5MU
| Company type | Commercial radio station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Radio broadcasting |
| Founded | September 16, 1934 |
| Founder | Frank Miller |
| Headquarters | Murray Bridge , Australia |
Area served | Murray Bridge, Victor Harbor, Adelaide Hills |
| Products | Radio broadcasting (Adult hits format) |
| Owner | Australian Radio Network |
5MU operates as a commercial radio station with an adult hits format, situated in Murray Bridge, South Australia. It transmits on 96.3 MHz and extends its coverage through repeaters located in Victor Harbor at 97.1 MHz and the Adelaide Hills area on 94.3 MHz.
History
The origins of 5MU trace back to when master engineer and World War I signaller Frank Miller obtained a broadcasting license and commenced transmissions on 16 September 1934, becoming South Australia's second radio broadcaster. Initially, the station operated during evening hours with limited daytime programming. Early in 1935, Advertiser Newspapers Ltd—publishers of The Advertiser and proprietors of Adelaide's 5AD (Mix 102.3)—secured a majority stake in the station, resulting in some content sharing with 5AD.
5MU is notable for possessing the longest continuously used callsign in South Australia, retaining the 5MU designation despite multiple frequency adjustments and its conversion to FM by September 2024.
During the late 1970s, compliance with the Geneva Frequency Plan of 1975 necessitated a frequency change from 1450 kHz to 1458 kHz. Subsequently, around 1988, the station shifted to 1125 kHz concurrent with adopting C-QUAM AM Stereo technology.
In 1998, Australian Regional Broadcasters acquired the station from South East Telecasters, marking their initial purchase outside Western Australia. By the year 2000, under the ownership of Grant Broadcasters, an FM counterpart named Power FM was introduced.
Following regional consultations in 2021, 5MU officially transitioned to FM broadcasting at 96.3 MHz, supplemented by repeaters on the South Coast (97.1 MHz) and Adelaide Hills (94.3 MHz), aligning its service area with sister station Power FM SA. The original AM signal at 1125 kHz was phased out after a designated transition timeframe.
In November 2021, Australian Radio Network completed the acquisition of Grant Broadcasters' portfolio, including 5MU, granting access to ARN’s iHeartRadio platform for regional audiences. This transaction was finalized on 4 January 2022.
Main programs
- Breakfast with Adam and Jennie
- More Music Mornings with Jennie Lenman
- Around SA with Chris Guscott
- Saturday Sports Show
- Jam Nation featuring Brendan "Jonesy" Jones and Amanda Keller
- The Christian O'Connell Show
- 20/20 Retro Countdown