10 Questions with Paul ‘Campo’ Campion

Former Assistant Editor

Three years ago veteran Queensland broadcaster Paul ‘Campo’ Campion packed his bags after 14 years on air in Brisbane with ARN’s 97.3 to move to Ipswich.

He reunited with old mate Marnie at River 949 in 2015, and also made the transition from Drive to Breakfast. Campo answers 10 Questions with Radio Today.

  • What do you love about doing radio on Ipswich compared with Brisbane?

I love the freedom to take risks, I don’t have to question my instincts or ability or appease someone who isn’t on the same page or doesn’t understand what’s involved to actually produce something. It has given me great confidence.

It feels a bit like my early days with Austereo, where guys like Brad March, Jeff Allis and Greg Smith encouraged me to trust myself and don’t be afraid to fail. I have the audience in mind with everything I do and the stuff the show does is very cool. I am doing better work now than I ever have .

  • You’ve gone from Drive to Breakfast. How was that transition and which of the two have you enjoyed most?

It has definitely had its bumps but I do love the show. They are both awesome time slots. Breakfast I love running on adrenaline, and the energy is high. Drive I loved the time to create and edit and mould things to win, between b105 and 973 I spent 15 years winning on Drive in Brisbane. It a tough gig to let go of however the opportunity came up to do a breakfast show, I saw it as a good move. People said I was insane, however I would have gone insane had I stayed at 973 doing lunchtime afternoons.

  • You and Marnie have been together for three years now on Breakfast, and had worked together before that too. What do you think makes you guys special as a team?

Marnie has stories, lots and lots of stories I think Marnie is a truly underrated talent. A CD in a major market asked me why would I want to work with her again, I said at the time are you kidding that was over 10 years ago since then she been married, divorced shacked up with some Russian gangster had a couple of kids to the extra from Liam Neeson’s taken, all while she was still married to the other bloke and I want to hear about it.

She gets me, I get her! Both our lives a a complete fuckups and that’s what is so irresistible about her, she’s a mess, I’m a mess  we laugh we cry , we give it to the dickheads and bullies and imposters, we love real people. Our phones ring the moment we start our show, we don’t even have to solicit and the phones are going nuts, stacks of listeners followed me over from 973 which is pretty cool. When Marnie and I have an argument we don’t hold back, there’s no manufactured bullshit like on a few shows you may have heard. With Marnie and I it’s fuck you welcome to our show.

  • What was the hardest part about the transition from 97.3 to an independent broadcaster?

The hardest part is lowering your expectations, not your standards just your expectations, just knowing that resources aren’t in the next room, budgets are smaller and the workload requires more than just focusing on your own show. Saying that though I think the talent on River is far superior across the board from an on air perspective then the place I used to work. The guys I work with know we don’t have the resources but it doesn’t deter us we just knuckle down and get shit done.

Take Hinksy for example, we spent 15 together at 973 we know what’s needed to make great content. Between us we have a better data base than any producer in Brisbane so we don’t miss out on anything, it’s also great to see someone like Hinksy able to explore his creative side as well. Greg Wood (Woody) I rate as the best music director I have ever worked with and Ille on drive is learning and developing and soaking it all in. Drew realises the quality and experience of his team and every one works to there strengths. Listeners tell us we have a cult following and that is pretty cool .

I think our sales and promotions people are doing the best they can! People ask me what about ratings, I say I am always in survey!

  • How do you find balancing local content with broader stuff?

Challenging but that’s what makes our content great. No matter where people are they will listen to great content, so if our local stuff is powerful our aim no matter if it’s down town Bundamba people streaming from anywhere will be engaged. Local doesn’t need to be hokie or boring, there are some great example of that here to listen to.

  • What’s been your greatest challenge in radio?

My first ever on air shift

  • What has been your best moment in radio?

Listen tomorrow!

  • What advice do you wish you’d received when you were just starting out in the industry?

Humanity is greater than comedy.

  • If you weren’t working in radio what would you be doing?

I am completing a masters degree at QUT and I am a fully licensed Auctioneer and real estate agent.

  • Sum up working in radio in three words.

What is radio!

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Recent comments (4)
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Mark
16 May 2018 - 2:33 pm

One of the great drive announcers.

George
16 May 2018 - 11:30 pm

Why would you leave 973 drive? Were you retrenched campo or did you genuinely go looking to outer markets? Curious…

Campo
17 May 2018 - 10:27 am

Hi George, I left 973 on my own accord mate

Campo

Anon
17 May 2018 - 10:47 am

Guys like Brad March, Jeff Allis and Greg Smith. The A Team they don’t build them like that anymore.

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