SWR FM

Broadcast area Part of Greater Western Sydney
Slogan Sydney's West
Format Community radio
Power 200 Watts
HAAT 175m
Callsign meaning 2 = New South Wales
Sydney
West
Radio
Owner SWR FM Community Media Association Inc.
Webcast
Website Official website

SWR Triple 9 (Formerly SWR FM) (ACMA callsign: 2SWR) is a community radio station based in Blacktown in Sydney. The station broadcasts to parts of Greater Western Sydney, but can be received in most of the Sydney Metropolitan Area.

The mission of SWR Triple 9 is to offer the community a voice and an opportunity for anyone to access the airwaves regardless of age, gender, nationality or experience. SWR Triple 9 is a mostly volunteer run organisation and is funded through listener support, grants and limited commercial sponsorship.

History

What is now SWR Triple 9 grew out of a group of people who had initially started in the 1980s as aspirant broadcaster WOW FM. Eventually forming as SWR FM, in 1992 the station started conducting regular test transmissions on 88.3 FM and later on 100.3 FM. These were fully operational and programmed broadcasts, but were usually limited to one or two weeks at a time.[1] In 1994 the then Australian Broadcasting Authority agreed that SWR FM could use its 90 days per year of temporary transmission time by broadcasting every weekend, rather than using up all the time in one or two blocks. This enabled the station to have a continuous presence within the community.

In 1999 the station was able to broadcast full-time under new Temporary Community Broadcasting Licences. However it spent much of 2001 and 2002 off the air due to problems encountered in sharing the frequency with another temporary broadcaster.[2] In 2003 a licence was issued to SWR FM and they commenced full-time broadcasting on Saturday 27 September 2003.[3]

Current

SWR Triple 9 is now home to Busco for Brekky (6am-9am) and Drive with Maz (4pm-6pm). The shows both provide local news, weather and traffic and play adult contemporary hits. SWR Triple 9 now has consistent 70's to Now music formatting with Maquarie National News bulletins every hour from 6am-6pm every weekday, so listeners can tune into regular programming as they drive to work, while they're at work and on their way home.

A view from the inside of the SWR Triple 9 OB Van in action at a local community event

Using its own outside broadcast unit SWR Triple 9 regularly broadcasts from local shows and festivals including the Blacktown and Holroyd festivals, Rooty Hill Australia Day celebrations and other local events. The station has a long history of giving air time to local bands. The Musos Show on Saturdays from 2pm-4pm features local and musicians and bands. SWRtember was initially launched to promote local upcoming talent. In 2011 Australian rock band Dragon headlined SWRtember and played a 45-minute set live to air.[4] SWRtember has since been replaced with SWR Triple 9's Annual Live Radio Gig (see below), usually occurring in September every year.

Programming

The station’s overall format is adult contemporary, branded "The 70's to Now" but also covers a wide range of music styles through local access shows. SWR Triple 9 also broadcasts programs that are presented by special interest groups or in languages other than English.[5][6]

Live Radio Gig

Vacant Shade Performing at the 2016 Live Radio Gig

SWR Triple 9 hosts a 'Live Radio Gig' Annually, usually in September, to promote local acts and bands. Every year, the radio station invites local bands to perform on stage outside the SWR Triple 9 studios at Blacktown Showground, not only in front of an audience, but LIVE on radio as well. Hence the name, Live Radio Gig. In 2016, the broadcaster also live-streamed[7] the whole event to Facebook to further reach an ever-expanding online audience.

The annual Live Radio Gig has been a great success over the years, and there is no sign of this well-coordinated community event halting in the near future.

Bands that perform at a Live Radio Gig also receive multitrack recordings and mastered recordings of their set. This is a great initiative, as it gives local bands and artists access to professional recordings who otherwise may not be able to afford such services.

Any local bands that may be interested in performing at a Live Radio Gig, should contact the radio station via their website.

SWR Triple 9 Rebrand

SWR Triple 9's breakfast announcer, Busco, holding the new logo.

On May 1, 2017, SWR FM rebranded as SWR Triple 9.[8]

Since the early days of the stations test broadcasts in 1991, the name, sound and feel has only slightly changed along the way. But the 1st of May marked the start of a new adventure with the stations new look, sound and logo.

"SWR Triple 9 Sydney's West will still have your favourite tunes from the 70's to Now, we've just got a bit of a facelift!"

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Allocation of Temporary Community Radio Licences" (PDF). ACMA. October 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-07-30. Retrieved 2008-07-15.
  2. ↑ Andree Wright (24 September 2001). "Investigation Summary" (PDF). Australian Broadcasting Authority. Retrieved 2008-07-31.
  3. ↑ "The history of SWR FM". SWR FM. 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-31. External link in |publisher= (help)
  4. ↑ Dragon - Come to Blacktown |url=https://www.facebook.com/dragonmusic/posts/165841076832981
  5. ↑ John McKenna (10 July 2005). "Linwood House on SWR FM". Friends of Linnwood. Retrieved 2008-07-31. External link in |publisher= (help)
  6. ↑ "Voice of Bangladesh on SWR FM". VoB. 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-31. External link in |publisher= (help)
  7. ↑ "SWR Triple 9". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2017-05-02.
  8. ↑ "SWR Triple 9 launch!". SWR Triple 9. Retrieved 2017-05-02.

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