3RRR
Encyclopedia
3RRR is a popular Australia
n community radio station
, based in Melbourne
. It is the largest per capita subscribed radio station in the world.
3RRR first commenced broadcasting in 1976 from the studios of 3ST, the student radio station of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (now RMIT University
), on an educational licence with the name 3RMT. In 1979 it relocated to Fitzroy
, and adopted its present name. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, it became synonymous with the post punk and new wave
subcultures. It has developed a devoted base of listeners, many of whom donate their time or money to keep the station going; either as volunteers or through the annual "Radiothon". In late 2004, supporters raised enough money for the station to purchase and move into new premises on the corner of Blyth and Nicholson Street
s in Brunswick East
after the 20 year lease on their previous studios, in Victoria St, Fitzroy, expired.
3RRR's mission statement was defined in 1990 as "To educate, inform and entertain by drawing upon appropriate community resources. To develop a critical approach to contemporary culture."
Triple R's programming is split roughly 70% specialist music and 30% talk-based shows. Hosts have complete autonomy over content and the station does not have playlists. As such, the nature of 3RRR broadcasts varies wildly depending on the time of the week. 3RRR is funded entirely by community sponsorships and public subscribers (currently around 12,000), which, by removing standard commercial pressures, allows this diverse programming.
Due to the reaction from subscribers, in the late 1990s 3RRR cancelled sponsorship deals signed with the Ford Motor Company
and music venue The Mercury Lounge (due to its location in Melbourne's Crown Casino
). No such "corporate" sponsorship of this type has been considered since. More recent sponsorship includes, for example, Dromana Estate who are "proud sponsors" of Plonk.
With an eclectic mix of programmes and a commitment to independence and integrity, 3RRR has been cited as a model for community radio stations in other cities (such as Sydney
's FBi Radio
); it has been said that it is a cornerstone of Melbourne's alternative/underground culture. A large number of 3RRR presenters have gone on to work extensively for more commercial radio stations and for the ABC.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n community radio station
Community radio
Community radio is a type of radio service, that offers a third model of radio broadcasting beyond commercial broadcasting and public broadcasting. Community stations can serve geographic communities and communities of interest...
, based in Melbourne
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...
. It is the largest per capita subscribed radio station in the world.
3RRR first commenced broadcasting in 1976 from the studios of 3ST, the student radio station of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (now RMIT University
RMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
), on an educational licence with the name 3RMT. In 1979 it relocated to Fitzroy
Fitzroy, Victoria
Fitzroy is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra. Its borders are Alexandra Parade , Victoria Parade , Smith Street and Nicholson Street. Fitzroy is Melbourne's...
, and adopted its present name. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, it became synonymous with the post punk and new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
subcultures. It has developed a devoted base of listeners, many of whom donate their time or money to keep the station going; either as volunteers or through the annual "Radiothon". In late 2004, supporters raised enough money for the station to purchase and move into new premises on the corner of Blyth and Nicholson Street
Nicholson Street, Melbourne
Nicholson Street is a street in inner Melbourne. It is named after William Nicholson, then member of the Legislative Council, and later Premier of Victoria from 1859 to 1860.-Geography:...
s in Brunswick East
Brunswick East, Victoria
Brunswick East is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moreland. At the 2006 Census, Brunswick East had a population of 7,410....
after the 20 year lease on their previous studios, in Victoria St, Fitzroy, expired.
3RRR's mission statement was defined in 1990 as "To educate, inform and entertain by drawing upon appropriate community resources. To develop a critical approach to contemporary culture."
Triple R's programming is split roughly 70% specialist music and 30% talk-based shows. Hosts have complete autonomy over content and the station does not have playlists. As such, the nature of 3RRR broadcasts varies wildly depending on the time of the week. 3RRR is funded entirely by community sponsorships and public subscribers (currently around 12,000), which, by removing standard commercial pressures, allows this diverse programming.
Due to the reaction from subscribers, in the late 1990s 3RRR cancelled sponsorship deals signed with the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
and music venue The Mercury Lounge (due to its location in Melbourne's Crown Casino
Crown Casino
Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex is a large casino and entertainment precinct located on the south bank of the Yarra River, in Melbourne, Australia. Crown Casino is a unit of Crown Limited....
). No such "corporate" sponsorship of this type has been considered since. More recent sponsorship includes, for example, Dromana Estate who are "proud sponsors" of Plonk.
