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88.9 FM (call sign 2YOU) is a
community A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, tow ...
radio station broadcasting from Tamworth,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
and is available online via
iHeartRadio iHeartRadio (often shortened to just "iHeart") is an American freemium broadcast, podcast and radio streaming Computing platform, platform owned by iHeartMedia. It was founded in August 2008. , iHeartRadio was functioning as the national umbr ...
. 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 The Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA) is the peak body and the national representative organisation for community radio and television stations in Australia. The CBAA provide leadership, advocacy and support for members to ac ...
(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 The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose expression in terms of SI base units is s−1, meaning that one he ...
on the
FM band The FM broadcast band is a range of radio frequencies used for FM broadcasting by radio stations. The range of frequencies used differs between different parts of the world. In Europe and Africa (defined as International Telecommunication Union ( ...
, with a repeater 96.3 MHz in the
Liverpool Plains The Liverpool Plains are an extensive agricultural area covering about of the north-western slopes of New South Wales in Australia. These plains are a region of prime agricultural land bounded to the east by the Great Dividing Range, to the s ...
area covering
Quirindi Quirindi ( or ) is a small town on the North West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia, in Liverpool Plains Shire. At the , Quirindi had a population of 3,444. It is the nearest link to Gunnedah to the west and Tamworth to the north. ...
and
Werris Creek Werris Creek is a small town in New South Wales, Australia, near Tamworth, New South Wales, Tamworth, in Liverpool Plains Shire. It is north of Quirindi, New South Wales, Quirindi and is at the junction of the Main North railway line, New South ...
.


2YOU FM beginnings

2YOU FM started in tiny studios out the back of the old computer fiscal building in Marius street Tamworth, although the studio, administration and library were actually in the rear off Dowe Ave in the old laundry rooms. The studio were lined with egg cartons for insulation it had two B&W turntables, a cassette player, a six slider panel and a microphone. From such humble beginnings 2YOU FM had moved twice more, to 324A Peel street in 1984 and to current studios the National Trust Railway Building in Darling Street East Tamworth. In 2013, 2YOU FM with newly appointed directors, appointed a senior radio broadcast manager to implement research from a survey of what the market both thought and required of the station. Management implemented a robust plan that was put into place to correct the stations financial problems including implementing the research from the survey. The station adopted an aggressive new image "We Are Family" and station format early 2014. Television campaigns helped to launch the new sounding station. The new image and sound proved popular with listeners and sponsors with the station gaining a large share of the audience and sponsors budgets.


Change to 88.9 FM

In May 2014, 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. Regular shifts across the board were implemented, new image jingles, regional news from 88.9 FM Newsroom plus
Macquarie National News Nine News is a radio news service providing the half-hourly radio news bulletins to radio stations across Australia. History On 16 September 2009, Macquarie Radio Network shut down its news website, livenews.com.au after two years of existence, ...
cross promotion with Prime 7 Television. The reaction from the audience across the broadcast area was almost immediate and revenue increased from sponsors following the stations aggressive marketing plus funds on hand allowed a complete overhaul of new digital production studios, to meet growing sponsor needs, upgrades of main studio, new formats and computer program schedules and utilising the Maximation and MusicMaster broadcast systems. The station broadcasts from its own building and tower from Bald Hill at 956-meter's 5 kilometres east of Tamworth in its broadcast coverage, including Tamworth City, Tamworth Regional, Manilla,_Quirindi_ Quirindi_(_or_)_is_a_small_town_on_the_North_West_Slopes_region_of_New_South_Wales,_Australia,_in_Liverpool_Plains_Shire. At_the_,_Quirindi_had_a_population_of_3,444._It_is_the_nearest_link_to_Gunnedah_to_the_west_and__Tamworth_to_the_north.__...
_and_various_towns_in_ Manilla,_Quirindi_ Quirindi_(_or_)_is_a_small_town_on_the_North_West_Slopes_region_of_New_South_Wales,_Australia,_in_Liverpool_Plains_Shire. At_the_,_Quirindi_had_a_population_of_3,444._It_is_the_nearest_link_to_Gunnedah_to_the_west_and__Tamworth_to_the_north.__...
_and_various_towns_in_New_England_(New_South_Wales)">New_England_ New_England_is_a_region_comprising_six_states_in_the__Northeastern_United_States:_Connecticut,_Maine,_Massachusetts,_New_Hampshire,_Rhode_Island,_and_Vermont._It_is_bordered_by_the_state_of__New_York_to_the_west_and_by_the_Canadian_provinces__...
_and_North_West_Slopes.html" ;"title="New_England_(New_South_Wales).html" "title="Manilla,_New_South_Wales.html" ;"title=" New South Wales, Manilla, New South Wales">Manilla,
Quirindi Quirindi ( or ) is a small town on the North West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia, in Liverpool Plains Shire. At the , Quirindi had a population of 3,444. It is the nearest link to Gunnedah to the west and Tamworth to the north. ...
and various towns in New England (New South Wales)">New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
and North West Slopes">The Northwest of New South Wales. 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. 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.


