Lismore: 2LM

Radio station 2LM, based in Lismore and broadcasting across the Richmond Rivers district and north coast region of New South Wales, began transmission in September 1936 on the frequency 900 kHz.  The station still broadcasts on that frequency today.

2LM now also broadcasts a translator service in the town of Kyogle on 104.3 MHz and has an FM sister station, 2ZZZ, which began broadcasting in the early ‘90s on 100.9 MHz.

2LM now provides a mix of news and local programming aimed at listeners in the 35 to 55 age group, supplemented by programming from Sydney radio stations 2SM and 2UE.

2LM and 2ZZZ are now part of the Super Radio Network, operated by Broadcast Operations Group.

Website: 2LM

Canberra: 2CC

Forty four years after the launch of its first commercial radio station, Australia’s national capital finally received a second commercial station, 2CC, in 1975.

The station was originally broadcast on 1210 kHz, adjusted to 1206 kHz in 1978.

2CC was quick to dominate Canberra’s newly competitive market with a popular music playlist.

With the launch of 2CC’s secondary station 2KIX in 1988, 2CC’s format was re-focused to ‘Classic Hits’.

2CC and former AM rival 2CA are now owned as a joint venture between Capital Radio Network and Grant Broadcasters.  2CC now broadcasts a news and talk-back format with a mix of local programming supplemented by networked programming from Sydney talk radio stations, 2GB and 2UE.

Website: 2CC

Sydney: 2UE

2UE was the first “B”-class (the predecessor to commercial) radio station in Australia when it launched on 26 January 1925.  The station’s original call-sign was 2EU, after the station’s owner Electrical Utilities, but it was later directed to change to 2UE.  Apparently, over the air the callsign “2EU” came across as sounding like “who are you?”  The original broadcast frequency was 1025 kHz, changing to 950 kHz in 1935 and then 954 kHz in 1978.

In 1958, with the advent of television threatening radio, 2UE  was the first station in Australia to adopt the “Top 40” music format which had been successful in the United States.  The format led to 2UE publishing Australia’s first Top 40 chart each week. 

The Top 40 concept was later adopted by other stations around Australia, including 3UZ Melbourne, 5AD Adelaide, 4BC Brisbane and 6KY Perth.

In later decades 2UE adopted more a talk-based format but it was in 1986 that 2UE, and its Melbourne counterpart 3AK, launched another bold initiative in radio – network talk-back.

In June 1986, 2UE and 3AK adopted a single on-air branding – CBC – with much of their schedule in simulcast with each other, with some exceptions for prime shifts such as breakfast where each station had its own program.  It was a bold experiment given that radio audiences are particularly parochial and many talk-back topics do not travel well outside of their home cities.  Melbourne listeners also took umbrage to their 3AK being run by Sydney interests and being dominated by Sydney-based talent, and the ratings reflected that.  The ratings were not as dire in Sydney, but still lagged well behind the top-rating stations at the time.

As a result CBC, in its initial format, was short-lived.  2UE and 3AK later went their separate ways while still maintaining elements of the talk-back format.  Both stations adopted the branding ‘Newsradio’, but 3AK soon ditched the talk format entirely.

2UE continued to present a talk-back format and, with top-rating names like Alan Jones and John Laws starting each weekday, the station built up its ratings to become a dominant force in Sydney radio for many years.

The eventual move of Alan Jones to rival station 2GB, and the retirement of Laws, has seen 2UE lose a lot of its ratings shine and is now sitting well down the ratings ladder.

2UE is now owned by Fairfax Media, the company that also owns talk-back stations 3AW Melbourne, 4BC Brisbane and 6PR Perth and music stations 4BH Brisbane, 96FM Perth and Magic 1278 (3EE) Melbourne.

Website: 2UE