With an eclectic mix of programmes and a commitment to independence and integrity, 3RRR has been cited as a model for community radio stations in other cities (such as Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
's FBi Radio
FBi Radio
FBi is an independent, not-for-profit community radio station in Sydney, Australia. FBi places a heavy emphasis on local alternative music: it has a policy that at least 50 per cent of its music content is to be Australian, of which at least half comes from Sydney musicians.FBi began 'test...
); it has been said that it is a cornerstone of Melbourne's alternative/underground culture. A large number of 3RRR presenters have gone on to work extensively for more commercial radio stations and for the ABC.
Programs
- Against The Arctic
- All Over The ShopAll Over the ShopAll Over the Shop is a random talk fest that is broadcast on Melbourne’s 3 Triple R radio station. It is hosted by two crazy men named Leaping Larry L and Stew Farrell . It airs Thursdays from 2pm – 4pm. It began broadcasting in April 2007 and is going strong to this day...
- The Architects (external site)
- Atomic (ceased 07)
- Aural Text
- The Australian Mood
- Banana Lounge Broadcasting
- Beats Electric (ceased 09)
- Beat Orgy
- Best Of The Brat (ceased)
- BreakfastersBreakfastersThe Breakfasters is a long running morning program on 3RRR, a radio station based in Melbourne, Australia. It is currently presented by Fee B-Squared, Ben Birchall and Jess McGuire....
- Breaking and Entering
- Burn Rubber (ceased 06)
- Bullying The Jukebox(external site)
- Byte Into It
- Can You Dig It
- Chicken Mary
- Cocoa Butter (ceased)
- Dance Cadaverous
- Delivery
- Dirty Deeds
- Dynamite
- Eat It
- Einstein A Go Go (external site)
- Film Buff's Forecast (external site)
- Far And Wide
- Frank
- Galactic Zoo (ceased 07)
- The Golden Age of Piracy
- The Grapevine
- The Graveyard Shift
- Incoming
- I'd Rather Jack (ceased 09)
- The International Pop Underground
- JVG Radio Method
- Kinky Afro
- LiveWire
- Lime Champions
- Long Grass Sessions (ceased)
- Local And/Or GeneralLocal And/Or GeneralLocal and/or General is a radio show on Triple R radio in Melbourne, Australia. It was created and hosted by Natalie Mitchell and Richard Moffat in 1997 and focuses on new Australian music...
- Midweek Crisis (ceased)
- Max Headroom
- Musically Incorrect
- New & Groovy
- New, Used & Abused (ceased 00)
- No Way Back
- Noise In My Head
- O'Tomorrow
- Old Folk Show (ceased 06)
- On the Blower
- Off the Record
- Osso Booko Show (1992–1997)
- The Party Show
- The Pinch (ceased)
- Plonk (pod-cast and broadcast during Summer '08/'09)
- Rack Your Brains (ceased)
- Radio Marinara
- Respect The Rock
- Radio Therapy
- Room With A View
- Run Like You Stole Something (ceased 08)
- Sitelines (ceased)
- Skull Cave (http://skullcave.org/)
- Slanted And Enchanted (ceased 06)
- Smartarts
- Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em (ceased 09)
- Son of Crawdaddy
- The Spin (ceased 06)
- Spoke
- Storm the StudioStorm the studio (radio program)Storm the Studio was a radio program that aired on Australia's RRR FM radio station during the early 1990s... DJ "Steve Wide" presented the program, which focused on a combination of dance music tracks including house music, hip hop, industrial music and acid house...
(ceased) - Stylin'
- Symbiosis (ceased 07)
- To & Fro
- Top Billin
- Top Ranking Sound (ceased 07)
- Transference
- Twang
- Vital Bits
- Under The Sun
- The Village
- Vital Bits
- Wake In Fright (ceased 06)
- Wax Lyrical
- Weird Groovin'
- Wig-Wam Bam
- Wired for Sound
- The Word (2001–2008)
- Wordburner (ceased 07)
- Zero G
Selected list of presenters, past & present
- Jonathan Alley (Under the Sun/Tough Culture)
- David Armstrong (Danger: Low BrowDanger: Low BrowDanger: Low Brow was a comedy show on Melbourne radio station 3RRR from 1985 to 1991, before moving to Triple M and then Fox FM.-Members & Where Are They Now:The original members of the show were:...
