Rowville is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 27 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Knox local government area. Rowville recorded a population of 33,672 at the 2016 Census.
Pacific Star Network Limited is a Melbourne-based media company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. Formerly known as Data and Commerce Limited until 6 August 2004, the company operates four commercial radio stations in the Melbourne market, and in December 2014 acquired Morrison Media Services, adding six magazine publications to its portfolio.
Richmond is an inner suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District in the local government area of the City of Yarra municipality. The 2011 Census listed Richmond's population as 26,121.
3MP began transmission 21 July 1976, as Melbourne's seventh commercial radio station and the city's first new commercial station in over 40 years. The original licensees included a consortium of businessmen and media identities.
Unlike other Melbourne radio stations that were based in the inner city areas, 3MP - as the callsign "MP", which stands for Mornington Peninsula, implies - was based in the south eastern suburb of Frankston, originally from studios in Bayside Shopping Centre. The station first broadcast from a transmitter located at Rowville on 1380 kHzAM, changing to 1377kHz AM in 1978, with its initial music format being a one-for-one mix of solid gold and current Top 40 music. Developed by the station's first General Manager, Ray Bean, and Operations Manager, Geoff Brown, it was strongly targeted at the 25-39 demographic as a less edgy version of the popular "More Music" 10-17 and 18-24 demographic format employed at the time by #1 rated 3XY.
The Mornington Peninsula is a peninsula located south-east of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is surrounded by Port Phillip to the west, Western Port to the east and Bass Strait to the south, and is connected to the mainland in the north. Geographically, the peninsula begins its protrusion from the mainland in the area between Pearcedale and an area south of Frankston. The area was originally home to the Mayone-bulluk and Boonwurrung-Balluk clans and formed part of the Boonwurrung nation's territory prior to European settlement.
Frankston is an outer-suburb of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia, in the local government area of the City of Frankston. It is located 55 km south-east of the Melbourne city centre, north of the Mornington Peninsula. Due to its geographic location, it is often referred to as "the gateway to the Mornington Peninsula".
Bayside Shopping Centre is a super regional shopping centre in the suburb of Frankston on the Mornington Peninsula of Melbourne.
When the station first opened, the transmitter at Rowville was connected to the Frankston studios via a microwave link which had been purchased second-hand from the MMBW (Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works). It was surplus equipment recovered from the construction site of the Upper Yarra Dam. The microwave link was licensed to be operated as a 'backup link' should the mandatory PMG (now Telstra) landline fail, but the quality of the microwave link was far superior to the landline and was used as the primary link between the two sites. The two transmitters were (at the time) state-of-the-art RCA AM solid-state stereo transmitters and were connected to a directional antenna array which focused the signal in a south easterly direction roughly covering the Mornington Peninsula.
The transmitter site was located in the middle of a small dairy farm near the corner of Wellington and Stud Roads, Rowville. At the time of construction, the transmitter had no access to 3-phase power due to the lack of power transmission lines. For the first months of operation, the transmitter was powered by two 188kVA diesel generators, one of which was installed as the transmitter's backup power generator and the other which was hired for the duration. During this time, the transmitter needed to be manned on a 24hr basis to ensure the generators were fueled and remained in service, and to ensure that the power supply to the transmitter was efficiently cut-over from one generator to the other in case of generator maintenance or failure. During this time, there was an issue with the directional array, it was functioning abnormally with the main lobe and back lobe shifting in a random fashion. After considerable technical analysis, and having not found any technical reason for the shifting lobes, a rigger was sent up the two masts to re-tighten the bolts of the antenna sections. The transmitter was shut down to allow the rigger to traverse the mast's insulator and climb onto the antenna proper, then the transmitter was turned on and while the rigger was tightening the bolts on the mast sections, the transmitter power and lobe direction were monitored. Suddenly there was a scream from the direction of the mast and, fearing the worst, the transmitter was immediately shut down. Happily, the rigger was uninjured, other than for a slightly burned hand. He had found the section with loose bolts by gripping onto it with his hand, thus forming a circuit and burning his hand. With the transmitter still turned off, the loose bolts were tightened and the transmitter performed as designed thereafter.
