4BH
Encyclopedia
4BH is a radio station in Brisbane
, the state capital of Queensland
, Australia
. Its analogue
broadcast frequency is 882 KHz AM and markets itself for the baby boomer
market. 4BH also broadcasts in digital
using the dab+ format on the Brisbane 2 DAB ensemble
channel
9B 204.640 MHz. It is owned by Fairfax Media
.
headquarters, and is the sister station of 4BC
. 4BH (transmitting from Bald Hills
) was opened by J. S. Kerr on 2 January 1932. Bob Ackery was a breakfast announcer, then "drive time" announcer on 4BH before becoming Program Manager and eventually General Manager of the station in the 1980s. In the 1950s and 60s George Lovejoy
provided commentary on Brisbane rugby league
matches for the station.
In 1975, 4BH started broadcasting "Beautiful Music", which became their focus except for a period in 1994 when the station converted to talk which was up against 4BH's now sister station 4BC and 612 4QR Brisbane. The station successfully bid for an FM license (conversion) in 1990 but couldn't come up with the cash when it was time to pay. 4KQ was the second-highest bidder but also failed to produce the cash. In 1995, after the disastrous Talk format experiment, 4BH was placed in receivership and bought for just over $2 million dollars by Unitel and the Ipswich and West Moreton Broadcasting Corp. 4BH was relocated from Spring Hill
to shared studios at the 106.9 QFM building in North Ipswich
(now River 94.9
).
Between 1995 and 1997, 4BH returned to the top two ratings position. In January 1997 4BH was sold to the Australian Radio Network
(owners of 4KQ) for over $11.5 million dollars, who owned 4BH until January 2002 after ARN and DMG Radio Australia
jointly launched 97.3 FM
, so ARN sold 4BH to DMG and in February 2003, 4BH was sold yet again to Southern Cross Broadcasting
because DMG had won an auction to set up an FM service on the Sunshine Coast.
In August 2002, the stations transmitter in Wynnum West
was felled by vandals, causing the station to go off air. The station returned to air a few days later on low power. Two teenagers were eventually charged and pleaded guilty. It later emerged that the reason for the attack was due to a dislike of the transmitter site and also of the station's music.
In November 2007, 4BH, with all Southern Cross Broadcasting radio stations, are now owned by Fairfax Media
.
favourites from the 60s through to now. The station also airs its own news bulletins on the hour from 5am to 11pm weekdays, with half hour updates weekdays 5-9am and weekends 6-9am. Traffic reports are also heard twice an hour, seven days a week, with extra updates weekdays between 6-9am and 3-6.30pm.
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, the state capital of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
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...
. Its analogue
Analog signal
An analog or analogue signal is any continuous signal for which the time varying feature of the signal is a representation of some other time varying quantity, i.e., analogous to another time varying signal. It differs from a digital signal in terms of small fluctuations in the signal which are...
broadcast frequency is 882 KHz AM and markets itself for the baby boomer
Baby boomer
A baby boomer is a person who was born during the demographic Post-World War II baby boom and who grew up during the period between 1946 and 1964. The term "baby boomer" is sometimes used in a cultural context. Therefore, it is impossible to achieve broad consensus of a precise definition, even...
market. 4BH also broadcasts in digital
Digital
A digital system is a data technology that uses discrete values. By contrast, non-digital systems use a continuous range of values to represent information...
using the dab+ format on the Brisbane 2 DAB ensemble
DAB ensemble
DAB ensembles are groups of Digital audio broadcasting broadcasters transmitting multiple digital radio channels on a single radio transmission....
channel
Channel (communications)
In telecommunications and computer networking, a communication channel, or channel, refers either to a physical transmission medium such as a wire, or to a logical connection over a multiplexed medium such as a radio channel...
9B 204.640 MHz. It is owned by Fairfax Media
Fairfax Media
Fairfax Media Limited is one of Australia's largest diversified media companies. The group's operations include newspapers, magazines, radios and digital media operating in Australia and New Zealand. Fairfax Media was founded by the Fairfax family as John Fairfax and Sons, later to become John...
.
History
4BH broadcasts from its Cannon HillCannon Hill, Queensland
Cannon Hill is an inner suburb of Brisbane, Australia. It is east of the CBD.Cannon Hill was named after the Weedon family home 'Cannon Hill House'. Built in 1867, the house, which had extensive grounds and a maze, burnt down in 1927.-Transport:...
headquarters, and is the sister station of 4BC
4BC
4BC is a radio station in Brisbane, Queensland on 1116kHz AM. 4BC is Brisbane's only commercial talkback station, using the promotional phrase "News Talk 1116". Like most talk radio stations, it caters to a predominantly conservative audience...
