2MMM

Triple M Sydney
City of license Sydney
Broadcast area Sydney
Branding Sydney's 104.9 Triple M
Slogan Sydney's Best Rock
Frequency 104.9 MHz FM, DAB+
First air date 1980
Format Active rock
ERP 150,000 watts
HAAT 224 m[1]
Affiliations 2Day FM
Owner Austereo Radio Network
Webcast Sydney
Website http://www.triplem.com.au/sydney

2MMM (identified on air and in print as Triple M) is a radio station broadcasting in Sydney, Australia. Triple M Sydney is part of the Austereo Triple M network and broadcasts on the 104.9 MHz frequency.

Contents

History

The Early Days

2MMM, the first Triple M station commenced broadcasting on 2 August 1980. Together with then rival station 2Day FM (now also owned by Austereo) and Triple-J FM, it was one of the first two commercial FM radio stations in Sydney. The Government-owned Triple JJJ began broadcasting on the FM band just one day earlier.

The station has always been primarily a rock music station. Triple M was one of the highest-rating radio stations in Sydney, spearheaded by its breakfast show presented by Doug Mulray and featuring the writing of and occasional appearances by Andrew Denton. From 1988 until the early nineties, Club Veg with Mal Lees and Vic Davies hosted the Night show before moving to Perth to host the breakfast show at 96FM/Triple M.

For all of this period and into the 90s, Triple M's promotional campaign featured the character "Dr Dan", a guitar-playing satyr with wings, and a theme song that was an extended reworking of the Mike Batt track "Introduction (The Journey of a Fool)", from his 1979 album Tarot Suite.

1990s/Early 2000s

After the Departure of Doug Mulray at breakfast, 2MMM tried a variety of breakfast show hosts, including Rob Duckworth and Sammy Power, and the Richard Stubbs Breakfast Show (broadcast from 3MMM in Melbourne). It was not until the late 1990s when Andrew Denton, a previous contributor to Mulray's program took the chair and became the host of 2MMM's breakfast slot, with Amanda Keller joining him as a co-host, that 2MMM once again enjoyed ratings success.

Club Veg with Mal Lees and Vic Davies also returned in 1998 and enjoyed instant ratings success in their morning slot of 9am-12pm before being moved to the Drive shift 4pm-7pm.

This was also the time that Keller would work with Brendan "Jonesy" Jones who was doing afternoons at the time. Denton called in unwell one day Jones was called in to fill in with Keller, five years later they are working at WSFM.

FM Talk was tinkered with via Talkback Host and journalist Brian Carlton, using the on air name of The Spoonman, derived from the Soundgarden song "Spoonman". This show got axed at the end of the 1990s.

Andrew Denton left the M's in the early 2000s, and many breakfast teams were tried out, with the likes of Peter Berner, Mikey Robins, and a return of Amanda Keller also during this period.

The Triple M Freq Club was discontinued nationally during 2004.

2006–2008

A new breakfast program, The Cage emerged on the Triple M network, which included talents such as James Brayshaw, Peter Berner, Fitzy, Brigitte Duclos, these hosts being in various Triple M studios across the network. This went on in Sydney until the end of 2006, with the popular drive show The Shebang taking up the breakfast slot in 2007, to a low degree of success. Brian Carlton Returned in 2005, once again doing nights, using The Spoonman name. In 2007, night show host Paul Murray was added to the Shebang breakfast team in the hope of increasing ratings, to no avail. The show abruptly ended in November 2008. The decision to axe The Shebang breakfast program and Marty Sheargold taking leave from the show, led to Triple M's lowest ratings ever, slipping behind competitor Vega for the first time and leaving the former top-rating station last in the commercial radio station ratings.[2][3]

The Triple M Street Team (aka Street Freq or Rock patrols) were discontinued from visiting locations (such as parks and reserves) regularly - during mid 2006, to focus on a different brand. Though at present, there are Triple M Street Team locations on an occasional basis - visiting businesses only. .[4]

During mid 2006, Triple M introduced an interactive survey encouraging Triple M listeners to have a say in the music they play through the Triple M Music Jury.

In October 2008, the station had changed the format temporarily (Awesome '80s) to play only 80s music and use the old promos, news and traffic themes and the old station name Triple M FM 105.

The Spoonman Show and drive team Wil and Lehmo were also axed at the end of 2008. Morning DJ Maroon (now at Vega) was removed from the on-air DJs, was the long time Triple M DJ Rob Duckworth, who was in the afternoon slot.

