ABC Radio Hobart
| Company type | Public broadcaster |
|---|---|
| Industry | Radio broadcasting |
| Founded | June 22, 1938 |
| Headquarters | Hobart , Australia |
Area served | Hobart, Tasmania |
| Products | Radio broadcasting |
| Owner | Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
| Website | www |
ABC Radio Hobart (call sign: 7ZR) is the ABC Local Radio broadcaster serving the Hobart, Tasmania area, operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
History
The station officially commenced operations on 22 June 1938. However, its launch plans were disrupted by a cable malfunction between Tasmania and mainland Australia. Originally, the opening was scheduled as a live national broadcast featuring Prime Minister Joseph Lyons inaugurating the station from Canberra. Due to the technical issue, Lyons instead recorded his speech in advance, which was then aired during a statewide transmission.
The opening ceremony at Hadley's Hotel was attended by prominent figures such as ABC general manager Charles Moses, board member Elizabeth Couchman, music director William G. James, and Hobart’s mayor John Soundy. Prior to Lyons’ address, Lieutenant-Governor Sir John Evans delivered a live speech from the 7NT studios located in Launceston.
In 2000, ABC undertook a nationwide rebranding initiative that replaced original callsigns with frequency-based station names; consequently, 7ZR was renamed 936 ABC Hobart. A subsequent rebranding in 2017 further streamlined the name to ABC Radio Hobart.
Programming
From its Hobart studios, ABC Radio Hobart produces an array of local content including Breakfast, Mornings, The Country Hour, Your Afternoon, Drive, and Evenings. On weekends, programming features a Saturday morning sports show titled Local Grandstand and a Sunday edition of Mornings.
With the exception of Breakfast and Drive, most local programs are also simulcast on ABC Northern Tasmania in Launceston.
Since 2021, the national current affairs show AM has been broadcast from ABC Radio Hobart following presenter Sabra Lane’s move to Tasmania. Lane uniquely opens the program using Hobart’s palawa kani name, reinforcing local cultural identity. Other national broadcasts continue to originate from ABC stations on the Australian mainland.
ABC Radio Hobart boasts a rich history of notable presenters such as Bob Curé OAM, Ric Paterson, Ken Short, Chris Wisbey, Tim Cox, Annie Warburton, Stan Murrowood, Louise Saunders, and Ryk Goddard, underscoring its enduring influence in Tasmanian radio.
Breakfast presenters
Bob Curé OAM began his tenure with 7ZR in 1967 and is regarded as the longest-serving host of the Breakfast program before retiring in 1997. He passed away in 2014.
Following Curé’s retirement, Ric Paterson took over hosting duties until he stepped down in 2006. In 2003, Paterson was honoured as Tasmanian of the Year by Sir Guy Green, partly due to his instrumental role in founding the ABC’s annual Giving Tree charity appeal.
Andy Muirhead succeeded Paterson on 29 January 2007 but his career ended abruptly in 2010 after being charged with accessing child pornography. He was immediately suspended and later pleaded guilty in 2012, attributing his actions partly to the pressures of simultaneously hosting ABC Hobart's Breakfast and the national television program Collectors. Muirhead received a ten-month prison sentence and was released early in January 2013; he remained listed on Tasmania’s sex offenders register until 2018.
After Muirhead’s departure in June 2010, Michael Veitch served as an interim host for Breakfast until Ryk Goddard was appointed permanently in 2011. Goddard continues to present Monday through Thursday. In November 2022, ABC determined that Goddard breached editorial guidelines concerning accuracy following incorrect remarks he made about Gina Rinehart and her father Lang Hancock during a broadcast.
Transmission
ABC Radio Hobart currently transmits on the AM frequency of 936 kHz. Initially, the station broadcasted on 1160 kHz before shifting to 940 kHz in 1953, ultimately adopting its present frequency in 1978.
To enhance signal quality in locations where AM reception is suboptimal, a low-power FM repeater operates at 90.5 MHz from Moreys Hill, Triabunna, targeting listeners in the Orford and Triabunna areas. Furthermore, ABC Northern Tasmania relays ABC Radio Hobart’s programming during periods without local broadcasts.
The station is also accessible via Hobart's National DAB Multiplexers, with transmissions originating from Broadcast Australia's Mt Wellington and White Rock facilities. The digital broadcast features a slightly different lineup, as the majority of sports programming is delivered through the national DAB counterpart, ABC Sport.
Ratings
ABC Radio Hobart enjoyed robust audience figures, securing the position as Hobart’s leading radio station in both 2016 and 2017. By 2022, however, it had fallen to third place behind competitors 7HO and Hit 100.9, indicating a reduction in its share of the market.