3MP
Encyclopedia
3MP began transmission 21 July 1976, as Melbourne
's seventh commercial radio station and the first new commercial station in over 40 years. The original licencees included a consortium of businessmen and media identities.
Unlike other Melbourne radio stations that were based in the inner city areas, 3MP - as the callsign "MP", which stands for Mornington Peninsula
, implies - was based in the south eastern suburb of Frankston
, originally in the Bayside Shopping Centre. The station broadcast on 1380 kHz (changed to 1377 kHz in 1978) from the suburb of Rowville.
3MP's initial music format, developed by the station's first General Manager, Ray Bean, and Operations Manager, Geoff Brown, was a one-for-one mix of solid gold and current Top 40 strongly targeted at the 25-39 demographic, a less edgy version of the popular "More Music" 10-17 and 18-24 demographic format employed by #1 rated 3XY.
Although the original Articles of Association prohibited any one person from owning more than 5% of the shares in Mornington Peninsula Broadcasters Ltd, the station was sold outright to AWA in 1980.
In 1985, rival station 3AK
suddenly dumped its Beautiful music
format, despite strong ratings
. The perception of management was that the format did not attract the sort of younger, more impulsive, listeners that had high disposable incomes so therefore were seen to not be attractive to advertisers.
3MP saw the gap in the market left by 3AK and within two weeks of 3AK's format change, 3MP had completely revamped its music library, on-air personnel and image to adopt an Easy listening
format. 3MP went from being a modest rating station to become a strong competitor in the ratings even up against the almighty FM
stations and dominant talkback station 3AW
.
In 1993, 3MP's then owner Wesgo bought out rival station 3EE
and began simulcasting the same program format on both frequencies. Upon instruction from the Australian Broadcasting Authority
in 1994, Wesgo had to split the stations into separate formats. 3MP retained its existing Easy Listening format while 3EE was relaunched as Magic 693 with music from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s and weekend AFL
broadcasts. Magic 693's ratings went up and 3MP's gradually came down. Southern Cross Broadcasting
ended up buying 3MP and 3EE from Wesgo. Southern Cross had also closed 3MP's newsroom and replaced its news bulletins with those provided by 3AW. They kept 3EE to complement their top rating talkback station 3AW, and 3MP was sold to Goulburn Valley Broadcasters.
In 2001, 3MP was transferred to Data and Commerce Limited who already owned 3AK
. In 2002, 3MP relocated from its studios in Frankston
to inner suburban Richmond
where it would share facilities with 3AK.
The station often plays older songs from at least the 1960s to 1990s that fit its "easy listening" format. This even sometimes includes pop songs such as Maggie May.
The final 'on air' line up at 3MP as a music station (before changing to a talk format) was John Tamb - Breakfast (Shawn Cosgrove had previously done the breakfast shift, however had left the station a few weeks earlier), Peter O'Callaghan - Mornings, Mark Johnson or Mark Irvine - Afternoon / Drive and Eddie Olek - Evenings.
In February 2010 it was confirmed that Pacific Star, owners of 3MP had signed an agreement with Macquarie Radio Network
and convert the station to Talkback, with the station being called Melbourne Talk Radio
and launched at 6am on 19 April 2010. 3MP continues to broadcast as a digital service.
Announcers returned to My MP on DAB + on 13th May 2011, who include Mark Johnson, John Tamb and Eddie Olek.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
's seventh commercial radio station and the first new commercial station in over 40 years. The original licencees included a consortium of businessmen and media identities.
Unlike other Melbourne radio stations that were based in the inner city areas, 3MP - as the callsign "MP", which stands for Mornington Peninsula
Mornington Peninsula
The Mornington Peninsula is a peninsula located south-east of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It is surrounded by Port Phillip to the west, Western Port to the east and Bass Strait to the south, and is connected to the mainland in the north. Geographically, the peninsula begins its protrusion...
, implies - was based in the south eastern suburb of Frankston
Frankston, Victoria
Frankston is a suburb within the Greater Melbourne metropolitan area in Victoria, Australia. It is located 40 km southeast of the state capital Melbourne at the southernmost edge of Greater Melbourne, near the beginnings of the Mornington Peninsula...
, originally in the Bayside Shopping Centre. The station broadcast on 1380 kHz (changed to 1377 kHz in 1978) from the suburb of Rowville.
3MP's initial music format, developed by the station's first General Manager, Ray Bean, and Operations Manager, Geoff Brown, was a one-for-one mix of solid gold and current Top 40 strongly targeted at the 25-39 demographic, a less edgy version of the popular "More Music" 10-17 and 18-24 demographic format employed by #1 rated 3XY.
