Just thought I’d post a little history because, being 44 years old myself, not everyone who reads these boards would know how far back in time certain radio networks were brought together.
In this case, Australian Radio Network primarily consisted of 2UW Sydney and, from sometime in 1987, 3DB Melbourne.
Other stations in the network about this time 30 years ago, such as 2CC Canberra and 4BC Brisbane, are now aligned to other networks, while a merger with network Wesgo (WSFM) and purchase of Gold 104, both occurring about 1995, significantly sowed together the wider network that now exists.
3DB and 2UW were brought into line with the same “classic hits” format from 2nd April 1988, although the change coincided with 3DB changing its call-sign to 3TT, signing-off one of Melbourne’s oldest radio stations (first commenced in 1927).
From this day 30 years ago, 24th June 1990, 3TT became the first of Australian Radio Network’s AM stations to convert to the FM band. (the others to follow would be 5AD in 1993, before becoming part pf ARN, and 2UW in 1994).
The branding was amended to Double T FM (TT-FM) which is why the call-sign (not used on-air) remains 3TTT until this day.
TT-FM was a successful brand for a decade, often the main rival to the Fox, although it had to depart from the classic hits formula ahead of 2UW doing so, in order to eventually find its way to being Melbourne’s number one radio station, albiet only for a single radio survey, in 1995 (this about the time 3AW would commence its record run at the top of the ratings)
While 2UW stuck with its classic hits format until it too became ready for its switch to the FM band (in May 1994), TT-FM significantly changed format about April 1992, borrowing a program concept from the United States which skewed the music softer than its rivals but also more contemporary for the time (a “mix” from the 70s, 80s and 90s).
2UW would be brought in line with much the same formula when it became Mix 106.5 FM.
Of course the more recent incarnation of this pairing of stations is KIIS, launching in Sydney in 2014 and a year later in Melbourne. With Smooth FM making it’s debut a few years earlier, KIIS needed to be taken in a more hot adult contemporary direction, headed up by the poaching of Kyle and Jackie O from rival 2Day.