December 2008 – present

After the "Awesome 80s" format had wrapped up on 30 November 2008, "The All New Triple M" was launched, replacing the old slogans of "Triple M Rocks" and "Best Of The Old Stuff, Best Of The New Stuff" with "Music That Rocks". This launch came with a demographic shift, moving away from the "working class" mid 30s to 40s to a younger, 25–39 key demographic, targeting younger listeners.

A new Breakfast Team was launched, with Ugly Phil and Sami Lukis, along with new drive programs, Roy and HG (Mondays and Fridays), and Tuesday to Thursdays drive slot being hosted by ex Shebang anchor Byron Cooke, called Live Line. The Peter Berner Experiment returned from Tues to Thursdays at 6 pm. The Paul Murray Night Show returned, with the name "The All New Paul Murray Show", with the co host Rachel Corbett, playing nothing but recent music, with a slant towards a youth audience.

Artists which feature prominently on Triple M include Nickelback, Powderfinger, Kevin Rudolf, Silverchair, Coldplay, The Fray, Snow Patrol, Kings of Leon, Faker, AC/DC, Cold Chisel and Bon Jovi amongst others.

During May 2009, Triple M introduced "The Music That Made Triple M Famous", playing music from the eras of 1970s and '80s.

During June 2009, Phil O'Neill and Sami Lukis had been axed from the breakfast slot just over six months since they started broadcasting in December 2008. Paul Murray and Rachel Corbett continued in the breakfast slot until mid-August when the new breakfast show would commence broadcasting.[5] Paul & Rach moved to the Tuesday-Thursday drivetime slot from 8 September 2009.

As of 17 August 2009, Gus Worland, Stuart MacGill and Mark Geyer were named the hosts of the new Triple M's breakfast show called The Grill Team.[6][7]

On 3 September, The Peter Berner Experiment aired its final episode as Berner has finished up with the station for a possible move to the Nine Network.[8]

On 23 November 2009, Triple M's slogan changed to "Sydney's Best Rock".

On 2 August 2010, Triple M turned 30 and asked slash to remake the Dr Dan Theme to a 2010 format.

On 17 January 2011, Mick Molloy joined the Triple M Grill Team every morning. on 28 March 2011 Matthew Johns brother of Andrew Johns joined the Grill team. On September 28 2011, it was announced that Merrick Watts will join Triple M during drive in 2012 [9]

Shows

Weekend Shows

News

Former Newsreaders

Traffic

Notable former Triple M Sydney announcers

Fifi Box (now hosting the Fifi Box show on the Today Network and entertainment presenter for Sunrise), Marty Sheargold, Tony Martin, Ed Kavalee, Brian Carlton, Andrew Denton, Mal Lees (currently Hot Tomato), Vic Davies, Zoe Sheridan, Adam "Bar Rat" Barratt, Wil Anderson, Laura Cross, Sam Mac (now hosting the Em and Sam Mac show on 92.9 Perth), Turbo, Drew Chapman, Kim Blair, Jamie Row (currently with Nova 96.9), Tom Gleeson, Subby Valentine, Amanda Keller (currently breakfast for 101.7 WSFM), Brendan Jones (currently breakfast for WSFM), Mike "Fitzy" Fitzpatrick, Yammo (now Group PD at Australian Radio Network), Ronnie Swintek, Leah Mcleod, Mick Molloy, Anthony Maroon, Kate Mac, Tony Moclair (used to host Man United), Peter "Scooter" Carter, Leigh "Leigh Dogg" Kuhlmann, Charlie Pickering, Byron Webb, Russell Barwick, Chaz (from Chaser's War on Everything), Peter Berner, Bryan Madigan (The Bryan Madigan or Odie), Pace, Santi, Sami Lukis, Alexis Kuchel (aka Alexis Savaidis or Alexis), Jacqui The Rocker (Jacqui Kassulke) and Ugly Phil, Marvin (Mark) Bemand Heath Piper and Lucas Dorrell from the The Heath & Normy Show.

Digital Radio

Triple M is simulcast on Digital Radio in Sydney.

Triple M launched High Voltage Radio, a "pop up" Digital Radio station that exclusively plays AC/DC for the duration of the band's 2010 tour of Australia.[11] High Voltage stopped being on air on 15 March 2010.

See also

References

External links