) - Clem BastowClem BastowClem Bastow is a writer, broadcaster and music critic based in Melbourne, Australia.-Media work:Bastow is a senior contributor to Inpress, where she writes the weekly singles review column Singled Out....
(Transference) - Billy Baxter (The Coodabeen ChampionsCoodabeen ChampionsThe Coodabeen Champions are an Australian comedy team with several programs currently broadcast on ABC Radio...
) - Tony Biggs (The Big Stain, On the Blower)
- Brendan Hitchens (Bullying The Jukebox)
- Genevieve Blackmore (aka Genny B) (LiveWire)
- Philip BrophyPhilip BrophyPhilip Brophy, born in Reservoir, Melbourne 1959 is an Australian musician, composer, sound designer, filmmaker, writer, graphic designer, educator and academic.-Music:...
& Bruce MilneBruce MilneBruce Milne is an Australian music entrepreneur closely linked to the Melbourne post-punk scene. He founded the independent record label Au-Go-Go in 1979....
(EEEK!) - Dave Butterworth (Galactic Zoo)
- Holly C (aka Marieke HardyMarieke HardyMarieke Josephine Hardy is an Australian writer, broadcaster, television producer and former television actress.-Early life and family:...
), Glenny G (aka Glen Dickie) & Paul P (aka Paul Trapani) (Best of the Brat) - Anthony Carew (The International Pop Underground)
- Greg ChampionGreg ChampionGreg Champion is an Australian songwriter, guitarist, radio personality and athlete.Born in Benalla, Victoria, Champion is most recognised for his work as part of the Coodabeen Champions as a songwriter and guitarist. Greg often appears on the program writing songs about both Aussies rules football...
(The Coodabeen ChampionsCoodabeen ChampionsThe Coodabeen Champions are an Australian comedy team with several programs currently broadcast on ABC Radio...
) - Santo CilauroSanto CilauroSanto Cilauro is an Australian television and feature film producer, screenwriter, actor, author, comedian and cameraman, a co-founder of The D-Generation...
- Max Crawdaddy (Son of Crawdaddy)
- Cousin CreepCousin CreepCousin Creep is the alter ego of Australian Craig Barnes, known for his involvement in Melbourne Alternative music / Independent music scenes. In the late '80s he published a number of limited run cassette Fanzines called Aliens Mutants...
(Paint The Town Clear Gloss / Breakfasters / Vindaloo Cocktail) - Jane GazzoJane GazzoJane Gazzo is an Australian television presenter, radio presenter, performance and club DJ, television personality, voice artist, and music journalist....
(Calamity 1992-1996) - Declan Fay (The Pinch 2002-2009 / Unexplained Phenomena 2000-2002)
- Headley Gritter (The Party Show)
- Paul HarrisPaul Harris (film critic)Paul Harris, born in 1950 in Melbourne, Australia and educated at Assumption College, Kilmore is a film critic, who appears on radio stations 3RRR and 3AW. Known for his vast knowledge of film, music and theatre, and for his elaborate puns and impressions, he has fronted the radio show Filmbuff's...
& John FlausJohn FlausJohn Flaus is an Australian broadcaster, actor, voice talent, anarchist and raconteur. He was formerly a prominent film academic and theorist. He was born in Maroubra, Sydney....
(Filmbuff's Forecast) - Tracy HarveyTracy HarveyTracy Harvey is a comedian, TV presenter, actor and writer from Melbourne, Australia.Tracy was a member of the alternative comedy breakfast panel radio show Punter to Punter with Trevor Marmalade and Dr Turf...
(Punter to Punter) - Stuart Harvey (Mondo Bizarro)
- Sam PangSam PangSam Pang is a Chinese Australian radio and television host, writer and producer.-Career:A former Collingwood Football Club under 19s member, Pang turned to radio hosting at an age of 18 at the urging of his friends to do so. He co-hosted Triple R's Breakfasters program for 5 years.He then began...
(Breakfasters) - Chris Hatzsis
- Tracee HutchisonTracee HutchisonTracee Hutchison is a writer and TV & radio broadcaster.She produced and presented a series on Australian music in the 1980s for JJJ in 1990 – featuring interviews with Australian musicians including Nick Cave, Chrissy Amphlett, David McComb, Paul Kelly and Jimmy Barnes - which became her first...
