This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2016) |
88.9 FM (call sign 2YOU) is a community radio station broadcasting from Tamworth, Australia and is available online via iHeartRadio. 88.9/96.3fm Services North West NSW, Liverpool Plains and New England.
 | |
| Frequency | 88.9 MHz FM |
|---|---|
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Format | Classic Hits |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Tamworth Broadcast Services Pty Ltd |
| History | |
First air date | 16 July 1983[1] |
Former frequencies | 95.5 MHz FM (1983–1999)[2] |
| Technical information | |
| Class | Community radio |
| Repeater(s) | 96.3 MHz FM Quirindi |
| Links | |
| Webcast | |
| Website | 889fmtamworth |
88.9 FM was the first FM station in Tamworth and has been broadcasting since 1983 across parts of the New England and Northwest. 88.9 FM is a member of the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA) and aims to be a local voice for the Tamworth, New England/Northwest/Liverpool Plains area, offering regional news, outside broadcasts, local information, community announcements, coverage of major events and broadcasting essential emergency information.
The station's main frequency is 88.9 MHz on the FM band, with a repeater 96.3 MHz in the Liverpool Plains area covering Quirindi and Werris Creek.[3]
History
edit2YOU FM started in small studios on Marius Street Tamworth. The walls of the studio were lined with egg cartons for sound insulation. It had two B&W turntable, a cassette player, a six-slider panel and a microphone. The studio moved twice, to Peel Street in 1984 and then to the National Trust Railway Building on Darling Street, East Tamworth.[4]
Change to 88.9 FM
editIn May 2014, the Board approved several changes and appointed a new CEO and the call sign 2YOU was dropped and the stations name was changed to its frequency 88.9 FM, which allowed listeners to remember the station. With the new image, included new presenters, a contracted national voice-over production company and to complement a strong music format.
The previous format was changed from numerous music genres and "ad hoc programs" that had poor listening audience into a format of '70s, '80s, '90s and the best in country.[5] Regular shifts across the board were implemented, new image jingles, regional news from 88.9 FM Newsroom plus Macquarie National News cross promotion with Prime 7 Television.
The station broadcasts from its own building and tower from Bald Hill at 956-meter's which is 5 kilometres east of Tamworth in its broadcast coverage, including Tamworth City, Tamworth Regional, [, New South Wales, Manilla, Quirindi and various towns in New England and The Northwest of New South Wales.[6]
In September 2019 after further research the station introduced a new theme "We've Got the Music" with new jingles to build on their 45 to 65 year old market. The station imaging is also on Regional/City Buses and posters in local shopping centres to promote the new image of the station.[7]
In June 2020, Tamworth Broadcasting Society serving the Liverpool Plains area as part of their licence on 96.3FM, therefore with 88.9FM the station now covers the New England/ Northwest and Liverpool Plains of New South Wales. In 2021 the station commenced both Streaming and iHeart Nationally and Internationally.
Programming
editThere is a mixed listening format all day with songs from the '60s, '70s, '80s, ‘90s and the best in country. 88.9 FM operates Locally from Tamworth 24/7. Including, Breakfast, Morning, Afternoon, Drive, Nights and Weekends.
Segments on 88.9FM include:
Weekdays
- Howdy 5am to 9am Mon/Fri
- MacCa in the mornings 9am to noon Mon/Fri
- Adam Parker "Grizzly" 12 noon to 3pm Mon/Fri
- Ray McCoy 3pm to 7pm Mon/Fri
Weekends
- Johnny Mac Sat/Sun 6am to 9am
- George Frame Sat/Sun 9am to 12noon
- Ian Cousins Sat 6pm to 8pm
- Emma Bailey Sat 8pm to 12 midnight
- Richards Manning Sunday 12noon to 2pm
- Brett Larkham Sunday 6pm to 8pm
- Howdy & Dan Hoedown 8pm to 10pm
Nine News hourly 7 days
- Regional New Bulletins 5:30am, 6:30am, 7:30am, 8:30am, 1:05pm and 5:05pm with Daniel Pizarro
Overnight 7 Days
- hit format 12 midnight to 5:00am
Income
editThe station earns income mainly from sponsors, outside broadcasts and membership. Sponsorship takes the form of payment for on-air promotions of local business from a set Rate Card. 88.9 FM sales offers broadcast and social media packages.
88.9 FM has a full-time staff of 15, including administration, production, news, engineering, sales/marketing team, five permanent casuals, and five volunteers.
Technical data
edit- Frequency – 88.9 FM Tamworth
- Broadcasts Site – Bald Hill, 938 Metres high, 5 kilometres East of Tamworth City
- Multiplexed ZPG high gain antenna array
Photo taken from 88.9FM's transmitter site at Bald Hill - Transmitter 1 – 2016 BWFM transmitter
- Transmitter 2 – 2015 BWFM transmitter
- Full emergency backup power
- FM RDS
Liverpool Plains Repeater
- Frequency – 96.3 FM Quirindi
- Broadcast Site – Who‘d-A-Thought-It Lookout, 508 Metres high, 5 kilometres west of Quirindi
- Transmitter 1 – 2020 BWFM transmitter
Studios
- Automation System – Studio's A,C,D Newsroom all interfaced through automation;"Maximation 7"
- Production studios: Adobe
- Desk: Elan 'Kestral 12' Studio in A, Studio B custom Auditron news/producers desk, Studio C and D – Elan "Merlin" both set up with full digital editing facilities.
References
edit- ^ "began full broadcast operations on July 16, 1983". The Northern Daily Leader. 14 July 2013.
- ^ "2YOU FM began as a mono station as 95.5FM and went stereophonic in the late 1990s when it moved to 89.9FM". The Northern Daily Leader. 14 July 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
- ^ "88.9FM Gets Go Ahead". Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- ^ "2YouFm Started in tiny studios". Archived from the original on 5 March 2019.
- ^ "'60s, '70s, '80s and country". The Northern Daily Leader. 16 May 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
- ^ "New England and North W". 29 April 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
- ^ "88.9fm celebrates 5 years". Retrieved 11 April 2020.