was owned by the Australian Broadcasting Company. The power was initially 2...
). In 1994, when Andrew Lofthouse
Andrew Lofthouse
Andrew Lofthouse is a television and radio newsreader based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The English-born former teacher is the weeknight presenter of Nine News Queensland with Melissa Downes, having previously presented on weekends...
moved to Brisbane, Spencer took over 4RK's 8.30am-11am shift. The first 15 minutes was a current affairs
Current affairs (news format)
Current Affairs is a genre of broadcast journalism where the emphasis is on detailed analysis and discussion of news stories that have recently occurred or are ongoing at the time of broadcast....
round-up, networked across regional Queensland.
In 1995 and 1996, Spencer fronted the regional statewide 2-4pm shift. The programme emanated from Rockhampton until the end of June 1995. Spencer then moved back to Brisbane, whence he continued to present the statewide regional 2-4pm shift. From 1997 to 2000, Spencer Howson presented the 4QR (now re-branded 612 ABC Brisbane
612 ABC Brisbane
612 ABC Brisbane is an ABC Local Radio station in Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of the largest stations in the network, serving as a base for Queensland programming - many programs are broadcast across the ABC Local Radio network in regional and rural areas of Queensland when those stations are...
) Breakfast Show. In 2001, he returned to his afternoon slot, this time broadcasting into Brisbane as well as regional Queensland.
In 2004 and 2005, Spencer hosted the 612 ABC Brisbane
612 ABC Brisbane
612 ABC Brisbane is an ABC Local Radio station in Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of the largest stations in the network, serving as a base for Queensland programming - many programs are broadcast across the ABC Local Radio network in regional and rural areas of Queensland when those stations are...
4-6pm "Late Afternoon Show". He was named ABC Local Radio
ABC Local Radio
ABC Local Radio is a network of publicly owned radio stations in Australia, operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.ABC Local Radio stations broadcast across the continent using terrestrial transmitters and satellites...
"Broadcaster of the Year" in 2005 and returned to the 5am-7.45am Breakfast shift from January 2006. By the end of the year, the programme was #1 in Brisbane. It was the first time since 1984 that 612 ABC Brisbane
612 ABC Brisbane
612 ABC Brisbane is an ABC Local Radio station in Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of the largest stations in the network, serving as a base for Queensland programming - many programs are broadcast across the ABC Local Radio network in regional and rural areas of Queensland when those stations are...
(formerly 612 4QR) had topped the coveted Breakfast ratings.
In May 2007, Spencer was listed in the inaugural Queensland edition of "Who's Who"
Who's Who in Australia
The Who's Who in Australia is an Australian biographical reference first published by Fred Johns in 1906 as Johns's Notable Australians. It has been used by academics as a resource that identifies Australia's leading individuals, and has been analysed when studying the social backgrounds –...
. The book "recognises and reveres" the 4,000 Queenslanders from the arts, community, business, sports, entertainment, rural, environment, medicine, science, media and politics "who have helped make Queensland what it is today".{[cn}}
In July 2007, Spencer Howson joined a "roster" of fill-in presenters back-filling the maternity leave of Jillian Whiting
Jillian Whiting
Jillian Whiting is a former presenter with the Nine Network in Brisbane, having presented both Nine News Brisbane and Nine Gold Coast News, as well as the local Brisbane magazine show Extra....
on the Channel Nine
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
television show Extra
Extra (Australian TV series)
Extra was a nightly tabloid local current affairs programme, broadcast on Nine Network Queensland, every weeknight. The last host was Heather Foord, as Brisbane's version of Nine's National A Current Affair, hosted by Tracy Grimshaw...
.