Programme

There 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: *Howdy's Dateline (birthday’s and chart’s on this day) *
Cactus A cactus (, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Greek ...
*Local Sports Wrap with Jack Howard *The Story Behind the Song with Dan Missen *Fresh Produce Market Update with Brendon North *
The Passing Parade ''The Passing Parade'', a.k.a. ''John Nesbitt's Passing Parade'', was an American radio series created, written, and narrated by John Nesbitt which was adapted into an Oscar-winning series of MGM short subjects. In both media, the series usually ...
with John Doremus *Gardening Tips with Noel Victor *Tech Talk with Adam Petronaitis 88.9 FM has its own news team providing six daily Regional and Local News Bulletins. Hourly news bulletins by 9News (formally
Macquarie National News Nine News is a radio news service providing the half-hourly radio news bulletins to radio stations across Australia. History On 16 September 2009, Macquarie Radio Network shut down its news website, livenews.com.au after two years of existence, ...
). Local Weather updates are provided by Gavin Morris from
NBN Television NBN is an Australian television station based in Newcastle, Australia. The station was inaugurated on 4 March 1962 as the first regional commercial television station in New South Wales, and has since expanded to 39 transmitters throughout Nort ...
and National/International sport is presented by Mike Rabbitt.


Line-up and key staff

Monday–Friday * Breakfast 5:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.: Howdy * Mornings 9:00 a.m. – noon.: Johnny Mac * Afternoons 12:00 p.m – 3:00 p.m.: Scotty McLaren * Drive 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.: Ray McCoy and Adam Parker * Nights 6:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.: Emma Bailey * Overnight 11:00 p.m. – 5:00 a.m.: Better Music and More of It * (Wednesday) American Country Music Countdown – 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.: Ray McCoy * (Friday) 88.9 FM’s Hottest Australian Country Music Top 20 – 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.: Emma Bailey & Ray McCoy Saturday * Breakfast 5:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.: Ray McCoy * Morning 9:00 a.m. – noon: George Frame * Afternoon 12:00 p.m – 6:00 p.m.: Dan Missen * Hits & Memories 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.: Ian Cousins Sunday * Breakfast 6:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.: Ray McCoy * Morning 9:00 a.m. – noon.: George Frame * Afternoon 12:00 p.m – 6:00 p.m.: Dan Missen *
American Top 40 ''American Top 40'' (previously abbreviated to ''AT40'') is an internationally syndicated, independent song countdown radio program created by Casey Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds, and Ron Jacobs. The program is currently hosted by Ryan Seacr ...
6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.:
Casey Kasem Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem (April 27, 1932 – June 15, 2014) was an American disc jockey, actor, and radio personality, who created and hosted several radio countdown programs, notably '' American Top 40''. He was the first actor to voice Nor ...


Newsroom

*Jon Wolfe *Scott McLaren *Carissa Ryan


Key Staff

*''President:'' Mr. John H. Brand *''Chief Executive:'' Mr. George Frame *''Content Director:'' Ray McCoy *''Operations/Program Manager:'' Dan Missen *''Promotions:'' Scotty McLaren *''Sales Managers:'' Marc Jackson and Mark Frame *''Production:'' Emma Bailey *''Traffic:'' Michelle Colgate *''Office Manager:'' Arcybelle Palomo Board of Directors *John Brand *Kevin Tounge *
Lawrie Minson Lawrence (Lawrie) Minson (born 13 September 1958) is an Australian country musician, best known as a session player. Career Minson is the son of former Australian radio personality John Minson. His country music career commenced in 1979 acco ...
*Andy Link *Trevor Dempsey (Accounts)


Former Presenters

*
Ryan Sampson Ryan Oliver Sampson is an English actor, best known for playing Alex Venables in '' After You've Gone'', Grumio in '' Plebs,'' and Tommo in '' Brassic''. He also played Luke Rattigan in the Series 4 two-part story of '' Doctor Who'', "The Sont ...
*
Pixie Jenkins Pixie Jenkins (born Paul Blake Jenkins, 21 March 1957) is an Australian fiddle player, singer, songwriter, and entertainer. Referred to by his stage name 'Pixie', in an article in The Australian in 2017, Pixie was referenced alongside Jimmy L ...
*Debbie G * Jodie Crosby


Income

The 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, engineering, sales/marketing team, five permanent casuals, and five volunteers.


Technical data

* Frequency – 88.9 FM Tamworth * Broadcasts Site – Bald Hill, 938 Metres high, 5 kilometres East of Tamworth City * Multiplexed ZPG high gain antenna array * 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 Adobe ( ; ) is a building material made from earth and organic materials. is Spanish for ''mudbrick''. In some English-speaking regions of Spanish heritage, such as the Southwestern United States, the term is used to refer to any kind of e ...
* 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

{{Reflist


External links


88.9FM Official website

CBAA website
Community radio stations in Australia Radio stations in New South Wales Tamworth, New South Wales Radio stations established in 1982 1982 establishments in Australia