How was emergency broadcasting changed in the last few years? I remember back in the 90âs growing up here in Brisbane that we never had the current level of rolling coverage and multiple warnings. Even during the Supercell storms of 2008.
Certainly only ever heard the SEWS since the 2011 floods. What was cyclone coverage like in the tropics in the 80âs?
I donât know about the 80s but they certainly existed in the 1970s â though probably not to the extent that they are now. There were emergency warnings broadcast before Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin in 1974.
Triple M Townsville has now returned to the national feed with Pricey returning at 5am unless something happens overnight.
Have been listening to Triple M here in Townsville tonight as this emergency is getting very serious here tonight.
The SEWS is being used before every local news update and even before live interviews with the Local Disaster Management Group.
Excellent broadcasters.
Another great broadcaster contributing to the flood coverage. Sounds a lot better than the obscure choices for the Tas disaster.
So the local radio TX out but the RN at the same site still running?
Great question. Love to read more thoughts on this.
ABC Melbourne and Gippsland doing extended bushier updates this afternoon with Andrew Heslop breaking in to Grandstand on analogue and digital content. Wouldnât surprise me if they go to rolling coverage as the situation escalates with several emergency warnings issued.
1pm news still national, fires third story in.
ABC Gippsland has broken into Libbi Gorrâs shift to provide updates on a number of fires burning across the area. Rural reporter Isabella Pittaway is currently anchoring in Sale.
Regular programming is continuing on 3GG, Gold 1242 and TRFM (possibly voice-tracked?) with emergency warning updates during scheduled spot breaks. hit94.3/97.9 is running a local music shift with regular updates.
Jon Faine has taken over from Southbank on ABC Melbourne (DAB+/Online due to the cricket) and ABC Gippsland until at least 3pm.
David Astle is anchoring coverage on ABC Radio Melbourne and ABC Gippsland until 11pm.
Community station Gippsland FM abandoned regular programming late this afternoon and are presenting local coverage.
Gippsland FM were the ones who were brilliant with this back on Black Saturday - they turned their transmitter over to ABC Radio when the fires knocked out the FM and TV services from Mt Tassie in order to keep the emergency warnings coming out to fire-affected communities in the area. Wonderful to see they are staying true to form, community radio in every sense of the word 
Also worth mentioning that hit Gippsland had CD and mornings announcer Aaron Chilcott presenting a live and local overnight shift Sunday night/Monday morning.
Very healthy to see this commitment from the commercial sector too
Iâd say SCA have upped their coverage because they know that theyâll face more scrutiny than smaller operators such as Ace and Kev Blyton.
If SCAâs Melbourne stations had sufficiently staffed newsrooms, they could provide updates for 94.3 and give the local staff a rest instead of doing themselves.
Interesting you mention ACE and Capital - all three stations continued with their scheduled programming, breaking into their voicetracked or syndicated programs with updates as required.
To SCA Gippslandâs credit, they did more than the bare minimum required of them - especially when the ABC bailed out of live programming from Southbank at 11pm.
The Vic fires have been intense enough to send smoke haze all the way to Queenstown NZ. Flying at 37000 feet the patches of smoke haze were quite obvious and thick at times.
Amazing the weather isnât it? Hope the radio signals were pushed east to South Island NZ too. Thanks for the update, enjoy your holiday.
Hope NZ enjoys our finest exported carbon.
ABC Southern QLD and ABC Gold Coast in full emergency mode tonight due to out of control bushfires near Stanthorpe and in the Gold Coast Hinterland. Natasha Harradine is presenting as of 2am. Is she from the Geraldton studios? We had Richard Dinnen from Cairns on air before.
New England Highway is cut. Reports that fires are around Amiens, The Summit and Applethorpe so I wonder how if the Passchendaele transmitter is under threat? The ABC is advising people in Tenterfield that their services could go offline anytime as they are on generator backup and to listen to 738 or 819 AM.
Hit Southern QLD and MMM Darling Downs have normal music programming with regular updates. Unsure what 4WK and 4AK are doing but both have updated Facebook. With no power in Stanthorpe I wonder if the FM services are still online?
ABC Classic seems to be off air from Passchendale on 101.7. JJJ 103.3 and Local ABC 104.9 unaffected.
ABC Classic FM Southern Downs still off air this morning.
Saving fuel for the generators?