| GLENN
RIDGE, MANAGING DIRECTOR
Glenn was born and bred in Adelaide. After leaving school he studied
and worked as an engineering draftsman for the South Australian
Housing Trust for five years, when he realised he wanted to do something
he enjoyed, and decided to give radio a go.
At 22, he enrolled in
the 5KA Radio School, and nine months later he started his media
career as an announcer at Bendigo's 3CV. In just ten months he progressed
from the night shift to breakfast and mornings, and took on the
role of Studio and Program Manager, positions he also held at 3TR
Traralgon and 3BO Bendigo where he remained until 1985.
Glenn first became involved
in television in 1980, when he joined TV8 (now Southern Cross Broadcasting)
in Central Victoria as the Host and Producer of a weekly one hour
music video show titled Breezin. In 1985 he left both his
radio career and commitments at TV8 to further his television pursuits
with full time employment at BTV6 Ballarat (now WIN TV).
In 1984 Glenn formed
his own production company 'Q Media Group'. From 1985 to 1989 he
produced and presented numerous programs and specials, which included:
- Over 200 Six's
Super Saturday Show - a weekly 3 live hour cartoon show
- Over 200 Off The
Record - a 90 minute live music video show.
- Over 175 Kids
Only - a weekly 30 minute live children's magazine show.
- 12 half hour Kids
Only specials on subjects including 'Life Education Centres',
'Tall Ships', 'The Grampians' and 'Bushfires' (awarded a Certificate
of High Commendation by the CFA in 1989).
In 1986, one of the Kids
Only specials based on 'Summer Safety' won a Logie award for
the 'Most Outstanding Contribution by a Regional Television Station'.
This was the first and only Logie to have been won by BTV6.
In both 1986 and 1987,
Glenn was awarded a Certificate of Commendation by the Television
Society of Australia at the Penguin Awards, and in 1988 The National
Jaycees announced him as one of their Most Outstanding Young Australians.
In 1989 Glenn left BTV6
and regional television in general, to further develop the independent
activities of Q Media Group.
Then in April 1991,
in what many saw as a surprise announcement, Glenn joined Jo Bailey
as the new hosts of the Nine Networks prime time quiz show Sale
of the Century, taking over from Tony Barber and Alyce Platt.
He held this role for 11 years making him the longest serving host
of Sale of the Century.
Since its inception,
Glenn and Q Media Group has fully funded and produced 12
documentaries and produced two one hour television programs,
Falcon GT - 30 Years of the Legend and Ford
Australia - 75 Years. All of these were hosted by Glenn and
aired on the National Nine Network.
Glenn is also Executive
Producer and presenter of The Car Show
and The Boat Show, both broadcast on
the National Nine Network.
A trained scuba diving
instructor, his hobbies include golf, tennis, riding motor bikes,
sky diving and heading off 4 wheel driving expeditions all over
our great, vast country. He also has a keen interest in motor racing
and regularly competes in off-road races including the Targa Tasmania. |