FM radio broadcasting started in Australia in 1947 but did not catch on and was shut down in 1961 to expand the television band and not reopened until 1975 when Australia's FM allocation was aligned with most of the rest of the world (Initially it was envisaged that FM broadcasting would take place on UHF but this idea was abandoned as impractical and uneconomic). During the 1980s FM broadcasting developed very slowly as many frequencies were still occupied by Television transmitters but by the 1990s these had been reallocated to other bands.

During this time many AM stations transferred to FM because of its superior sound quality. Today, as elsewhere in the developed world, most Australian broadcasting is on FM - although AM talk stations are still very popular.

Significant FM Networks

• ABC Radio
  • ABC Classic FM
    ABC Classic FM
    ABC Classic FM is a classical music radio station available in Australia, and internationally online. It is operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation . It was established in 1976 as "ABC-FM", and later for a short time was known as "ABC Fine Music" , before adopting its current name...
    
    
  • Triple J
    Triple J
    triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
    
    
• SBS Radio
  SBS Radio
  SBS Radio is a service provided by the Special Broadcasting Service '..to inform, educate and entertain Australians, especially those of non-English speaking backgrounds'. SBS Radio originally began as two stations based in Melbourne and Sydney, set up to provide pre-recorded information about the...
  
  
• Southern Cross Media Group
  • Star FM
  • Hot FM
    Hot FM (Australian radio network)
    Hot FM is an Australian radio network, consisting of stations in north and central Queensland and Western Australia.The brand was created by DMG Radio Australia, before they sold their regional stations to Macquarie Regional RadioWorks in 2004.Hot 91.1 is not owned by Southern Cross Austereo; DMG...
    
    
  • Sea FM
    Sea FM (Australian radio network)
    Sea FM is a commercial Australian radio network, consisting of stations in Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania and is owned by Southern Cross Austereo. Some Sea FM stations were later sold to meet media ownership requirements...
    
    
  • Various 'Heritage' Stations such as 2MC in Port Macqaurie and 2CS in Coffs Harbour
  • RadioWest
    RadioWest
    Radiowest is a group of 11 AM stations across the Southern half of Western Australia playing the 'songs you can sing along to' and targeting the 35+ audience. It is currently owned by Southern Cross Media. Formed in the early 90s, It was once previously owned by DMG Radio...
    
    
• Austereo
  • Today Network
    Today Network
    The Today Network is a network of Contemporary Hit Radio stations run by Southern Cross Austereo in Australia.-Affiliates:-History:The Today Network started when the Austereo Radio Network secured the first commercial FM licence in Adelaide in 1980. Austereo launched a station called Double SA FM,...
    
    
  • Triple M Network
    Triple M
    The Triple M Network is an active rock radio network in Australia owned by media company Austereo, who also own the Today Network.- History :...
    
    
• 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...
  
  
  • Mix Network
  • Classic Hits Network
• 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...
  
  
  • Nova Network
    Nova (radio network)
    Nova is a name given to a group of Australian radio stations. The group comprises five stations all owned by DMG Radio Australia, apart from the Perth station, which is a joint venture between DMG and the Australian Radio Network....
    
    
  • Vega Network
    Vega (radio network)
    Classic Rock is a network of two Australian commercial radio stations operated by DMG Radio Australia, one in Sydney, the other Melbourne. The Classic Rock stations were previously known as Vega, which was a sister station to DMG's other Australian radio network Nova...
    
    
• United Christian Broadcasters
  United Christian Broadcasters
  United Christian Broadcasters is an international Christian broadcasting and media group. Through affiliates in twenty five countries, it operates radio and television stations and publishes and broadcasts Bob Gass's free daily devotionals The Word for You Today and word4u2day...
  
  
  • Vision FM
    Vision FM
    Vision Radio Network is a Christian media ministry of United Christian Broadcasters Australia Ltd to the people of Australia. UCB Australia's motto is "Connecting Faith to Life" and the radio network is a means to that end. It aims to make Christian Radio available for every Australian...
    
    
• Raw FM Australia's largest dance music network
  Raw FM (Australian radio network)
  Raw FM is an Australian narrowcast radio network, consisting of stations in New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Queensland....
  
  

• Fresh FM
• Faith FM
• 3ABN Australia