(The Word 2001-2007/Program Director 2002-2005) - Andrew HaugAndrew HaugAndrew Haug is a radio announcer and heavy metal musician from Melbourne, Australia. He is one of the most prominent figures on Australia's largely underground heavy metal scene....
(The Hard Report) - Claire Hedger (Australian Matinee)
- Lawrence Hudson (New, Used & Abused)
- Rob Jan (Zero G)
- Declan Kelly (Against the Artic)
- Justin Kemp (Run Like You Stole Something)
- Chris Kennett (The Pinch 2002-2009 / Unexplained Phenomena 2000-2002)
- Josh Kinal & Meshel LaurieMeshel LaurieMeshel Laurie is an Australian comedian and radio-television personality. She was born in Toowoomba, Queensland.Laurie moved to Melbourne early in her career as a stand-up comic to take advantage of its strong comedy industry/community. Her first Melbourne International Comedy Festival show was...
(Enough Rope) - Kate LangbroekKate LangbroekKatherine Elizabeth Wilhelmina Beuving Langbroek is an Australian television and radio personality of Jamaican, Jewish and Dutch heritage...
(The F'n'K Show / Breakfasters) - Karen Leng (Kinky Afro)
- Lady Erica (Underground Flavas)
- Owen McKern (Delivery)
- Dave O'NeilDave O'NeilDave O'Neil is a Melbourne-based stand-up comedian, actor, writer and radio personality.-Early career:Dave was a Cub, Scout, Venturer and Rover. His father Kevin is still the Group Leader at the 1st/3rd Mitcham Scout Group....
(Osso Booko Show / Breakfasters) - Alan Parkes (Osso Booko Show)
- Greig PickhaverGreig Pickhaveralt=Greig Pickhaver|thumb|In May 2010Greig Pickhaver AM is an actor, comedian and writer, who forms one half of the Australian sports comedy duo Roy and HG...
- Vic Plume (Osso Booko Show)
- Stephen Oliver, Kraig Krieger & John Williams (Steve & The Board / Cut The Music)
- Zan RoweZan RoweSusanna "Zan" Rowe is an Australian radio announcer, best known for her work on the nationally broadcast Triple J.-Radio:...
(Transit Lounge) - John SafranJohn SafranJohn Safran is an Australian documentary maker and radio broadcaster, known for combining humour with explorations into religion and other issues...
- Julian Schiller (Crud)
- Fiona Scott-Norman (The F'n'K Show)
- Dave Slutzkin (To and Fro)
- Cam Smith (Eat It)
- Allan Thomas (The Metal for Melbourne Show)
- Tim Thorpe (Vital Bits)
- Johnny Topper (New & Groovy)
- Dr Turf (Punter to Punter)
- Stephen Walker (The Skullcave / former Program Director)
- Brian Wise & Billy Pinnell (Off The Record)
- Bohdan XBohdan XBohdan X is the stage name of British-born former punk rock singer Bohdan Kubiakowski in the Australian bands JAB and Bohdan and the Instigators, both features of the emerging punk rock scene in Melbourne, Australia in the late 1970s...
(Friday punk show, 1978–1995) - Gary YoungGary Young (Australian musician)Gary Young was a founding member of Australian rock band Daddy Cool in which he played the drums and sang backing vocals. He also played drums with Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons amongst other bands...
(Chicken Mary Show) - James Young (The Breakfasters/former Program Director)
- Steve Wide (Far and Wide) New UK (www.myspace.com.au/stevewide)
- 'Brain' (Rack Your Brains)
- Tony WilsonTony Wilson (Radio Presenter)Tony Wilson is a Melbourne based Australian radio and television personality, successful writer and prominent speaker. He gained notoriety as the winner of the second series of the ABC television show, Race Around the World, in 1998, and has since become somewhat of a cult figure in Melbourne...
(The Breakfasters) - Dave Taranto and Janet A McLeod (The Cheese Shop)
- Kate Bathgate (Tranzmission)
External links
- 3RRR official website - includes audio streaming of the broadcast and archive of best shows.
- Mark Phillips 2006. Radio City. Melbourne: Vulgar Press. (history of RRR, released to commemorate the 30th anniversary)
- Dubecki, Larissa The Age. 2006. Rated R. November 23, 2006. (Article on 30 years of 3RRR).