Macquarie Radio Network owns and operates 3AW, an Australian radio station. It is a talkback radio station in Melbourne that broadcasts on 693 kHz AM. Melbourne’s 3AW radio station is known for its innovations. It is heard on 693 kHz AM. It debuted as Melbourne’s fifth commercial radio station on February 22, 1932. Nine Entertainment Co. owns and operates the station.
On February 22, 1932, the station went on the air as Melbourne’s fifth commercial radio station. The station was founded by Allans, J.C. Williamson, and David Syme (then publishers of The Age newspaper). Macquarie Radio Network owns and operates it. Today, the station has a talkback format and is one of Melbourne’s most popular stations. The station’s first studio was located in His Majesty’s Theatre (now Her Majesty’s Theatre). Nowadays, 3AW shares facilities with Magic 1278, in the studios that are located at Media House, 655 Collins Street, Docklands.
General information –
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Genres: Local News
- Broadcast area: Melbourne RA1
- Frequency: AM: 693 kHz; DAB+: 9B Melbourne
- Language(s): English
- Format: Talk radio
- Network: Nine Radio
- Affiliations: Nine News
- Owner: Nine Entertainment Co (Radio 3AW Melbourne Pty Ltd)
- Sister stations: Magic 1278
- First air date: 22 February 1932
History
3AW was founded when a company formed by Allans, JC Williamson, and David Syme (then publishers of The Age newspaper) was granted a radio broadcasting license, with the first broadcast on February 22, 1932.
The original broadcast frequency of 3AW was 1425 kHz, but it was changed to 1280 kHz on September 1, 1935, as part of a national rescheduling of the radio broadcasting spectrum. With the introduction of 9 kHz spacing on the AM band on November 23, 1978, the station’s frequency was changed to 1278 kHz.
The 3AW studios are housed in Media House, 655 Collins Street, Melbourne, and share space with Magic 1278, the Australian Financial Review, and The Age newspapers. From 1991 to March 2010, the studios were located on Bank Street in South Melbourne.
Current Presenters
Current major presenters in 2020 are Ross Stevenson & Russel Howcroft (Breakfast), Neil Mitchell (Mornings), Diane “Dee Dee” Dunleavy (Afternoons), Tom Elliott (Drive), Denis Walter (Nights), Tony Moclair (Overnight). Mitchell has worked for 3AW for 33 years.
Technical innovations
In April 2007, 3AW installed cameras in their main studio so that fans could watch as well as listen to the program being broadcast via the 3AW website. The cameras are not turned on during newscasts, commercial breaks, or outside broadcasts.
3AW “went digital” in August 2009, providing superior sound quality and other features to those with digital receivers. Stations that use a digital signal can also provide multiple channels and interactive features.
3AW released an application (App) for smartphones or tablets in October 2011 (iPhone) and mid-2012 (Android). Users can listen to the current program, read or listen to current news articles, get weather updates, contact the station via phone, email, Twitter, or Facebook, and set an alarm.
3AW Football (AFL)
‘3AW Football’ is the brand under which 3AW broadcasts Australian rules football and the station broadcasts football on all AFL match days.
Cricket
On 1 November 2013, 3AW’s parent company, Fairfax Radio Network (FRN), announced that it had signed a five-year non-exclusive contract commencing with the 2013/2014 Australian cricket season, to broadcast the Boxing Day and Sydney Test matches, all One Day Internationals, the Big Bash League (BBL) and International T20 matches on network stations including 3AW.
Station ratings and market position
In the sixth rating survey for 2014, released on September 30, 2014, 3AW ranked first with a 13.8 percent market share, followed by 774 ABC with an 11.4 percent share and Fox FM with an 8.2 percent share. Every time slot was won by 3AW in this survey.
In the fifth rating survey for 2014, which was released on August 26, 2014, 3AW came in first with a 14 percent market share, followed by 774 ABC with a 12 percent market share and Fox FM with an 8.0 percent market share. In the fourth survey, 3AW dropped to second place with a 13.0 percent market share, trailing 774 ABC’s 13.4 percent and Gold 104.3 FM’s 7.4 percent.
In the first survey for 2014, released on 11 March 2014, 3AW was the No. 1 station scoring an 11.9% market share followed by 774 ABC’s 10.6% share with Fox FM third on 8.5%. The final rating survey for 2013 and the last to be conducted by Nielsen, saw 3AW complete five years as Melbourne’s number one radio station with 40 consecutive survey wins.
Programs:
3AW 693 AM is a commercial talkback radio station in Melbourne since 1932. The station provides news reports every half hour between 6am and 9am each weekday. The main shows of the station are: Australia Overnight with Tony Moclair, Ross and John, Neil Mitchell, Denis Walter, 3AW Drive, and Sportsday. In 2009, 3AW “went digital”, offering a superior quality sound for those with digital receivers.
Popular programs are – Australia Overnight, 3AW Breakfast, 3AW Mornings, 3AW Afternoons, 3AW Drive, Sportsday.
Contact info:
Street & Postal Address: Radio 3AW Melbourne Pty. Limited
Media House, Level 7, 655 Collins Street
Docklands VIC 3008; Australia
Social contact:
- Web: www.3aw.com.au/
- Facebook: @NewsTalk3AW
- Twitter: @3aw693
- Email: matt.cram@macquariemedia.com.au
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/3aw693/
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3AW 693: liveonlineradio.net/3aw-radio
