ABC Radio Sydney
ABC Radio Sydney (official call sign: 2BL, formerly 2SB) is an ABC radio station in Sydney, Australia. It is the flagship station in the ABC Local Radio network and broadcasts on 702 kHz on the AM dial. The station transmits with a power (CMF) of 3,110V, which is equivalent to 50 kW (the maximum permissible in Australia) from a site 30 kilometres (19 mi) west of the Sydney CBD.[2]
Broadcast area | Sydney, Illawarra, Central Coast, Newcastle, Blue Mountains |
---|---|
Frequency | 702 kHz |
Branding | ABC Radio Sydney |
Programming | |
Format | Talk |
Ownership | |
Owner | Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
History | |
First air date | 23 November 1923[1] |
Former call signs | 2SB |
Links | |
Website | www |
History
ABC Radio Sydney was the first full-time radio station in Australia, having commenced broadcasting at 8.00pm on 23 November 1923.[1] Its first callsign was 2SB where 2 denotes the State of New South Wales and SB stood for Broadcasters (Sydney) Limited.[3] However, the callsign was soon altered to 2BL for Broadcasters (Sydney) Limited.
2BL became one of the inaugural stations in the ABC network when it was founded in 1932 along with sister station 2FC. In 1946, it became the flagship of the National Programme, forerunner of Radio National. It also began carrying parliamentary broadcasts. In 1963, it swapped formats with 2FC and assumed that station's old role as flagship of the Interstate Programme, which eventually evolved into Local Radio. However, it continued to air parliament until 1988. 2BL was re-branded as 702 ABC Sydney in 2000 and then ABC Radio Sydney in 2017.
In the second radio ratings survey of 2012, Nielsen Media Research recorded 702's share of the Sydney radio market as the second largest at 10.3%, behind commercial talk station 2GB.[4]
Most Local Radio stations in New South Wales simulcast 702's programming when not airing local shows for their areas. The exception is 999 ABC Broken Hill, which relays 891 ABC Adelaide due to Broken Hill being on Central Time.
Programs
Daily scheduling
- Breakfast, with Robbie Buck and Wendy Harmer
- AM, with Sabra Lane
- Focus, with Cassie McCullagh
- Conversations, with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski
- The World Today, with Eleanor Hall
- Afternoons, with James Valentine
- Drive, with Richard Glover
- PM, with Linda Mottram[5]
- Evenings, with Sarah MacDonald
- Nightlife, with Philip Clark and Indira Naidoo
- Overnights, with Trevor Chappell and Rod Quinn
Other programs
- Thank God it's Friday is broadcast every Friday on Richard Glover's Drive show and features a roundup of the week's events, featuring various Australian comedians. TGIF is also available as a podcast.
- Norman the Quiz, the pet-name for what used to be simply known as "The Quiz", is hosted by Chris Bath every weekday evening. It is broadcast to all of New South Wales and the ACT
- The Mighty Challenge is a quiz broadcast at midnight (local time) by Phillip Clark.
- Grandstand is the ABC's sport program, which is broadcast from 12 noon on a Saturday and Sunday
- Weekends, with Simon Marnie
- Speaking Out, with Larissa Behrendt[6]
Former presenters
- Deborah Cameron
- Mike Carlton
- Angela Catterns
- Andrew Daddo
- Dom Knight
- Julie McCrossin
- Andrew Olle
- James O'Loghlin
- Clive Robertson
- Adam Spencer
- Virginia Trioli
- Sally Loane
- David Dale
- Frank Crook
- Ray Taylor
- John Doyle
- John Hall
- Margaret Throsby
External links and references
- O'Brien, James; Champness, Lawrence (22 November 2013). "90th Anniversary of the station that became 702 ABC Sydney". 702 ABC Sydney. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- Australian Communications and Media Authority. "Apparatus Licence [Licensee 1103909, Australian Broadcasting Corporation]". Retrieved 14 September 2020. Cite journal requires
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(help) - The station never used the callsign 2BS, although this is quoted in a reputedly reputable source - Changing Stations. The Story of Australian Commercial Radio Griffen-Foley, Bridget, Sydney, 2009. (The callsign 2BS was later used by the local Bathurst station).
- Radio Survey #2 2012
- "Linda Mottram". ABC Radio. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- "Speaking Out, with Larissa Behrendts". ABC Radio. Retrieved 14 September 2020.