Technical design of 3MP's leading edge studios and transmitter was by 3MP's Chief Engineer Murray Korff and was installed by RCA technicians Jim McGrath and John Inneswith. Korff and radio engineer David Wilson divided their time between the studios and the transmitter, working around the clock with the assistance of consultants, Broadcasting Control Board engineers, sub-contractors, telephone technicians and enthusiasts. The leading edge, completely solid-state studio panels and transmitter controls were designed and manufactured by Poul Kirk Electronics Pty Ltd from Perth, Western Australia. Poul Kirk spent several months in 1976 at the studios supervising the installation of the equipment.
The first telephone call made through 3MP's new studio console and its solid-state delay line was made by Brian Bury to Mrs Aleida Wessels, who refused to believe that it was him making the call. She subsequently met him and realised it was a real call.
1980s
Although the original Articles of Association prohibited any one person from owning more than 5% of the shares in Mornington Peninsula Broadcasters Ltd, the station was sold outright to AWA in 1980.
AWA Ltd, formerly Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia) Ltd, is an electronics manufacturer and broadcaster based out of Sydney, Australia. Throughout most of the 20th century AWA was Australia's largest and most prominent electronics organisation, undertaking development, manufacture and distribution of radio, telecommunications, television and audio equipment as well as broadcasting services.
In January, 1986, rival station 3AK suddenly dumped its easy listening music format , despite strong ratings. The perception of senior, Melbourne based management at the National Nine television network which owned 3AK was that the format did not attract the sort of younger, more impulsive, listeners that had high disposable incomes so therefore were seen to not be attractive to advertisers. They insisted that the station should adopt a more contemporary sound. A new playlist was hastily compiled and put to air but the change proved to be a ratings disaster. 3MP, which at the time was broadcasting a 'hits and memories' format, saw the gap in the market, and within two weeks of 3AK's format change, 3MP had completely revamped its music library, on-air personnel and image to adopt an easy listening format. Following the change, 3MP's previously modest ratings grew strongly, and it became a real competitor with the top FM stations, as well as dominant talkback station 3AW.
3AK is the call sign of SEN 1116, and earlier the on-air name of a former Melbourne talk-back radio and music station, which, in 2003, leased its licence to sports network SEN 1116. A number of unusual events and precedents throughout the station's history make its story of unusual interest. These events include :
Audience measurement measures how many people are in an audience, usually in relation to radio listenership and television viewership, but also in relation to newspaper and magazine readership and, increasingly, web traffic on websites. Sometimes, the term is used as pertaining to practices which help broadcasters and advertisers determine who is listening rather than just how many people are listening. In some parts of the world, the resulting relative numbers are referred to as audience share, while in other places the broader term market share is used. This broader meaning is also called audience research.
Easy listening is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to 1970s. It is related to middle-of-the-road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit songs and popular non-rock vocals. It mostly concentrates on music that pre-dates the rock n' roll era, mostly concentrating on music from the 1940s and before. It was differentiated from the mostly instrumental beautiful music format by its variety of styles, including a percentage of vocals, arrangements and tempos to fit various day parts during the broadcast day.
In 1987, the station changed hands once again, with 3MP, along with sister stations 2GN Goulburn, 3BO Bendigo, 4CA Cairns, 4TO Townsville and 6KY Perth, purchased by Wesgo Communications for A$40 million.[2][3]
2GN is an Australian radio station serving the Goulburn region, opened in January 1932 on a frequency of 1390 kHz. It is now co-owned by the Capital Radio Network and Grant Broadcasters, broadcasting on 1368 kHz. The station carries a Classic Hits format and Forever Classic branding similar to its Canberra sister station, 2CA.
Mix 94.5 is a commercial music radio station owned by Southern Cross Austereo in Perth, Western Australia. Despite sharing the 'Mix' callsign, it has no relation to the Mix stations in other Australian cities. It is targeted to 25 to 54 year olds.
