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3AW

From Alfawiki
3AW
Company typePrivate
IndustryRadio broadcasting
Founded22 February 1932; 94 years ago (1932-02-22) in Melbourne, Australia
FounderConsortium including Allans Music, JC Williamson's, and David Syme
Headquarters
Melbourne
,
Australia
Area served
Melbourne metropolitan area
ProductsTalkback radio programming, sports coverage (AFL, cricket, horse racing)
OwnerNine Entertainment
ParentNine Radio
Websitewww.3aw.com.au

3AW is a talkback radio station situated in Melbourne, Australia, and is owned by Nine Entertainment. It transmits on 693 kHz AM and commenced broadcasting on 22 February 1932 as the fifth commercial radio station in Melbourne.

History

The inception of 3AW occurred when a consortium involving Allans Music, JC Williamson's, and David Syme (then publishers of The Age newspaper) secured a radio broadcasting licence, with its inaugural transmission on 22 February 1932. The station’s call sign derives from "Allans" and "The Age" represented by the letter A, while the W stands for "J. C. Williamson".

Among Melbourne's original eight stations, 3AW remains unique in retaining its initial name. It has consistently achieved high rankings in audience measurement surveys.

During 1931/1932, 3AW vied with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne for a newly available radio licence in Melbourne. The Postmaster-General's Department ultimately favored 3AW but mandated one hour of complimentary airtime weekly for the Catholic Church, leading to the establishment of The Catholic Hour, which aired every Sunday evening at the prime time of 9:00 pm. This program was originally preceded by popular shows such as Quiz Kids and Caltex Radio Theatre.

In subsequent decades, the nostalgia-themed show Remember When was broadcast surrounding The Catholic Hour. In the 1990s, following regulatory intervention by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, 3AW management relocated The Catholic Hour from its prime slot to a late-night period (midnight to 1:00 am) on Sundays. Due to diminished audience numbers, the Church eventually discontinued this program.

The Macquarie Broadcasting Service was established in 1938, incorporating 3AW among its stations. In 2015, Fairfax Media acquired Macquarie Media Group and rebranded it as Nine Radio, under which 3AW currently operates.

Initially, 3AW’s studios were located at His Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne (1932–1935). Subsequently, it operated from 382 Latrobe Street for over fifty years before briefly relocating to former ABC premises on Melbourne Place during refurbishment. From 1991 until March 2010, the studios were situated at Bank Street, South Melbourne. Presently, operations are based at Media House, 655 Collins Street, Melbourne, where facilities are shared with Magic 1278 and newspapers such as Australian Financial Review and The Age.

The station originally broadcast on a frequency of 1425 kHz, which was adjusted to 1280 kHz in 1935 amid a nationwide AM band realignment. On 23 November 1978, it shifted to 1278 kHz following the Geneva Frequency Plan of 1975. Experiencing reception difficulties, on 1 May 2006, 3AW exchanged frequencies with sister station Magic to settle at its current frequency of 693 kHz. The transmission signal is emitted from a transmitter located in Werribee.

In the 1950s, 3AW acquired Central Victorian station 3CV in Maryborough, which aired some of 3AW’s programming after 6:00 pm for many years.

Broadcasters

  • Darren James has hosted weekend morning shows for over three decades
  • Ross Stevenson has been with the station for more than three decades

Several veteran presenters have significantly contributed to shaping the identity of 3AW:

  • Philip Brady served for a total of 35 years (1971, then from 1990 to 2025), hosting programs including Nightline and Remember When
  • Neil Mitchell was part of the station for 36 years (1987–2023), presenting Mornings for 34 years before retiring in December 2023. Post-retirement, Tom Elliott, Tony Moclair, and Jacqueline Felgate assumed major time slots starting January 2024
  • David McGee dedicated 31 years (1955–1986) to the station
  • Geoff Manion contributed over nearly three decades (1956–1985)
  • Martha Gardener had a tenure spanning three decades (1952–1982)
  • Norman Banks worked at the station for 26 years (1952–1978)
  • Football commentator Rex Hunt was active from 1989 to 2009 and returned between 2017 and 2021
  • The Revd. Alex Kenworthy hosted Nightline for two decades (1971–1991)
  • Fred Tupper, overseeing sports and general content including the Nicky & Tuppy breakfast show, served for 21 years (1933–1954)
  • John Masters, an original announcer from the station’s launch in 1932, presented the request show Choice of the People well into the early 1950s
  • Peter James (father of Darren James) was affiliated with the station for at least eighteen years (1959–1987)
  • Derryn Hinch had three separate periods totaling twenty-three years between 1979 and 2012; his later terms included interruptions due to suspension and health concerns
  • Harry Beitzel provided football commentary for seventeen years (1972–1989) and returned as a contributor in 2005
  • Nicky Whitta (Clifford Nicholls Whitta), a foundational figure from 1932 to1946, co-hosted the popular Nicky and Tuppy breakfast program and pioneered children’s broadcasts alongside Kathleen Lindgreen

These broadcasters have been instrumental in establishing and maintaining 3AW’s prominent market presence and loyal listener base.