Although the original Articles of Association prohibited any one person from owning more than 5% of the shares in Mornington Peninsula Broadcasters Ltd, the station was sold outright to AWA in 1980.
In 1985, rival station 3AK
3AK
3AK is the call sign of SEN 1116 and earlier the on-air name of a former Melbourne talk-back radio and music station, which, in 2003, leased its licence to sports network SEN 1116...
suddenly dumped its Beautiful music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
format, despite strong ratings
Audience measurement
Audience measurement measures how many people are in an audience, usually in relation to radio listenership and television viewership, but also in relation to newspaper and magazine readership and, increasingly, web traffic on websites...
. The perception of management was that the format did not attract the sort of younger, more impulsive, listeners that had high disposable incomes so therefore were seen to not be attractive to advertisers.
3MP saw the gap in the market left by 3AK and within two weeks of 3AK's format change, 3MP had completely revamped its music library, on-air personnel and image to adopt an Easy listening
Easy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
format. 3MP went from being a modest rating station to become a strong competitor in the ratings even up against the almighty FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
stations and dominant talkback station 3AW
3AW
3AW is a talkback radio station in Melbourne, Australia on 693 kHz AM. It began transmission on 22 February 1932 as Melbourne's fifth commercial radio station.-History:...
.
In 1993, 3MP's then owner Wesgo bought out rival station 3EE
3EE
Magic 1278 is a radio station operating in Melbourne, Australia.-History:The station commenced broadcasting in 1992, but was derived from legendary radio station 3XY which began transmission in 1935...
and began simulcasting the same program format on both frequencies. Upon instruction from the Australian Broadcasting Authority
Australian Broadcasting Authority
The Australian Broadcasting Authority was an Australian government agency whose main roles were to regulate broadcasting, radiocommunications and telecommunications....
in 1994, Wesgo had to split the stations into separate formats. 3MP retained its existing Easy Listening format while 3EE was relaunched as Magic 693 with music from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s and weekend AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
broadcasts. Magic 693's ratings went up and 3MP's gradually came down. Southern Cross Broadcasting
Southern Cross Broadcasting
Southern Cross Broadcasting Limited was a diversified Australian media company, that owned and operated a variety of media businesses, primarily radio and television.-History:...
ended up buying 3MP and 3EE from Wesgo. Southern Cross had also closed 3MP's newsroom and replaced its news bulletins with those provided by 3AW. They kept 3EE to complement their top rating talkback station 3AW, and 3MP was sold to Goulburn Valley Broadcasters.
In 2001, 3MP was transferred to Data and Commerce Limited who already owned 3AK
3AK
3AK is the call sign of SEN 1116 and earlier the on-air name of a former Melbourne talk-back radio and music station, which, in 2003, leased its licence to sports network SEN 1116...
. In 2002, 3MP relocated from its studios in Frankston
Frankston, Victoria
Frankston is a suburb within the Greater Melbourne metropolitan area in Victoria, Australia. It is located 40 km southeast of the state capital Melbourne at the southernmost edge of Greater Melbourne, near the beginnings of the Mornington Peninsula...
to inner suburban Richmond
Richmond, Victoria
Richmond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
where it would share facilities with 3AK.
The station often plays older songs from at least the 1960s to 1990s that fit its "easy listening" format. This even sometimes includes pop songs such as Maggie May.
The final 'on air' line up at 3MP as a music station (before changing to a talk format) was John Tamb - Breakfast (Shawn Cosgrove had previously done the breakfast shift, however had left the station a few weeks earlier), Peter O'Callaghan - Mornings, Mark Johnson or Mark Irvine - Afternoon / Drive and Eddie Olek - Evenings.
In February 2010 it was confirmed that Pacific Star, owners of 3MP had signed an agreement with Macquarie Radio Network
Macquarie Radio Network
Macquarie Radio Network is the name of the company that owns and operates 2GB and 2CH in Sydney and MTR 1377 in Melbourne. It is a publicly listed company, majority owned by John Singleton. The Chief Executive is Angela Clarke....
and convert the station to Talkback, with the station being called Melbourne Talk Radio
Melbourne Talk Radio
Melbourne Talk Radio is a radio station operating in Melbourne which commenced on 19 April 2010. It replaced 3MP, which used the 1377 kHz frequency. 3MP moved to digital only under the name of 3MP MyMP...
and launched at 6am on 19 April 2010. 3MP continues to broadcast as a digital service.
Announcers returned to My MP on DAB + on 13th May 2011, who include Mark Johnson, John Tamb and Eddie Olek.