96FM (Perth radio station)
| Company type | Commercial radio station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting, Radio |
| Founded | August 8, 1980 |
| Headquarters | Perth , Australia |
Area served | Perth, Western Australia and neighbouring regions |
| Owner | ARN (since January 2015) |
| Parent | ARN |
96FM (call sign: 6NOW) is a commercial FM radio broadcaster operating in Perth, Western Australia. Since January 2015, it has been under the ownership of the ARN. Prior to this, the station was affiliated with the Fairfax Media and Village Roadshow groups.
History
On 8 August 1980, 96FM commenced transmission on 96.1 MHz, marking Perth’s inaugural commercial FM station. The launch broadcast featured Gordon O'Byrne as its first live on-air presenter, with Gary Roberts serving as Program Director.
During the 1980s, 96FM pioneered innovative revenue initiatives such as the Gold Pass, which provided shoppers with retailer discounts to supplement advertising income. In 1982, it became the first Australian station to broadcast music from compact discs, shifting away from vinyl records and cartridges towards digital audio formats. This transition improved sound fidelity and established the station as a frontrunner in broadcast technology.
Major promotional campaigns included 'Rockwords,' which awarded $10,000 to crossword contest winners, and the yearly 'Top 96 Albums of All Time' countdown held in conjunction with the City of Perth’s Skyworks event. These efforts significantly enhanced listener engagement.
By 1985, 96FM achieved top ratings in Perth for the first time, competing closely with AM station 6PM until that station converted to FM in 1991. Until then, 96FM was Perth’s only commercial FM broadcaster.
In 1993, after FM Australia faced financial difficulties, Village Roadshow acquired it and rebranded 96FM as a Triple M station featuring a Top 40 music format rather than the harder rock style typical of eastern states’ Triple M outlets. This format change did not secure substantial audience growth. As ratings declined, event management such as Skyshow was discontinued by 1996 and taken over by government authorities who rebranded it due to copyright reasons.
Following Austereo’s acquisition of rival stations PMFM and KYFM in 1997—Austereo being a Village Roadshow subsidiary—regulatory constraints compelled Village Roadshow to divest 96FM. The station was subsequently sold to Southern Cross Broadcasting, which reinstated the original 96FM branding and refreshed its logo.
Southern Cross Broadcasting was purchased by Fairfax Media in 2007, bringing 96FM into its portfolio. By June 2012, the station reclaimed its position as Perth’s leading radio outlet with its "Keep Real Music Alive" slogan.
In December 2014, Fairfax announced plans to merge with Macquarie Radio Network and divest 96FM to ARN. The sale was completed in January 2015, integrating the station into ARN’s KIIS Network. A rebranding followed in September that year, aligning its identity with KIIS branding standards.
To celebrate its 40th anniversary, 96FM launched a dedicated microsite featuring archival materials and historical highlights.
On 11 March 2021, long-time breakfast host Fred Botica retired. Subsequently, Lisa Shaw joined Dean Clairs ("Clairsy") to form a new morning program titled "The Bunch," which premiered on March 15 alongside a revamped logo combining elements from both the original and KIIS designs.
Transmission
Broadcasting on frequency 96.1 MHz, 96FM serves Perth and neighbouring regions via transmission from the Perth Radio Services tower located near Channel 7’s Bickley tower. The station operates with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 40KW omnidirectional—typical for commercial FM stations within Perth. Its signal coverage stretches northward to New Norcia, southward to Waroona, and eastward reaching Northam. The studio premises are situated at 169 Hay Street in Perth.
Originally housed on Terrace Road in East Perth from 1980 until 1983 and then moving to Wellington Street until 1988, early transmissions shared facilities with STW9's tower. The emergence of mobile telecommunications and the launch of competitors such as 6PM and 6KY on FM frequencies led to establishing a dedicated Perth FM radio group transmission site.
Programming content is relayed via microwave link from East Perth studios to Bickley, where each FM broadcaster employs an STL (Studio Transmitter Link) dish that feeds signals into exciters equipped with a 19 kHz sub-audio pilot tone used for stereo identification. These signals are combined at the transmission tower to optimize sharing of antenna arrays and facilities among stations.
As a contingency measure, broadcasts can be delivered over a high-quality ISDN link at 128kbit/s using professional codecs; however, this method is financially impractical for continuous operation.
Additionally, listeners can access 96FM through DAB+ digital radio services available throughout Perth.