Eddie Olek marks 15 years at SEN: “I always knew what I wanted to do”

“I’m the sort of bloke that if I go to work somewhere, I stay.”

Eddie Olek is reflecting on his radio journey this week as he celebrates fifteen years at Melbourne’s SEN.

Starting out as a panel op, Eddie’s now the Senior Commercial Producer for SEN Radio.

And as an OB tech, he’s also heavily involved with footy coverage during the AFL season.

Eddie tells Radio Today the radio bug first bit him when he was a child.

“I’m just one of those weird people who always knew what they wanted to do.  I got involved with The Student Access Breakfast Show at 3PBS in the early 80s, and did a music-based show once a month.”

Eddie approached 3AW in the mid 80s to do some work experience over Christmas. There, he got a first-hand look at how talk radio was done.

After studying Audio Engineering for Radio and TV, Eddie landed his first commercial gig at Christmas in 1988, doing Drive and Weekend Afternoons at 2LF in Young.

A stint at Melbourne’s 3UZ would  follow – then, after taking some time out to work in property management – Eddie dipped his toe back in the radio waters, and found himself at SEN/3MP.

“Jeff Campbell (whom I’d met briefly at 3UZ) said they were looking for operators. I started panelling nights as a casual, then moved my way up. I also did Drive on 3MP for a few years. Mark Johnson (the then PD) and I worked at a similar time in bush radio. Jonno was at 2WG and I was at 2LF. Funnily enough, our paths never crossed face to face until I got to SEN!”

“As my background is music jock/audio engineer, I always wanted to move into commercial production.”

Eddie says SEN feels like home.

“I’m the sort of bloke that if I go to work somewhere, I stay. I stayed at 3UZ for 13 years, and I’ve now been with SEN for 15 years.”

“It’s where, at this point of my life and career, I’m meant to be. I’m really chuffed to have achieved this milestone, and with the current growth and expansion of the organisation, really excited to see where we’re headed!”

Mentoring is what Eddie enjoys most.

“I’ve always believed that it’s important we pass on our knowledge to the kids who are coming through today. Whether it’s panelling, production, VO’s or on air.”

“Currently, case in point for me, is our commercial producer Mandi Giannopoulos. She joined our production team from a different SEN department. I’ve been able to pass on the basics of the ‘what, where, when and how’ of production, and she’s turning into a real gun producer. I’m really proud. That’s what I enjoy. Passing it on.”

“I also love what you can create audio wise with a 30 second commercial when you get an idea into your head. Tell a story on 30 seconds. Radio. Theatre of the mind.”

A proud father of three, it would seem radio runs through the Olek veins. Eddie’s son Josh is Workday announcer at Triple M Brisbane.

“When Josh finished year 12, he was at a loose end, and didn’t know what he wanted to do next. I told him to come in and have a look at what I did (I was panelling Drive on SEN at the time). That was it. It was a lightbulb moment for Josh. He started panelling  Sundays, then Drive, then Brekkie at SEN.”

“He started to record air checks and send them off. He got his break with Snowy Mountains 2XL, then Wave FM Wollongong, then K Rock, and is now kicking goals at Triple M.”

“You always want your kids to do better than you ever did, and even now, I feel Josh’s career has surpassed mine. I couldn’t be prouder with all that he’s achieved.”

And the admiration is mutual.

Josh tells Radio Today “Dad was always a massive inspiration for my work. Throughout my life, I was in and around radio stations because of him.”

“Seeing Dad work in the engineering hub at 3UZ, to his work panelling/producing the drive show at SEN with Marko and Ox, to his commitment and focus to commercial production, his attention to detail and his willingness to put himself 100% into his work are two things that I still try to model myself on today.”

“He could still work on his word economy with his occasional jock shifts though …”