612 ABC Brisbane
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
612 ABC Brisbane (callsign, 4QR) is an Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio station in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is one of the major radio stations in the ABC Local Radio network. Its frequency is 612 kHz on the AM dial. 612 ABC Brisbane started 2007 as Brisbane's third-highest-rating station with Brisbane's highest-rating breakfast radio show, presented by Spencer Howson. 612 can also be heard across Queensland via digital satellite pay television.
Programming typically consists of a mixture of news, current events, sport, talkback, light entertainment, comedy, light music, and call-in trivia quizzes. During local programming, the talkback phone number is 1300 222 612. The station can also be contacted by SMS on 199 22 612.
Many 612 ABC Brisbane programmes are broadcast across the ABC Local Radio network in regional and rural areas of Queensland when those smaller stations do not have local programming.
The 2007 on-air team includes former member of the anarchic 1980s/90s comedy trio Doug Anthony All Stars Richard Fidler, former professional footballer Warren Boland, Steve Austin, Kelly Higgins-Devine, author Madonna King and the ABC's 2005 Broadcaster of the Year Spencer Howson. Past presenters have included Peter Dick, Rod Henshaw, Andrew Carroll, and Susan Mitchell (author of "Tall Poppies").
Contents |
[edit] History
Radio broadcasting began in Brisbane in 1925 when the Government of Queensland commenced its own broadcasting operations with the callsign 4QG, where 4 denoted the State of Queensland and QG stood for Queensland Government. 4QG was incorporated into the Australian Broadcasting Commission network from its inception in 1932.
The ABC started a second Brisbane station on January 7, 1938 with the callsign 4QR, presumably standing for Queensland Radio. 4QR broadcasted the ABC's national programme while 4QG transmitted purely local material.
4QG is now part of the ABC's Radio National network and as such now has the callsign 4RN in common with all other Radio National services in Queensland.
In 1998, in common with all other ABC Local Radio stations, 4QR's on-air identity changed to the format "(frequency) ABC (region name)". It is now exclusively known as 612 ABC Brisbane on air.
Until December 2006, 612 ABC Brisbane's studios were located on Coronation Drive in the Brisbane inner-city suburb of Toowong on the north bank of the Brisbane River. Its location saw the studios severely damaged by water in the 1974 Brisbane floods.
In December 2006, a number of breast cancer cases at the ABC's Toowong studios led to the permanent evacuation of the entire site. 350 staff, from ABC television, radio and online, were relocated. 612 ABC Brisbane broadcast from the ABC's Gold Coast studios during the relocation period.
Senior reporter Michael Lund was highly commended in the Walkley Awards 2002 Winners for his report on early criticism of Peter Hollingworth and his handling of child abuse allegations when Archbishop of Brisbane. This was the first year ABC Local Radio had appeared in the Walkley Awards.
In September 2006, 612 ABC Brisbane was "host radio broadcaster" for naturalist Steve Irwin's memorial service at Australia Zoo, Beerwah. Breakfast announcers Spencer Howson (from 612 ABC Brisbane) and John Stokes (from the ABC's Sunshine Coast station Coast FM) were chosen to anchor the broadcast, made available to radio stations around the world.
[edit] Programmes
- All programmes are produced for a local or statewide audience unless marked National. All times are in Queensland time, which is UTC +10 the year around.
[edit] Mondays to Fridays
01:00 - Early morning programme - National
05:00 - Spencer Howson
07:45 - News & AM with Tony Eastley - National
08:30 - Madonna King
11:00 - The Conversation Hour hosted by Richard Fidler- Heard across Qld and NSW
12:00 - The World Today with Eleanor Hall - National (Also broadcast on the ABC's Radio National service)
13:00 - Richard Fidler
15:00 - Kelly Higgins-Devine
18:00 - PM with Mark Colvin - National (Also broadcast on the ABC's Radio National service)
19:00 - Steve Austin - Statewide except Fridays
21:00 - Nightlife with Tony Delroy - National
[edit] Saturdays
01:00 - Early morning programme - National
05:00 - Fish Talk
06:00 - Karen Dorante
09:00 - Warren Boland
12:00 - Grandstand (national sport programme)
22:00 - Saturday Night Country with John Nutting - National
[edit] Sundays
02:00 - Early Mornings with Trevor Chappell - National
05:30 - Australia All Over with Ian McNamara - National
10:00 - Warren Boland
12:00 - Grandstand (national sport programme)
17:30 - The Coodabeen Champions - National
20:00 - Sunday Profile - National
20:30 - Speaking Out with Karen Dorante (national indigenous affairs programme produced by 612 ABC Brisbane)
21:00 - Sunday Nights with John Cleary (national religious affairs programme)
[edit] The Morning Show
The show currently runs from 8:30am until 11:00am with the first 30 minutes devoted to the main news stories of the day. Prime Ministers, Premiers and other politicians will lobby to be interviewed in this first half hour.
After 9:00am talkback callers are encouraged to contribute to the day's debate.
However, The Morning Show has proved almost as controversial as the stories normally covered on the local current affairs show. Several people have presented the show over the years with their departure often making headlines.
Recent presenters have been: Madonna King (2006), Steve Austin (2004-5), Kirsten Macgregor (2003), Susan Mitchell (2002), Andrew Carroll (2000-1), Cathy Border (2000), Carolyn Tucker (1999), John Barton, Anna Reynolds, Rod Henshaw.
In 2002, the ABC was forced to apologise to Andrew Carroll and admit he was unfairly sacked (See Media Release). Carroll was taken off-air after commenting, during an interview with Queensland Premier Peter Beattie, that he would have to "reconsider the terms of his contract" (or similar). Carroll's story was featured on the ABC's own media watchdog program Media Watch.
