A 2RPH family story

Fri, 28 August 2020

Vivian Schenker joined 2RPH in 2019, and while she hasn’t been at the station for very long, her history with RPH goes back many years. Her parents were readers in the mid 1990s, and here, she shares her family story with 2RPH Administration Officer Danielle Hanrahan.

We understand your parents were readers at RPH. Can you tell us a little about your parents and their time with RPH?

I can’t remember exactly when my parents started volunteering at RPH, but it would have been in the mid 1990s. My father John Schenker worked in the building products industry but was a frustrated performer...he told me as a young man he’d auditioned as a newsreader for the ABC. My mother, Emma, was an English and History teacher, so you could say she read for a living! They usually worked on the same shifts... dad did the panelling/ announcing and mum was a reader (I inherited her lack of technical aptitude and interest), although they also did separate slots. They both really enjoyed their time at RPH...the work and the people they met...and when dad eventually retired, he was presented with a trophy in the shape of a microphone which was proudly displayed in their lounge room cabinet.

What made you decide to join the station as a reader?

I always knew I wanted to join RPH when I retired. I spent all of my career as a journalist...nearly thirty of those years as a broadcast journalist at the ABC and SBS...so it seemed a perfect fit.

What have you enjoyed so far in your time at 2RPH?

I like everything about it. I’ve always had an interest in current affairs and in communicating diverse ideas and opinions to others, so Features Forum suits me really well. I also really enjoy the company of the people I work with and talk to at the station each week. And I’m full of admiration for both their skills and dedication.

[Image: Emma and John Schenker].