The CBAA was saddened to hear of the recent passing of Les Heil AM, a long-serving contributor to, and later leader in, the commercial and community radio sectors who had a significant impact in the Australian radio industry as well as overseas. Most recently Les was the Chair of Sunshine Coast community broadcaster 104.9 Sunshine FM. Sunshine FM has supplied the following article to commemorate Les’ life and work.
Sunshine Coast community radio station, 104.9 Sunshine FM has lost a great friend, advocate and leader. Chair, Les Heil AM, passed away on 26 April after a sudden illness. Les was 91.
At the age of 17, Les followed his dream to become a radio announcer. His first job was Announcer/Copywriter at 3SR Shepparton in 1952. Four years later, he moved to 3BA Ballarat as an Announcer/Newsreader/Copywriter, then cracked the big smoke with a job at 3UZ Melbourne in 1958 where he moved into management and stayed for seven years.
Les did two tours of duty at 3KZ Melbourne, steering the station to the top of audience surveys, not once but twice.
When first appointed General Manager of 3KZ in 1965, Les was the youngest person to become GM of an Australian metropolitan radio station, an accomplishment even more noteworthy because of his programming background, rather than the traditional sales background. He was General Manger for the next 13 years.
In 1979 Les returned to 3KZ as GM and then Managing Director. A year later, he led 3KZ’s transition to become the first commercial FM radio station in Australia. He remained at 3KZ/GOLD 104.3 for 11 years.
Les Heil believed, passionately, that you can never give back as much as you receive. It was a guiding principle that he lived by and put into practice, every day. Les contributed a great deal to the communities he lived in. He was president of the Kiwanis Club of Melbourne, an organisation that mentors young Australians to help them strive to be the best they can be. He served on numerous community service committees, harnessing impeccable stakeholder relationships to support those who needed a hand up. Through the substantial audience reach of 3KZ/GOLD, Les was instrumental in fundraising efforts that collectively donated millions of dollars to the Children’s Wing of Melbourne’s Austin Hospital.
Les served on boards and in advisory roles that saw him involved in the acquisition and management of numerous radio stations in New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, and Queensland where he led the successful application for the first FM licence on the Gold Coast which was to become SEA-FM, launch pad for multiple SEA-branded music stations around Australia. Les also led the migration of a Sunshine Coast AM station to FM In 1988, successfully launching the MIX and SEA brands in that market.
In the 1970s, he helped establish broadcasting services in developing countries, including the Solomon Islands. Les also helped establish the first commercial radio station in New Zealand, Radio Hauraki.
In 2023, Les was enjoying retirement on the Sunshine Coast when he was persuaded to return to radio and chair community radio station, 104.9 Sunshine FM. Under Les’ leadership, Sunshine FM maintained the highest audience reach of any station in the market, maximising the effectiveness of Sunshine FM’s support for more than 600 community organisations and events, each year.
Les is a former President and director of the Federation Of Australian Radio Broadcasters and was, for many years, a guest lecturer at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School.
In 1978, Les was recognised by peers as Radio Executive Of The Year. In 1985, he was presented with commercial radio’s highest honour, the Radio Achievement Award and became only the eighth person in Australia to receive that honour. In 1988, Les was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of his service to Australian media and in 2002, Les was inducted into the Radio Broadcast Industry Hall Of Fame.
His ‘first’ broadcasting career spanned 50 years and Les maintained his connection to radio during his retirement. Taking into account his leadership of 104.9 Sunshine FM, Les’ contribution to Australian radio spanned a staggering 74 years.
Les Heil AM is remembered as generous, humble, courageous, and a brilliant radio innovator. He is sadly missed.
Les Heil AM with his Australian Commercial Radio Hall of Fame Award.