Royal Women's Hospital

Between the 1950s and 1970s, several Melbourne commercial radio stations, including 3AW, organized yearly charity drives. The Mother's Day appeal hosted by 3AW raised funds for the Royal Women's Hospital, with donors publicly recognized during broadcasts. Former presenter Ray Chapman eventually took on full-time paid responsibility for managing this appeal at 3AW.

Royal Children's Hospital

The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne has been supported through its annual Good Friday appeal since 1931, initially gathering modest contributions. A significant increase in donations—approximately 800%—occurred after 3DB began announcing donor acknowledgments on air in 1942. Following brief involvement by successors 3TT and 101.1 TT-FM, 3AW became the principal radio partner, working closely alongside major media outlet HSV 7.

Technical innovations

In April 2007, 3AW launched live streaming of studio footage on its website, enabling listeners to watch broadcasts in real time. The cameras are disabled during news segments, advertisements, and external broadcasts.

By August 2009, 3AW adopted digital transmission using Australia's DAB+ standard, providing enhanced audio clarity and interactive capabilities for compatible receivers. Despite these benefits, the digital broadcast covers a smaller area than the AM signal and is not transmitted within road tunnels.

The station released a mobile application in October 2011 for iPhone users and expanded to Android devices by mid-2012. This app offers live streaming of programs, news and weather updates, and ways to engage with the station via phone calls, emails, Twitter, or Facebook. It also features an integrated alarm clock.

3AW Football (AFL)

The label 3AW Football represents the station’s coverage of Australian rules football, encompassing all AFL game days.

Since its inception in 1953, 3AW Football has showcased prominent commentators such as Norman Banks, Harry Beitzel, and Rex Hunt, who provided commentary for over two decades before transferring to competitor Triple M in 2010.

In 2012, ex-players Matthew Lloyd and Dr Peter Larkins joined the commentary team. By the following year, the roster included weekend host Stephen Quartermain alongside Tim Lane or Tony Leonard and expert analysts. Across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday fixtures, Cameron Ling served as a specialist commentator.

The year 2014 marked the departure of Stephen Quartermain and welcomed Nathan Brown as ball-by-ball commentator for Saturday night and Sunday twilight matches.

Current 3AW Football team (2025)
Commentators Experts Boundary Journalists
Anthony Hudson Leigh Matthews Jacqui Reed Caroline Wilson
Bruce Eva Matthew Lloyd Abbie McKay Sam McClure
Matt Granland Jimmy Bartel Joel Selwood Rohan Connelly
Tim Lane Matthew Richardson Libby Birch Eddie Summerfield
Tony Leonard Tony Shaw Eddie Summerfield Laura Spurway
Shane McInnes Rory Sloane Spiro Christopoulos (NSW)
Libby Birch Paddy Sweeney (WA)


Past Members of the 3AW Football Team

(This list is not exhaustive)


Cricket

On 1 November 2013, Fairfax Radio Network (FRN), the parent company of 3AW, entered into a five-year non-exclusive agreement commencing with the 2013/14 Australian cricket season. This deal covered live broadcasts of the Boxing Day and Sydney Test matches, all One Day Internationals, the Big Bash League (BBL), and International T20 fixtures across its network, including 3AW. In December 2013, FRN extended its coverage to feature the Perth Test match starting 13 December. Fairfax emphasized its "over six decades of sports broadcasting experience" by assembling a renowned commentary team delivering comprehensive ball-by-ball coverage.

Leading the commentary squad were Tim Lane and Bruce Eva, alongside a panel of specialists such as:


Horse Racing

Fred Tupper was a prominent figure in horse racing broadcasts during his tenure at 3AW from 1933 through 1954.

Station Ratings and Market Standing

Throughout 2014, 3AW maintained its dominance in Melbourne's radio ratings. The sixth survey conducted in September revealed a market share of 13.8%, surpassing ABC Radio Melbourne at 11.4% and Fox FM at 8.2%, with 3AW winning across every timeslot. The fifth survey in August recorded a 14% share for the station, followed by ABC at 12% and Fox FM at 8%. Earlier in March, the first survey placed 3AW at the top with an 11.9% share compared to ABC’s 10.6% and Fox FM’s 8.5%. The fourth survey saw a minor decline where ABC briefly overtook 3AW with shares of 13.4% to 13.0%.

The year 2014 marked the transition to GfK Group conducting ratings surveys after Nielsen ended its 66-year tenure. Nielsen’s final report in 2013 confirmed that 3AW had led Melbourne radio for five consecutive years, achieving victory in forty straight surveys.

Controversies

During the 1960s, Mary Hardy and Geoff Manion co-hosted the afternoon show; Hardy sadly took her own life in January 1985.

In 1999, Bruce Mansfield was terminated after it emerged he received undisclosed benefits in exchange for promoting companies positively on-air. He later returned as a nighttime presenter in 2001.

Steve Price, a former presenter, was involved in a prank orchestrated by comedian John Safran who duped him into accepting counterfeit ecstasy pills branded "3AW" for a television segment.

John Blackman, recognized for his provocative career on television and radio including work on Hey Hey It's Saturday and at 3AW, passed away on 4 June 2024. He co-hosted one of 3AW’s leading breakfast shows from 1981 until his departure under ambiguous circumstances in April 1986.

See also

Publication

Campion, Margaret, 3AW is Melbourne. 75 Years of Radio, Prime Advertising Marketing Publishing, 1987.

External links

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