4MBS Classic FM is an Australian

community radio Community radio is a radio service offering a third model of radio broadcasting in addition to commercial and public broadcasting. Community stations serve geographic communities and communities of interest. They broadcast content that is popular ...

station which broadcasts classical music from

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

at a frequency of 103.7 MHz, as well as on

digital radio Digital radio is the use of digital technology to transmit or receive across the radio spectrum. Digital transmission by radio waves includes digital broadcasting, and especially digital audio radio services. Types In digital broadcasting syst ...

and

online In computer technology and telecommunications, online indicates a state of connectivity and offline indicates a disconnected state. In modern terminology, this usually refers to an Internet connection, but (especially when expressed "on line" or ...

Operations

Its operations are conducted by about 300 volunteers and a small number of paid staff. Operational funding is principally derived from commercial sponsorship, listener subscriptions, a ticketing service, occasional sales of second-hand LPs, and an annual classical music festival. 4MBS Classic FM has a loose affiliation with a number of similar independently owned and operated stations in other parts of Australia, including

2MBS 2MBS Fine Music Sydney (ACMA callsign: 2MBS) is a Sydney music radio station operated by the Music Broadcasting Society of New South Wales Co-Operative Limited. Launched on 15 December 1974, it is Australia's first fully licensed FM radio stati ...

Sydney,

3MBS 3MBS was the first FM (frequency modulation) radio station in Victoria, Australia, and began transmitting to Melbourne and surrounding areas on 1 July 1975. Since then it has operated successfully as a non-profit community-based organisation broa ...

Melbourne,

5MBS 5MBS is a community radio station based in Adelaide, Australia and located in Hindmarsh, South Australia. It broadcasts on 99.9 MHz across much of the Adelaide metropolitan area, as well as a live stream via its website. 5MBS is run by vo ...

Adelaide and

ArtSound FM ArtSound FM (callsign 1ART) is a community radio station broadcasting to Canberra from studios in the suburb of Manuka. Its format is fine music and arts programming. ArtSound was established in the early 1980s under the name Canberra Stereo ...

Canberra.

History

The station first went to air on 1 March 1979 at 10.30am from a small area rented from the

Queensland University of Technology Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is a public research university located in the urban coastal city of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. QUT is located on two campuses in the Brisbane area viz. Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove. The univ ...

’s Kelvin Grove campus with Handel's ''

Ode for St. Cecilia's Day ''Ode for St. Cecilia's Day'' ( HWV 76) is a cantata composed by George Frideric Handel in 1739. The title of the cantata refers to Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians. The premiere was on 22 November 1739 at the Theatre in Lincoln's I ...

''. In 1994 it was moved to a large house in the suburb of

Coorparoo Coorparoo is a suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , Coorparoo had a population of 16,282 people. Geography Coorparoo is by road south-east of the Brisbane GPO. It borders Camp Hill, Holland Park, Stones Corner, ...

. In later years, a 70-seat performance studio was built next to the house. The transmitter is located on

Mount Coot-tha Mount Coot-tha is a mountain and a suburb of the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , there were no residents in the suburb. Visible from much of the city, Mount Coot-tha is a popular bushland tourist destination including the Mou ...

. In the early 1990s it became home to Australia's only archive of original recordings by women composers, donated by the International League of Women Composers in New York.

Key programs

4MBS broadcasts a weekly program titled ''Music Lover's Choice'' with announcer Howard Ainsworth, which previously aired since 1967 on the

Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly-own ...

."The 4MBS Classical Music Presenters"
, 4MBS In addition to its FM program of classical music, 4MBS broadcasts since May 2011 on the digital spectrum as MBS Light a selection of lighter classics, crossover music, musical theatre, jazz, and similar. The Silver Memory Service broadcasts to custom designed receivers a program of music from the thirties and forties and music from screen and stage.

4MBS Festival of Classics

Since 1994, the station has staged the annual 4MBS Festival of Classics, which consists of concerts and other classical music related events that take place around Brisbane, featuring predominantly local artists. It is now Australia's largest classical music festival.

Awards

In 2004, 4MBS Classic FM was named Radio Station of the Year by 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 ...

References

External links

* {{Brisbane FM Radio stations in Brisbane Community radio stations in Australia Radio stations established in 1977 Classical music radio stations in Australia Digital radio in Australia Internet radio stations in Australia