Very weird that the station’s logo after converting looks older than the one they had on AM.
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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.
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4KQ is having another of its Sizzling Seventies weekends. This morning they played consecutively themes to Grizzly Adams, SWAT, Welcome Back Kotter, Auntie Jack and Happy Days.
The last one reminded me that 4IP used to play a modified version of this song that had the line “These Happy Days are yours and mine on 4IP” in the chorus.
In the 80’s they also had a modified version of Starship’s We Built This City where the DJ instead of Golden Gate bridge etc it was SEQ and “your favorite radio station in your favorite radio city” was Radio 10.
Any other stations in the “network” like 2SM and 3XY do this?
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No, but it reminded me to post that WSFM are doing the “Best Compilation Albums of All Time” this weekend.
They had Gavin Wood from Countdown doing the voiceovers for it.
Hoping they cover “Throbbin 84” or “Choose 1985”, two of my faves.
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And why wouldn’t you? I was born in 1985, great vintage. 
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[quote="TV.Cynic, post:2286, topic:236.
In the 80’s they also had a modified version of Starship’s We Built This City where the DJ instead of Golden Gate bridge etc it was SEQ and “your favorite radio station in your favorite radio city” was Radio 10
[/quote]
I remember that too
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I feel really old now😊
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I alway remember the day that 2UW switched to FM. It was Saturday April 30 in 1994.
On this day I flew out of Sydney for a six month European holiday that included a three week Contiki Tour. Almost the best six months of my life.
That morning I was so excited to hear how 2UW would sound on FM. This was the same 2UW that rocketed to No.1 only 13 years earlier as The New 2UW. Could they do it again? I was so disappointed to hear a very middle of the road Mix 106.5.
The AM radio stations had fought so hard to retain audiences with the FM stereo competition and the two conversions in Sydney - WS and 2UW - did not set the world on fire when they moved to FM. Triple M and 2DayFM carried on as normal. In the short to medium term I don’t think that UW or WS experienced any major increase in their ratings in the year after conversion.
If 2GB loses listeners post Alan - maybe KIIS could reach No.1. This would be the first time since 1981 that this license has hit the top position.
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Another random radio history thought. With the demise of the 7:45am ABC News bulletin it reminded me that some commercial radio stations used to carry that 15 minute bulletin.
A couple of SEQ stations that carried the news “by arrangement with the Australian Broadcasting Commission” were 4KQ (the Great KQ) and 4GG (Double G). GG replaced the fanfare with its own news theme.
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I disagree about 2WS not having a major increase in ratings when they converted to FM on 1st June 1993. On their last survey as an AM station, they had an 8.9% share, whilst on their first survey as an FM station, they jumped to 13.8%. In the next survey, it was #1 FM & came very close to knocking 2UE off the #1 overall spot. It continued to rate well until around early 1998.
In fact, Triple M started to suffer in the ratings for a few years after 2WS’s FM conversion.
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As did Fox FM Melbourne at launch I’m led to believe
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It did. Fox was originally aimed at listeners to 3LO who wanted more music and less talk. They brought in ex ABC announcers John Amies and Richard Combe. Plus some others I think. The format didn’t really take off and they went AC eventually.
3EE, when it was owned by 3MP, also used to take the 7:45 am ABC news. Plus BBC world news. Again that didn’t last all that long. Was in EE’s big band, 50s and 60s era with breakfast hosted by Johnny Young.
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TV-Expert - you have the best access to past radio surveys of anyone in Australia!
Bar none.
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Thank you, although @HUFF might give me a run for my money. 
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I remember hearing a community FM station taking the BBC News. The problem was that their source was the BBC World Shortwave service. I imagine that a radio studio was not the best place to try to get a signal. The announcer said before the bulletin, that if ‘it get’s too bad’ they would switch back to music. IIRC this was 2CHY.
Additionally, BBC World SW service never did put a very good signal into Australia. The best signal was if you could get an appropriate frequency from the BBC Far Eastern Relay Station (that was in Sri Lanka then), otherwise it was a transmitter in the UK that wasn’t specifically targetted to ANZ or one the Western Hemisphere that overspilled to this area.
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Singapore actually.
Decades ago they did broadcast directly to AUS/NZ from there, during certain hours (mainly late arvo/early evening ).
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2GB in the 1980s played a recorded shortened version of BBC World Service News just after the 5:30am news. It was also via shortwave though it was generally good quality.
Some 2GB listeners in 1947 didn’t like foreign accents on the wireless.
SMH
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73 years later and I daresay that’s still the case…
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Yet they were happy to lap up Alan’s accent.
Personally find it irritating, doesn’t enhance whatever his opinions are.
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It’s 3BA 90th birthday this month. 
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