1990s
In 1993, Wesgo Communications purchased rival station 3EE The Breeze, replacing 3EE's format with a simulcast of 3MP. However, following complaints from Triple M, Gold FM, Fox FM and 3AW, the Australian Broadcasting Authority ruled against this,[4] and in 1994 Wesgo launched oldies formatted 'Magic 693', ending the simulcast. Magic 693's format, along with coverage of weekend AFL matches, proved successful as ratings climbed, albeit at the displacement of 3MP.
Simulcast is the broadcasting of programs or events across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at exactly the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio. Likewise, the BBC's Prom concerts were formerly simulcast on both BBC Radio 3 and BBC Television. Another application is the transmission of the original-language soundtrack of movies or TV series over local or Internet radio, with the television broadcast having been dubbed into a local language.
Gold 104.3 is a radio station broadcasting in Melbourne, Australia. Gold 104.3 is part of the Pure Gold Network and broadcasts on the 104.3 MHz frequency.
In 1995, the stations were sold to Southern Cross Broadcasting, which at the time operated 3AW and 3AK, and the newsroom used by both 3EE and 3MP closed. Southern Cross Broadcasting was made to sell two stations, including 3MP. By 1996, it was sold to Goulburn Valley Broadcasters, which operated Shepparton-based 3SR.
2000s
In 2001, ownership of 3MP was transferred to Data and Commerce Limited, which owned and operated Melbourne AM station 3AK. In 2002, 3MP relocated its studios from Frankston to inner suburban Richmond where it shared facilities with 3AK.
The final "on air" line up at 3MP as a music station (before changing to a talk format) was John Tamb - Breakfast (Shawn Cosgrove had previously done the breakfast shift but had left the station a few weeks earlier), Peter O'Callaghan - Mornings, Mark Johnson or Mark Irvine - Afternoon / Drive and Eddie Olek - Evenings.
In December 2009, existing operator Pacific Star Network and Macquarie Radio Network, the owner of top rating Sydneytalkback radio station 2GB, agreed to create the joint-venture 'Melbourne Radio Operations Pty Ltd', to supply radio programming in the Melbourne market. In April 2010, the two signed an interim agreement to launch a new talkback station MTR 1377 - replacing 3MP on 1377kHz. The station was seen as a reboot of the failed 3AK Talk format, this time mostly Sydney based 2GB programming - to compete against incumbent 3AW. Unfortunately for Macquarie Media and 2GB, the MTR Melbourne station achieved little listener traction, and struggled for both advertising support and listener interest throughout its short life.[5][6]
MyMP logo (April 2010 – May 2015)
As MTR launched on 19 April 2010,[7] the 3MP format became exclusive to digital radio, branded as MyMP. For the first year of MyMP's existence, the station ran announcer-free; and, for a period, advertisement-free. Announcers returned to MyMP on 13 May 2011, including Mark Johnson, John Tamb and Eddie Olek.[8] In October 2011, the Australian Communications and Media Authority, acting on a complaint, shut down a pirate radio station operating from the Melbourne suburb of Chadstone, re-broadcasting the MyMP signal on AM radio.[9]
3MP logo (May 2015 – October 2016)
However, the aggressive right-wing nature of MTR's talkback format proved to be a failure, and, with the Pacific Star/Macquarie Radio joint-venture entering administration,[10] on 2 March 2012 MyMP reappeared on 1377 AM, after a short simulcast of sister station SEN.[11] From 7 March, MyMP's announcers returned, with John Tamb on breakfast, Mark Johnson on afternoons and Eddie Olek on drive/evenings.
In April 2012, 3MP was granted a power increase to better cover the northern and western areas of Melbourne - first applied for while operating as MTR.[12] Also in 2012, MyMP introduced 'lifestyle weekends', with Phil Wall hosting My Fishing and Richard Stockman hosting My Wine & Food. Former Sale of the Century host Glenn Ridge moved into weekday mornings, hosting My Melbourne.
