Re, frequencies previously used by AFTRS for “Show Radio” in Sydney: Even though I’m sure I saw “90.9” amongst that historical photo gallery in 2014 that has since vanished from the internet, so far I haven’t been able to find any other references to AFTRS ever using it for Show Radio. Maybe AFTRS or someone else once used 90.9FM for a completely different temporary radio station in/around the Sydney area, who knows.
In any case, about 18 months after making this post I’ve taken the time to do some research and here’s what I’ve been able to come up with!
The information I could find online suggests that 94.9 was used in both 1998 and 2000 - possibly because 96.9 (used by Show Radio for the three Moore Park years and 1999) was being used by community radio trials at the same time.
Yep, that sounds about right. The AMT newsletter for April 2001 noted that Show Radio could now claim to be Sydney’s newest station - coming on air just a few days after Nova 96.9 started fulltime transmission.
In any case, didn’t Nova 96.9 do live broadcasts from the Royal Easter Show during their first few years anyway? At the very least I’m sure they had a presence at the event (certainly would’ve made sense in 2001, as the Show opened just a few days after Nova that year).
Not sure if this is entirely Easter Show related, but I also seem to recall a different station having a streetside studio of some sort at Homebush during the Early 2000s - not sure whether this was Radio 2 or someone else who had a temporary set-up out there.
Anyway…back to tracking the frequency history of Show Radio:
It was noted in radioinfo’s coverage on April 1 that 2004 would be the final year of 95.3FM being used for Show Radio - the auction for 95.3 as a commercial licence happened on the final day of Show Radio 2004.
The following year while holidaying in Sydney from London, Jonathan Coleman popped into Show Radio for an interview (The radioinfo article about that can be read here, for those interested) and made an quip about how 95.3 was sold for $80 Million!
The 2005/2006/2007 broadcasts were on 100.5, with 107.9 being used from 2008 onwards going by this.
And of course this year (probably next year as well, unless things improve dramatically soon), there wasn’t any Show to broadcast from due to the pandemic. However there was a Show Radio Special Edition done over a week back in April. I’d imagine this may have been an online-only thing.