Radio History

[TelevisionAU]

@dxer2_2000

how many here remembers a time in the late 80s/early 90s when the ABC stopped using the “Majestic Fanfare” for its news theme

I remember 3LO had its own news theme in the 1980s.

[SydneyCityTV]

Speaking of the ABC, a random question for those with stronger Sydney radio memories than yours truly: Does anyone else remember “Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love)” from Spiller being used as a bumper theme on the 702 ABC Sydney breakfast show circa 2000-01?

[DJPizarro]

Angela Catterns used it from 2001 to 2005. I remember it well.

[tamago_otoko]

Was it this one? (at 1:05 in the clip)

News, Weather & Music On 3LO In C-QUAM AM Stereo - Melbourne, Australia (1991)

[TelevisionAU]

@tamago_otoko

Was it this one? (at 1:05 in the clip)

That was a later one, but I was thinking of a different one in the '80s.

EDIT: (5:05 in this clip) This was part of an earlier one from the 1970s but not the one I was thinking of…

- YouTube

YouTube: Australian TV Fan

[kycalling]

@dxer2_2000

how many here remembers a time in the late 80s/early 90s when the ABC stopped using the “Majestic Fanfare” for its news theme

I don’t remember it ever stopping altogether; however there was a few years back then when Majestic Fanfare was only used for the main bulletins (7.45am, 12.30pm, 5.00pm etc) and the hourly updates were simply called “The News in Brief” for which they made a variety of silly noises - or just an announcement after the time signal.

[TelevisionAU]

@kycalling

however there was a few years back then when Majestic Fanfare was only used for the main bulletins (7.45am, 12.30pm, 5.00pm etc)

I’d forgotten that but yes i think you’re right.

This is also in the context of what is now local radio? I’m also not sure what RN (or Radio 2 it was then?) or ABCFM stations used, they may have retained the Majestic Fanfare too? I never listened to them back in the day so I have no recollection.

[kycalling]

Local Radio mainly made use of ‘News in Brief’ which used to be just two or three minutes at the top of the hour. 2FC and the national stations, from memory, had one NiB mid morning, but otherwise sticked to the key major bulletins… in those days it wasn’t unusual for the duty announcer to cross to the Newsroom for a short news flash if something happened between programs. ABC-FM (now Classic) basically only had hourly news at breakfast with an update at lunch and dinnertime - but used the shortened Majestic Fanfare.

Just thinking about how things have changed… I can’t understand for the life of me why Classic now has news at Noon on weekends but not on weekdays - perhaps for the benefit of those sleeping in?

[SydneyCityTV]

This just in from “Tape Ape” on YouTube, a 1999 TVC for Triple M Sydney (although no doubt the Ms in other cities also had their own version of this) featuring a CGI baby:

Triple M - TV Ad - Australia 1999

Now I was very young back then so any memories I might have of TV 21 years ago are extremely vague at best, but didn’t Triple M also have another commercial with the CGI baby dancing to Blue Swede’s version of “Hooked on a Feeling” sometime around then?

[FineTuned]

There was a few Dancing Baby ads. Triple M had this.

PMFM in Perth had this one.

[NewsWeary]

@SydneyCityTV

but didn’t Triple M also have another commercial with the CGI baby dancing to Blue Swede’s version of “Hooked on a Feeling” sometime around then?

You’re probably thinking of the oogachaka baby internet meme that went viral around that time and featured in the first season of Ally McBeal and promotion of that show on Seven.

[Nick_Samon]

The songs are: a cover of You Really Got Me?, You Get What You Give by New Radicals, a song I don’t know and She’s So High by Tal Bachman.

[SydneyCityTV]

@NewsWeary

You’re probably thinking of the oogachaka baby internet meme that went viral around that time and featured in the first season of Ally McBeal and promotion of that show on Seven.

Ahh, so that must be where I remember it from! No doubt this early internet meme inspired the Triple M commercials though.

@Nick_Samon

The songs are: a cover of You Really Got Me?, You Get What You Give by New Radicals, a song I don’t know and She’s So High by Tal Bachman.

Bad To The Bone by George Thorogood & The Destroyers.

[Nick_Samon]

I rarely even listen to classic rock songs. You hear some classic rock songs on Smoothfm, GOLD/WSFM, Triple M and even Fox FM/2DAY FM.

[dxnerd]

Van Halen- You Really Got Me (Kinks cover). The last song played on my show last week. It was the only song that fit in before the news. Playing a Van Halen triple shot from 1984 this week (no ‘Jump’).

[crankymedia]

@TelevisionAU

That was a later one, but I was thinking of a different one in the '80s.

They are the first few bars of the majestic fanfare?

[TV-Expert]

From TRV, the opening broadcast of Australia’s first commercial FM station, EON FM in Melbourne, on 11th July 1980.

The Launch Of Australia's First Commercial FM Radio Station 'EON FM' - Melbourne, Australia (1980)

[TelevisionAU]

@TV-Expert

From TRV, the opening broadcast of Australia’s first commercial FM station, EON FM in Melbourne, on 11th July 1980

when did they change from pronouncing it as “E-O-N” to “EON”?

Likewise, “F-O-X” to “Fox”?

[SydneyCityTV]

@Brianc68

@Radiohead

@Brianc68

Otherwise I would say there is no nationally iconic station.

Not as a station as such, but Triple M is probably the most recognisable commercial radio BRAND in the country.

Depends what age group you asked. Nova and Triple J would be more recognized for many. I think actually Nova has a higher profile and recognition than Triple M these days, at least in metro areas.

To be technical it’s not 2MMM people are recognizing either. Remembering 4MMM went to air about the same time and was initially known as that before (and after) FM104. The other stations in the network were re-brands of course.

From a Sydney perspective, I’d probably say that different FM stations were iconic at different times of history. Perhaps something among these lines…

*Triple M (1980-92)
*2DayFM (1992-2000/01)
*Nova (2001-04)
*2DayFM (2005-13)
*KIIS 1065 (2014-15)
*Smooth 95.3 (2016-now)

Of course, Triple J and 2WS-FM/WSFM would also be recognised by many Sydneysiders. While it’s probably only the radio enthusiasts of this city who still remember Mix 106.5, Vega 95.3, Classic Rock 95.3 and Sydney’s 95.3!

[thesub1]

Ohhh remember the days when a new year meant a new brekkie duo on Mix106.5?