In 2015, MyMP adopted the positioner of "Melbourne's greatest hits from the 60s, 70s & 80s", and in May reverted to the 3MP brand, last heard in 2010. In July, the newsroom shared between 3MP and sister station 1116 SEN was closed, replaced with a service from Macquarie National News.[13][14]
On 24 October 2016, 3MP the station relaunched as "Classic Rock Radio", with no announcers during the week, and "lifestyle' programming on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
On 13 August 2018, Classic Rock Radio ceased to exist replacing it with an Expansion of 1116 SEN on 1377 as SEN+.
Macquarie Sports Radio is a commercial radio station in Melbourne, Australia owned by Macquarie Radio Network.
3AW is a talkback radio station based in Melbourne. It is broadcast on 693 kHz AM. It began transmission on 22 February 1932 as Melbourne's fifth commercial radio station.
Macquarie Sports Radio is a commercial radio station in Sydney owned by Macquarie Radio Network. It currently broadcasts from studios in Pyrmont, New South Wales.
ABC Local Radio is a network of publicly owned radio stations in Australia, operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
2GB is a commercial radio station in Sydney, Australia broadcasting on 873 kHz, AM. In 2010, 2GB held 14.7% of the total radio ratings share, making it the most widely listened-to radio station in Sydney.
Macquarie Media Limited is an Australian media company, operating radio stations nationally in the capital cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, as well as regional Queensland, it is based in the Sydney suburb of Pyrmont. It is a publicly listed company, majority owned by Nine Entertainment Co. It also operates news service Macquarie National News. The company was originally founded in 1938 as the Macquarie Broadcasting Network, adopting its current name after being acquired by Fairfax in 2015.
Cruise 1323 is one of Adelaide's longest running radio stations. In its 80+ years it has changed considerably. It was the first commercial station to begin broadcasting in South Australia.
Radio 2 was a narrowband Australian radio network owned and operated by WorldAudio Limited. The network was broadcast on frequencies between 1611 and 1629 kHz via a series of 50 AM transmitters across Australia, as well as by satellite and through the network's website.
Relative to most other Australian cities, Melbourne media is unusual in its size and diversity.
1116 SEN is an Australian radio station in Victoria. Owned and operated by Pacific Star Network, it broadcasts a sports radio format from Lower Plenty to Greater Melbourne. First broadcast on 29 November 1931 as 3AK, the station currently broadcasts from studios in Richmond alongside sister station 3MP.
4CC is a Classic Hit Radio-formatted commercial radio station broadcasting to Central Queensland from Gladstone on 927 kHz AM.
6PR, known as 882 6PR, is a commercial radio station based in Perth, Australia. Its focus is on news, talk and sport, and is Perth's only commercial talkback radio station. 6PR is owned by Macquarie Media, an Australian media company that owns television and radio businesses throughout Australia and New Zealand. It commenced broadcasting on 14 October 1931.
Steve Price is an Australian radio broadcaster and journalist. Price is currently working at Macquarie Media broadcasting on 2GB, 4BC and 3AW, he was previously the program director and breakfast presenter at MTR 1377.
Macquarie National News is the name of the news service provided by Macquarie Media, providing half-hourly radio news bulletins to radio stations across Australia. It is distributed to stations by Macquarie Media Syndication.
Macquarie Sports Radio is a radio station in Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. Its analog broadcast frequency is 882 kHz AM, simulcasted on digital radio channel 9B, and markets itself for the baby boomer market. It is owned by Macquarie Media.
3GG is an Australian commercial radio station based in Warragul, Victoria owned by Capital Radio Network. Formerly owned and operated by Resonate Broadcasting and prior, RG Capital and Macquarie Regional RadioWorks, it was acquired by the Capital Radio Network in February 2015.
Melbourne Talk Radio was a radio station in Melbourne that commenced broadcasting on 19 April 2010 until its closure on 2 March 2012. It replaced, and was later succeeded by, 3MP, which used the 1377 kHz frequency. The station's transmitter is located in the suburb of Rowville and broadcasts at 5 kW.
Steve Ahern is an Australian media executive, strategist, trainer and international consultant in modern broadcast media. He has become known for his understanding of new trends and technologies in online and broadcast media and for his work restructuring media companies for the challenges of the modern media environment.
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