. 4BH (transmitting from Bald Hills
Bald Hills, Queensland
Bald Hills is the northernmost suburb of the Brisbane City Council in Queensland, Australia.Bald Hills is a largely residential suburb. It is mostly surrounded by bushland, but in the last few years some of the bush areas have been cleared to make way for new residential areas...
) was opened by J. S. Kerr on 2 January 1932. Bob Ackery was a breakfast announcer, then "drive time" announcer on 4BH before becoming Program Manager and eventually General Manager of the station in the 1980s. In the 1950s and 60s George Lovejoy
George Lovejoy
George Lovejoy was an Australian radio sports commentator who is known for his broadcasts of Queensland rugby league football matches in the 1950s and 60s...
provided commentary on Brisbane rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
matches for the station.
In 1975, 4BH started broadcasting "Beautiful Music", which became their focus except for a period in 1994 when the station converted to talk which was up against 4BH's now sister station 4BC and 612 4QR Brisbane. The station successfully bid for an FM license (conversion) in 1990 but couldn't come up with the cash when it was time to pay. 4KQ was the second-highest bidder but also failed to produce the cash. In 1995, after the disastrous Talk format experiment, 4BH was placed in receivership and bought for just over $2 million dollars by Unitel and the Ipswich and West Moreton Broadcasting Corp. 4BH was relocated from Spring Hill
Spring Hill, Queensland
Spring Hill is an inner suburb of Brisbane, Australia located 2 km north of the central business district. Parts of Spring Hill can be considered to be extensions of the Brisbane CBD.-Schools:Spring Hill is serviced by a number of schools...
to shared studios at the 106.9 QFM building in North Ipswich
North Ipswich, Queensland
North Ipswich is a suburb of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. This is the birthplace of Queensland Rail. The original site is now the site of Riverlink shopping centre on The Terrace and the current site is used as a joint facility containing the very popular multi award winning Rail Workshop...
(now River 94.9
River 94.9
River 94.9 is a commercial radio station, that broadcasts to South-East Queensland. The station opened in February 1990, and was formerly known as Star 106.9, which used to operate on the frequency now occupied by Nova 106.9. The station was previously owned by Rural Press & Bundaberg Broadcasters,...
).
Between 1995 and 1997, 4BH returned to the top two ratings position. In January 1997 4BH was sold to the Australian Radio Network
Australian Radio Network
The Australian Radio Network is a group of commercial radio stations around Australia and New Zealand. A joint venture of Australian media conglomerate APN News & Media and United States radio company Clear Channel Communications, the group is the largest radio company in Australasia...
(owners of 4KQ) for over $11.5 million dollars, who owned 4BH until January 2002 after ARN and DMG Radio Australia
DMG Radio Australia
DMG Radio Australia operates commercial radio networks in metropolitan and regional areas of Australia. The company is 50% owned by United Kingdom company, Daily Mail and General Trust Group. Lachlan Murdoch's Illyria Pty Ltd bought 50% of the company in November 2009.DMG Radio Australia was formed...
jointly launched 97.3 FM
97.3 FM (Brisbane)
97.3 FM is a commercial radio station in Brisbane, Australia. It is a 50/50 joint venture between DMG and ARN.97.3 FM plays current hits and a variety of 70s, 80s and 90s music , primarily targeted at the 25-54 age group, the group most valued by advertisers...
, so ARN sold 4BH to DMG and in February 2003, 4BH was sold yet again to 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:...
because DMG had won an auction to set up an FM service on the Sunshine Coast.
In August 2002, the stations transmitter in Wynnum West
Wynnum West, Queensland
Wynnum West is an outer suburb of Brisbane, Australia located 16 km east of the CBD. Originally part of surrounding suburbs, Wynnum West was gazetted in 1975 as a separate suburb....
was felled by vandals, causing the station to go off air. The station returned to air a few days later on low power. Two teenagers were eventually charged and pleaded guilty. It later emerged that the reason for the attack was due to a dislike of the transmitter site and also of the station's music.
In November 2007, 4BH, with all Southern Cross Broadcasting radio stations, are now owned by Fairfax Media
Fairfax Media
Fairfax Media Limited is one of Australia's largest diversified media companies. The group's operations include newspapers, magazines, radios and digital media operating in Australia and New Zealand. Fairfax Media was founded by the Fairfax family as John Fairfax and Sons, later to become John...
.
Programming
4BH's main component of programming is their music mix of easy listeningEasy 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...
favourites from the 60s through to now. The station also airs its own news bulletins on the hour from 5am to 11pm weekdays, with half hour updates weekdays 5-9am and weekends 6-9am. Traffic reports are also heard twice an hour, seven days a week, with extra updates weekdays between 6-9am and 3-6.30pm.
Executive team
Current 2011:- General Manager – David McDonald
- Program Director – Geoff Harrison
- News Director – Scott Mayman