When you happen to have royalty on your team

Steve training journalists at the Liberia Media Centre

I started Branded Podcasts with Steve Ahern and in 2021 went solo. We still need to have a slap up lunch to toast the ‘buy out’.

You have heard about me so let’s find out more about Steve, although grab yourself a cuppa and maybe something to eat in case you get hungry, there’s a lot to share.

Steve is the author of the well known radio text book Making Radio and is an international trainer and consultant specialising in radio formats, digital radio and multi- platform broadcasting.

Oh, and in the 2009 Queen’s Birthday honours list he was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM), so technically he’s royalty.

Steve has worked in the media for over thirty years is currently Managing Director of his own company Ahern Media & Training Pty Ltd. and was previously Director of Radio at the Australian Film Television & Radio School (AFTRS) and a senior executive at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

So he knows a bit about making engaging audio content, which is exactly what Branded Podcasts does.

Steve began his media career as a radio reporter, producer and announcer at various commercial and community radio stations in Australia, then joined the Australian Broadcasting Corporation where he managed three of the ABC’s Metro Stations: 2NC Newcastle, 2CN Canberra, and 3LO Melbourne.

He was the founding consultant for South Africa’s national media training school (NEMISA), an international project funded by an AusAID grant, and organised a national ‘Digital Radio Roadshow’ to assist Australia’s move into digital radio.

Need a loo break yet?

Steve has also worked in Teaching, International Public Relations, and Executive Management. He was Radio Columnist for The Australian newspaper; the founding editor of radioinfo; and the author of various texts and training publications. He has presented papers at many Radio Conferences in Australia and internationally on specialties such as Digital Radio and Broadcast Management in the Multi- Media Age.

Board positions have included: Chairman of TAFE’s media course accreditation board; Deputy Chairman of Radio 2RRR, Chairman of Australia’s Open Garden Scheme (ACT); Deputy Chairman of Australia’s Open Garden Scheme (Vic) and AFTRS Academic Board.

Steve has consulted to SBS Radio, 2RRR FM, The Attorney General’s department, The Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA), WOW FM, 2WEB, Marconi Club Radio Committee, South Africa’s national media training school (NEMISA Ltd), India’s Meow FM, United Wireless Pty Ltd, the Johnny Walker Gold Classic and numerous other companies and radio stations.

Rik’s impressed

He has a Degree in Education, certificates in Workplace Training and post graduate qualifications in Business Management.

Together Kim and Steve are a force to reckoned with within the audio space but somehow they manage to take a photo like two seven-year-olds posing by the Christmas tree for the family album #armsbyyourside #standupstraight #smileawkwardly