4BC

Last updated

4BC
Broadcast area Brisbane
Gold Coast
Sunshine Coast
Ipswich
Frequency 882 kHz DAB Digital
Programming
LanguageEnglish
Format News talk
Ownership
Owner
4BH
History
First air date
16 August 1930;95 years ago (1930-08-16) [1]
Call sign meaning
4 = Queensland
Brisbane Chandlers [2] or
JBChandler [3] (original licensee)
Technical information
Licensing authority
 Australian Communications and Media Authority
Power 5 kW
Transmitter coordinates
 27°27′51″S153°08′53″E / 27.4642°S 153.1480°E / -27.4642; 153.1480
Links
Webcast Windows Media
iHeartRadio stream
Website 4bc.com.au

4BC is a radio station in Brisbane, Queensland, owned by Nine Entertainment. It broadcasts on 882 kHz AM and is Brisbane's only commercial talkback station.

Contents

While the station's broadcasting facility is at Cannon Hill, its transmitting tower is located in Wynnum West.

On Friday, 8 October 2021, 4BC moved to 882 kHz, which was used by its sister station, 4BH, which moved to 1116 kHz.

History

4BC was one of the first radio stations in Brisbane. It was established in 1930 by John Beals Chandler, [4] an electrical appliance retailer and later Lord Mayor of Brisbane. In March 1937 the station was sold for £A50,000 (equivalent to $9.3 million in 2022) to the Australian Broadcasting Company who took control in April. [5] [6] [7]

The station changed owners multiple times before being brought by Southern Cross Broadcasting (later Fairfax Radio).

The original studio was located in the Wintergarden Building in Queen St and in 1954 the station moved to the corner of Wharf and Adelaide St into what was originally a vinegar factory. The original transmitter site was located at Fig Tree Pocket and was a two tower 5 kW directional array. In 1988 the studio was relocated to 30 Macrossan St and that installation included a Ku band satellite uplink for the first time. In 2004 the station moved from its CBD location at 30 Macrossan Street to new purpose-built premises at Cannon Hill in 2004. [8] Fairfax acquired ownership in 2007.

In Mid 2022, former 4KQ breakfast team Laurel, Gary and Mark joined the station's weekday breakfast slot.

In September 2024, after two years of being on air in the breakfast slot, breakfast team Laurel, Gary and Mark departed the station after a series of low ratings. Peter Fegan took over as Breakfast presenter.

Programming

In December 2013, 4BC management unveiled an almost complete replacement of on-air talent for 2014. Most continued into early 2015. [9] However, in April 2015, management announced a number of programs would be immediately axed, and a number of announcing staff made redundant, following the merger of Fairfax Radio Network and Macquarie Radio Network. These included long-time presenter and newsreader Walter Williams, Loretta Ryan, Ian Skippen, and former Seven News reporter Patrick Condren. [10]

Prior to April 2015, 4BC produced all of its own programming, including a Queensland-wide morning program, from Brisbane which were presented by local announcers. In April 2015, most of those programs were axed with the exception of one local afternoon drive show. [11] [12]

In 2020, local programming returned to the station. On May 15, Neil Breen was announced as presenter of Breakfast, following Alan Jones' retirement from 2GB. It marked a return to local programming for the first time since 2018.

Program Times (In AEST Format)

Weekdays

Weekends

Former Presenters

References

  1. ↑ "Commercial Radio Broadcasting Licences" (PDF). 6 January 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  2. ↑ Fairfax Media. The Early Years at 4BC Archived 26 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine . Accessed 8 November 2007.
  3. ↑ Chandlers Company Profile. Accessed 8 November 2007.
  4. ↑ "4BC. New Wireless Station. Auspicious Opening". The Brisbane Courier . 18 August 1930. p. 12. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  5. ↑ "Station 4BC Sold". The Courier-Mail . 13 March 1937. p. 19. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
  6. ↑ "New Company Takes Over 4BC". The Courier-Mail . 13 April 1937. p. 23. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
  7. ↑ "£50,000 Paid for Station 4BC". The Courier-Mail . 9 October 1937. p. 14. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
  8. ↑ Hele, Michelle (6 August 2004). "Radio stations 4BC and 4BH all set for big move to Cannon Hill". The Courier-Mail (1 – First with the news ed.). p. 39. ISSN   1322-5235.
  9. ↑ "4BC Line-up for 2014". 4BC. 4 December 2013. Archived from the original on 15 January 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  10. ↑ "Media Statement from 4BC". 4BC. 10 April 2015. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  11. ↑ (10 April 2015) High-profile 4BC presenters sacked following Fairfax and Macquarie merger deal, ABC News. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  12. ↑ (16 April 2015) Struggling jock Ben Davis survives 4BC cull, The Courier-Mail . Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  13. ↑ "4BC confirms breakfast shake-up as Peter Fegan exits". www.mediaweek.com.au. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  14. ↑ Seyderhelm, Jen (26 November 2023). "Spencer Howson departs 4BC". Radio Today. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  15. ↑ "Ben Davis farewells 4BC" . Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  16. 1 2 Courier-Mail 4BC Saviour Jamie Dunn Takes a Dive in Radio Ratings, 5 March 2009 11:00PM, (accessed 7 November 2010)
  17. 1 2 Sunshine Coast Daily I didn't quit: Jamie Dunn, 29 October 2010, (accessed 7 November 2010)
  18. ↑ "4BC Profile: Ian Calder, (accessed 7 November 2010)". Archived from the original on 18 November 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.