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Joel Helmes - Behind the Wheel
Born and raised in Sydney, the radio bug bit Joel in the mid 90's after spending countless hours listening to what was then the city's number one radio station; 2UE.
With a passion for talk back in his heart, Joel enrolled at the "Max Rowley Media Academy" and after 18 months secured his first paid radio work at 2ME. A short time later he joined radio 2KY as a control room operator and progressed to panel operator, producer, race co-ordinator and sports show host.
After more than two years at 2KY he moved across the Blue Mountains to host the breakfast show on 2LT Lithgow, but chasing that dream of becoming a talk back host, Joel moved to Queensland where he was offered the drive shift at Crow FM Kingaroy. He also worked weekends as breakfast news editor and reader at 4KQ Brisbane.
Joel realised another goal when he was offered and accepted the "Program Director" role at 2LT.
Having accomplished much, there was still one dream left to conquer; Talk back. So when an opportunity to join the newsroom at "talk station" 4BC Brisbane availed, Joel didn't think twice. During his time at 4BC he was promoted to drive editor and reader.
This lead to another opportunity, to fill the weekend night time talk shift for a month. Proving a great success, Joel was asked to fill in for Ian Maurice and enjoyed receiving more than 100 callers a night.. Ever versatile, he later hosted "Sports Today".
Homesick for Sydney, Joel accepted a news position with 2UE and around the same time launched Helmes Media Solutions. Within five months the time came for him to put all of his energy into Helmes Media Solutions, after which it has gone from strength to strength building on cornerstone product "Behind the Wheel".
Murray and Sue Shoring - Feathers, Fur and Fins
Murray Shoring has been involved in broadcasting for over 30 years, as a radio announcer (4GR Toowoomba, 4BC, 4BK, 4KQ, 4BH Brisbane, Gold FM Gold Coast), voiceover artist and television presenter.
Murray has also appeared in various television series and films in guest roles.
In his spare time, Murray is Vice-President of his local cat club, participating with his entire family in many pet related events in South-East Queensland.
His wife Sue is also involved with the cat club, as secretary and publicity officer, and has worked for many years with animal charities and rescue organisations. Currently Sue sub-edits ‘Paws & Claws’ magazine, and writes regular pet articles for each issue.
Murray & Sue exhibit their cats at pedigree cat shows, and are also proud owners of two Golden Retrievers. Some of their pets have appeared in television shows, films and commercials.
Their daughter Kiersten is the resident ‘fish expert’ at the local pet supply store.
Helen Placanica - In the Garden
A keen gardener since childhood, Helen has been growing gardens wherever in the world she has found herself living, including the Austrian Tyrol, the Pilbara, Hobart, San Francisco and now Brisbane.
Each garden has had its challenges and frustrations but all have been a source of tremendous pleasure and contributed to Helen’s knowledge and expertise in matters horticultural.
For more than a decade Helen has been sharing her passion for gardening as a freelance writer and photographer.
Sandy Kaye - Bare Essentials
Sandy Kaye is a freelance broadcaster, journalist and producer who has put in over 25 years on both sides of radio and television microphones.
She’s worked with every TV network in Australia on projects as diverse as news, current affairs, light entertainment and variety and she contracts to several American and British television production companies to produce documentaries and reality series.
In the early days, Sandy became a household name when she laid claim to becoming Sydney’s first female radio newsreader.
Since then, she has produced and presented for countless radio stations around the country. Recently hosting her own regular commercial radio talk-back show in Melbourne, Sandy is in demand not only as an on-air radio personality but as a magazine contributor/editor and voice-over artist as well.
In the corporate world Sandy is equally busy as an accomplished Media and Presentation Trainer as well as a Crisis Consultant. She trains throughout Australia as well as in Asia and has worked with CEO’s from some of the largest companies across Asia Pacific.
David Foster - Your Home
David Foster is now a well known face on the Timber and Working with Wood Show circuit where he gives seminars and workshops on how to restore furniture.
In a previous career he was a well known TV radio and stage actor in the three decades 60’s, 70’s and 80’s playing leading roles in Homicide, Division4, Ryan, Matlock Police, Last of The Australians, Barrier Reef, Bellbird, Number 96, A Country Practice, This Sporting Chance, Father Dear Father Downunder and many, many other series, ABC TV drama’s, etc.
