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ABC Radio Melbourne

From Alfawiki
ABC Radio Melbourne
Company typePublic broadcaster
IndustryRadio broadcasting
FoundedOctober 13, 1924; 102 years ago (1924-10-13) in Melbourne, Australia
Headquarters
Melbourne
,
Australia
Area served
Victoria, Australia
OwnerAustralian Broadcasting Corporation
Websitewww.abc.net.au/melbourne/

ABC Radio Melbourne (callsign: 3LO) is an ABC Local Radio broadcaster operating out of Melbourne, Australia. It commenced transmission on 13 October 1924, becoming Melbourne’s second authorized radio station following 3AR. When not airing region-specific programming, other ABC Local Radio outlets in Victoria relay its content.

History

Initially under the ownership of the Broadcasting Company of Australia—supported by theatrical figures J. & N. Tait, department store Buckley & Nunn, and media firm Herald and Weekly Times Ltd—the station’s name was inspired by England’s 2LO, possibly alluding to London or humorously referencing "Second Line Out" due to early landline technical difficulties.

The first broadcast featured an outdoor rendition of La Bohème starring Dame Nellie Melba at His Majesty's Theatre. The station originally transmitted on longwave at 174 kHz with a power of 5,000 watts from Maidstone, before switching to mediumwave 810 kHz in July 1925.

From 1927 until 1939, the "Voice of Australia" shortwave service transmitted 3LO programs internationally. Beginning in 1928, technical operations were overseen by the Postmaster-General's Department, while programming was supplied by the Australian Broadcasting Company. This company was nationalized in 1932, leading to the establishment of the Australian Broadcasting Commission.

Transmission facilities relocated to Delahey in 1938, where they remain today. The original studios were situated near Russell Street before moving to Broadcast House on Lonsdale Street in 1945; a further move occurred in 1995 to the ABC Southbank Centre.

Historically, the station’s schedule included educational programming such as Kindergarten of the Air, targeting children in rural areas. In 2006, coinciding with the 2006 Commonwealth Games, ABC Radio Melbourne launched "The G-Spot," an interactive outdoor broadcast studio at Federation Square, and began streaming its broadcasts online alongside traditional radio transmissions, enhancing listener interaction within legal and sporting rights frameworks.

Present

ABC Radio Melbourne offers a blend of local and national news, talkback segments, current affairs, and sports coverage. During certain hours, it is branded as "ABC Radio Melbourne and ABC Victoria," reflecting shared programming across Victoria’s ABC Local Radio network. The station is also available through online streaming platforms.

Its main transmitter operates on 774 kHz from Delahey, approximately 20 km northwest of Melbourne’s central business district, with a power output of 50,000 watts, reaching most of Victoria. A supplementary transmitter at Marengo broadcasts on 89.5 MHz with around 327 watts EIRP to cover the Apollo Bay region.

The station frequently provides live coverage from prominent events including the Gardening Australia Expo, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, C31 Melbourne Antenna Awards, Royal Melbourne Show, and Royal Geelong Show.

Situated within the ABC Southbank Centre, ABC Radio Melbourne shares its premises with ABC Local Radio, ABC Radio National, ABC Classic FM, Triple J, ABC Dig Music, Radio Australia, Australia Network, ABC News and Current Affairs, and ABC TV.

As an official Emergency Services Broadcaster, ABC Radio Melbourne played a critical role during the Black Saturday bushfires and subsequent recovery efforts in 2009.

Daily schedule

  • Breakfast, hosted by Sharnelle Vella and Bob Murphy – 5:30 am to 8:00 am
  • AM (national edition), presented by Sabra Lane – 8:00 am to 8:30 am
  • Mornings, with Rafael Epstein – 8:30 am to 11:00 am
  • The Conversation Hour, led by Richelle Hunt – 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
  • The World Today (national broadcast) – 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm
  • Afternoons, featuring Brigitte Duclos (Monday to Thursday), Jacinta Parsons and Brian Nankervis (Fridays) – 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm
  • Drive, with Ali Moore – 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm
  • PM (national), hosted by Samantha Donovan – 6:00 pm to 6:30 pm
  • ABC Sport Daily (national), with Patrick Stack – 6:30 pm to 6:45 pm
  • Evenings, presented by David Astle (Monday to Thursday), Sirine Demachkie (Friday, national), Christine Anu (Saturday, national), Mark Humphries (Sunday, national) – 6:45 pm to 10:00 pm
  • Nightlife (national), with Philip Clark (Monday to Thursday) and Suzanne Hill (Friday through Sunday) – 10:00 pm to 2:00 am
  • Overnights (national), hosted by Trevor Chappell (Monday to Thursday from Melbourne) and Rod Quinn (Friday through Sunday from Sydney) – 2:00 am until early morning

Additional programs

  • The Friday Revue, featuring Jacinta Parsons and Brian Nankervis – Fridays, 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm
  • Thank God it's Friday!, hosted by Charlie Pickering – Fridays, 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm
  • Saturday Breakfast, with Brian Nankervis – Saturdays, 6:00 am to 8:00 am
  • Saturday Mornings, presented by Jacinta Parsons – Saturdays, 8:30 am to 12:00 pm
  • Sundays, hosted by Lisa Leong – Sundays, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
  • Australia All Over (national broadcast), led by Ian McNamara – Sundays, 5:30 am to 10:00 am
  • Grandstand, ABC's sports program, airs from noon on both Saturdays and Sundays
  • Weekend digital radio programs on DAB+ include Editor's Choice, Live and Local, Babytalk, Weekends, Saturday Afternoon, The Best of the Story Stream, Countrywide, A Big Country, and Sunday Afternoon—broadcast from midday until early evening on weekends
  • Speaking Out (Radio National), hosted by Larissa Behrendt

Former presenters

See also

External links

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