That’s a wrap: Radio’s podium finish at the Games

And that’s a wrap.

We came. We saw. Australia conquered (perhaps not in breakdancing), but it wasn’t just our athletes putting in medal-worthy performances at the Paris Olympics.

From radio newsrooms churning out story after story to commentators and reporters on the ground in France working practically 24/7, the radio and podcasting realm delivered its own brand of gold.

Irene Hulme from The Game Changers team – with EARSAY’s Dom Evans on sound design – put together a sketch which looked at the parallels between the Olympics and the Melbourne Radio Wars.

Queensland radio host Paul Campion took to social media to launch a passionate defence of Aussie Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn after her breaking routine went viral for all the wrong reasons.

“The more I think about it, there’s no-one more Aussie than RayGun. She’s our Eddie the Eagle! Let’s celebrate her. She is a fricken’ legend!”

100 years after the first partially live radio broadcast of the Olympics (ironically, at the 1924 Paris Games), radio commentators again went the extra mile to paint the picture – and forge a connection.

Nine Radio reported a surge in its audience numbers during the first week of the Games, as well as catch up listening to its exclusive podcast The Olympics Today.

Nine delivered coverage across all its platforms, including Sydney’s 2GB, Melbourne’s 3AW, Brisbane’s 4BC and Perth’s 6PR.

Nine and the ABC also joined forces to deliver expanded Games coverage to regional, rural and remote Australia.

We also saw the return of Roy & HG, offering their unique take in Paris with their Olympic radio show and podcast People, Medals and Cheese.

Cheese?

“We love French cheese, but we think Aussie cheese is probably better,” Roy Slaven explained. “HG brought across some Bega cheese and got a few of the French locals to have a bit of a sample.”

“They were blown away.”