He even appeared as a regular guest panelist on Channel 7 Melbourne’s game show ‘Tell The Truth’ with Johnny Farnham and Frank Thring among others.
David also featured in a number of movies including ‘Tim’ opposite Mel Gibson as his brother-in-law Mick.
David’s stage appearances also spanned three decades focusing mainly on stints with professional companies in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Hobart.
In 1983 David made a career change into television journalism and he became the anchor newsreader for regional TV station RNV 2 in Wagga Wagga and then moved to Tamworth to do an interview show at NEN 9.
There he met his life-time partner Sally Gregson and because of a shared passion for collectables they formed a business partnership and in 1987 started an antiques business which became so successful that before 18 months had passed they owned two CBD buildings in Tamworth both operating as competing antiques businesses.
From 1991 after a buying trip to the USA during which he and Sally met the director of Howard Products Inc., manufactures of unique furniture-care products, they were accorded the Australasian distribution rights to the Howard Products range and became ‘Howard Products Australia’.
This enterprise has now been operating for some 17 years and continues to grow and grow.
Grant Boyden - New Horizons
Grant Boyden has worked in radio and television for the past 20 years as a producer, host and news reader.
He started in the industry as an actor at Old Sydney Town in NSW and moved across to radio where he produced and read news over night.
Grant then went on to work along side some of Australia’s best know and controversial broadcasters Like Ron Casey and Ray Warren.
Both of whom were open and gave the young up start much guidance and advice.
Leaving to move to sports television, Grant was host of the PROCAR television series for two years alongside Peter Brock, before moving to V8 Supercars as a series commentator.
His career continues to grow in motorsport, working on programs for SBS, Channel 7 and has worked for programs on channel 10 in the past.
In a vast and diverse career that now see Grant back in radio working on a national radio program, he never lost his passion for learning and the thirst for knowledge that pushes so many scientist to not expect but to ask “why?”
Now, Grant brings his passion for the future in New Horizons.
“I love how each day, science is about learning more about who we are, where we came from and I suppose more importantly, where we may end up.” Grant Says.
“Never before are we as close to making a real difference to humanity through scientific discovery and I find it exciting that we can keep you at the cutting edge through New Horizons.”
Belinda Doyle - That's Entertainment
Belinda has worked in the radio industry for more than twenty years, both in Australia and overseas.
She was instrumental in the development of the ABC Newsradio Network, which she launched from Parliament House, Canberra and has co-hosted breakfast radio programs in Sydney, London and Perth.
Belinda has written and produced a number of radio documentaries and won numerous awards for her writing and presentation skills.
She produced the six-part series ‘Kick Country’ for Foxtel’s Fox 8 Network.
Belinda has worked at a number of radio stations including 2GN Goulburn, 2TM Tamworth, 2SM, 2CH and ABC Newsradio in Sydney, London’s 1035am, and 96FM, 92.9FM and Mix 94.5 in Perth.
Bruce Eva - Weekend Sport Preview
Bruce is one of Melbourne's most experienced and respected sports journalists.
After starting at The Herald as a 17-year-old in January 1986, he moved on to the sports desk in March 1988 and by the time he left the Herald-Sun in April 1991 had won three media awards and covered world championship boxing bouts, Australian Open tennis tournaments, AFL football, first-class cricket, golf, athletics and basketball.
While freelance writing for the likes of AAP, the Sunday Age , Inside Football , Australasian Post , Channel 7 and Text Media over the next three years, Eva also worked as a producer and early breakfast co-host at Sport 927 throughout 1992.
Bruce joined Truth Sport on a full-time basis in the middle of 1994 as its senior writer before assuming the title of Sports Editor two months later - a role he held until March 1996. He then joined Inside Football full-time as assistant editor.
He was elevated to the position of editor at the end of 1998, where he stayed until joining AFL Publishing in January 2002 as a feature writer and columnist for the AFL Record and the League's official website - afl.com.au.
Eva was a foundation member of Australia's only 24-hour sports radio station SEN 1116, producing Kevin Bartlett's Hungry for Sport program from January 2004.
He moved to a full-time on-air role in July 2005, hosting the afternoon show for three months before taking over the evening timeslot until August 2007. Known throughout the industry simply as "Beva", he also calls AFL matches for 6PR and the National Indigenous Radio Service, and has written three books.