720 ABC Perth
Encyclopedia
720 ABC Perth is a radio station located in Perth, Western Australia
broadcasting on 720 kHz
on the AM
band. The station is a member of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
's ABC Local Radio
network.
, Philip Collier
made a speech on-air to mark the opening of the station.
The station was equipped with a transmitter that was the most powerful allowed under Commonwealth Regulations. The owner Westralian Farmers Ltd
started the station with the purpose of providing "information and entertainment to rural areas". The station's original broadcast footprint covered most of the state of Western Australia
.
In 1929 the radio station was sold to the Australian Broadcasting Company
. As a result the radio station moved from the Westralian Farmers buildings to the ESA Bank building on the corner of Hay and Milligan Streets in Perth. When the Australian Broadcasting Commission was founded in 1932, 6WF became part of the national network.
The station moved again in 1937 to the Stirling Institute building located in the Supreme Court Gardens, St Georges Terrace
. Despite the fact the building had been built 21 years earlier as a temporary structure it became the home of 6WF for the next 23 years.
In 1960 a specially built 23 studio building complex was completed at 191 Adelaide Terrace
and the station moved there during that year. This building was to provide the home for the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra for a number of years, running alongside three separate radio stations.
These buildings lasted 45 years, until it was decided that new buildings must be built. A site was commissioned and the radio station moved to its new offices and studios in East Perth
in March 2005.
The Adelaide Terrace
site was sold to property developers in 2008 who have proposed demolishing the structure and erecting residential buildings.
The transmission tower was demolished in January 2011.
has worked on and off for the ABC since 1969. The show is one of the higher rating breakfast programs in Perth.
name including Australian rules football
and cricket
.
The station is one of two radio outlets (the other being 6PR
) contracted to cover Australian Football League
matches in the Perth area. The station also covers matches from the West Australian Football League
.
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
broadcasting on 720 kHz
Hertz
The hertz is the SI unit of frequency defined as the number of cycles per second of a periodic phenomenon. One of its most common uses is the description of the sine wave, particularly those used in radio and audio applications....
on the AM
Amplitude modulation
Amplitude modulation is a technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave. AM works by varying the strength of the transmitted signal in relation to the information being sent...
band. The station is a member of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
's ABC Local Radio
ABC Local Radio
ABC Local Radio is a network of publicly owned radio stations in Australia, operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.ABC Local Radio stations broadcast across the continent using terrestrial transmitters and satellites...
network.
History
Broadcasting began on 6WF on Wednesday 4 June 1924 from a studio in the Westralian Farmers building in Perth. The Premier of Western AustraliaPremier of Western Australia
The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. The Premier has similar functions in Western Australia to those performed by the Prime Minister of Australia at the national level, subject to the different Constitutions...
, Philip Collier
Philip Collier
Philip Collier was Premier of Western Australia for nine years, the longest ever term for an Australian Labor Party premier....
made a speech on-air to mark the opening of the station.
The station was equipped with a transmitter that was the most powerful allowed under Commonwealth Regulations. The owner Westralian Farmers Ltd
Wesfarmers
Wesfarmers Limited is one of Australia’s largest public companies and one of Australia's largest retailers. Its headquarters are in Perth, Western Australia....
started the station with the purpose of providing "information and entertainment to rural areas". The station's original broadcast footprint covered most of the state of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
In 1929 the radio station was sold to the Australian Broadcasting Company
History of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The history of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation spans from its origins as regulatory body to its expansion as a content provider in radio, television and new media.-Origins:...
. As a result the radio station moved from the Westralian Farmers buildings to the ESA Bank building on the corner of Hay and Milligan Streets in Perth. When the Australian Broadcasting Commission was founded in 1932, 6WF became part of the national network.
The station moved again in 1937 to the Stirling Institute building located in the Supreme Court Gardens, St Georges Terrace
St Georges Terrace, Perth
St Georges Terrace is the main street in the city of Perth, Western Australia. It runs parallel to the Swan River and forms the major arterial road through the central business district....
. Despite the fact the building had been built 21 years earlier as a temporary structure it became the home of 6WF for the next 23 years.
In 1960 a specially built 23 studio building complex was completed at 191 Adelaide Terrace
Adelaide Terrace
Adelaide Terrace, Perth, is an easterly extension of, the main street in the city of Perth, Western Australia, St Georges Terrace . It runs parallel to the Swan River and is a major arterial road through the central business district....
and the station moved there during that year. This building was to provide the home for the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra for a number of years, running alongside three separate radio stations.
These buildings lasted 45 years, until it was decided that new buildings must be built. A site was commissioned and the radio station moved to its new offices and studios in East Perth
East Perth, Western Australia
East Perth is an inner suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located next to the Perth CBD.Primarily an industrial area in the early twentieth century, it was the location of the East Perth gas works, East Perth Power Station , the East Perth railway yard, and East Perth engine sheds.A considerable...
in March 2005.
The Adelaide Terrace
Adelaide Terrace
Adelaide Terrace, Perth, is an easterly extension of, the main street in the city of Perth, Western Australia, St Georges Terrace . It runs parallel to the Swan River and is a major arterial road through the central business district....
site was sold to property developers in 2008 who have proposed demolishing the structure and erecting residential buildings.
The transmission tower was demolished in January 2011.
Programming
Veteran presenter Eoin CameronEoin Cameron
Eoin Harrap Cameron is a popular radio personality in Perth, Western Australia. He currently works the ABC's Perth local station 720 ABC Perth breakfast show, regularly receiving top ratings for the most popular breakfast radio show....
has worked on and off for the ABC since 1969. The show is one of the higher rating breakfast programs in Perth.
Sports
720 covers a range of sports syndicated through the network under the ABC Radio GrandstandABC Radio Grandstand
ABC Radio Grandstand is a live radio sports focused commentary and talk-back program which runs on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation local radio network across Australia. The program runs on Saturdays and Sundays, typically from noon or an hour before, until 6 pm...
name including Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
and cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
.
The station is one of two radio outlets (the other being 6PR
6PR
6PR, known as 882 6PR, is a commercial radio station based in Perth, Australia. Its focus is on news, talk and sport, and is Perth's only commercial talkback radio station. 6PR is owned by Fairfax Media, an Australian media company that owns television and radio businesses throughout Australia and...
) contracted to cover Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
matches in the Perth area. The station also covers matches from the West Australian Football League
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
.