Brian Wise OAM is an Australian music journalist and broadcaster based in Murrumbeena, Victoria. He is best known for his program Off The Record on Australian community radio station 3RRR.

Brian Wise
NationalityAustralian
Occupation(s)Broadcaster, journalist, editor
Years active1980–present
Known for3RRR, Rhythms Magazine
AwardsOrder of Australia

Biography

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Brian Wise was one of the co-founders of Monash University's 3MU student radio station in 1972, and worked as a broadcaster at Melbourne's community radio station 3PBS between 1980 and 1987, when he started hosting Off The Record at 3RRR.[1]

Off The Record started in November 1987 and aired Sunday nights until a Saturday morning slot became available in 1989, where it has remained since.[2] The show features Americana/roots music and interviews with local and international guests.[3]

In 1992 Wise founded the roots music magazine Rhythms Magazine after he visited the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and noticed the city had two monthly roots music magazines of their own, while Melbourne had none.[4] Initially he had to work other jobs to fund the magazine, and later sold Rhythms in 2005.[5] But after stepping away for several years he took back ownership in 2018.[6]

Between 1997 and 2003 Wise was editor for the Australian edition of the online music magazine Addicted To Noise which twice won the national ONYA Award in 1999 and 2000 for Best Online Music Magazine. He also presented dig on the Radio with Michael MacKenzie on ABC Local Radio during summer between 2003 – 2006, and was a contributor to the ABC's Dig! website.[7]

Wise has continued to host his weekly music program Off The Record on Saturday mornings,[8] featuring news, reviews and interviews with local and international guests. The program has been called praised as one of the most popular on 3RRR,[9][10] thanks to Wise being one of the few journalists covering roots music when the program begun.[10] A one-hour version of Off The Record is also broadcast weekly to over 45 stations on Australia's Community Radio Network via satellite.[11]

Outside of radio, Wise worked as a teacher of screen and media studies at Holmesglen TAFE,[10] and previously reviewed music for The Sunday Age newspaper[12] and The New Daily.[13]

Awards and achievements

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References

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  1. ^ "Queen's Birthday honours those with connections to radio". Radio Info. 14 June 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Triple R – 30 years in 30 days episode 13 1988". Triple R. 3RRR. 28 November 2006. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Off the Record – 30 passionate years of roots and Americana music". CBF. 24 September 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  4. ^ "Brass Passers from the Down Under". WWOZ. 12 March 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  5. ^ Donovan, Patrick; Murfett, Andrew (14 September 2007). "Sticky Carpet". The Age. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  6. ^ Eliezer, Christie (7 August 2018). "Rhythms magazine under old management as founder Brian Wise takes back the reins". The Music Network. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Brian Wise". ABC. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 6 December 2004. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  8. ^ "About". Off The Record. Off The Record. 10 March 2013. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  9. ^ "Five minutes with Virginia Trioli". ABC Radio Melbourne. 11 June 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  10. ^ a b c Donovan, Patrick (15 August 2009). "A Saturday morning wake-up call". The Age. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  11. ^ a b Chifley, Danny (15 June 2021). "Queen's Birthday Honours for Community Broadcasters". Community Broadcasting Association of Australia. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  12. ^ "Media Contribution". The Local Paper. 16 June 2021. p. 6. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  13. ^ "Brian Wise". The New Daily. The New Daily. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  14. ^ "THE SECOND ANNUAL AUSTRALIAN AMERICANA MUSIC HONOURS TO TAKE PLACE IN MELBOURNE – OCT .11". The Americana Music Association. 30 August 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
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