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SAFM (official
callsign In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally assign ...
: 5SSA) is a
commercial Commercial may refer to: * a dose of advertising conveyed through media (such as - for example - radio or television) ** Radio advertisement ** Television advertisement * (adjective for:) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and s ...
FM radio FM broadcasting is a method of radio broadcasting using frequency modulation (FM). Invented in 1933 by American engineer Edwin Armstrong, wide-band FM is used worldwide to provide high fidelity sound over broadcast radio. FM broadcasting is capa ...
station owned and operated by
Southern Cross Austereo Southern Cross Media Group Limited, doing business as Southern Cross Austereo, is an Australian media company which operates broadcast radio and television stations. It is the largest radio broadcaster in Australia, operating 86 radio statio ...
as part of the
Hit Network The Hit Network is an Australian commercial radio network owned and operated by Southern Cross Austereo. The network consists of 41 radio stations broadcasting a hot adult contemporary music format, as well as 6 digital radio stations. Histo ...
. The station is broadcast to
Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
,
South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
from studios in Franklin Street.


History

The station began broadcasting on 12 September 1980, on the frequency of 107.5 MHz, with a call sign of 5SSA and an original on-air branding of "Double SA-FM" which was very short-lived and soon replaced by "SA-FM". It was the first commercial radio station to broadcast on the FM band in Adelaide started by Paul Thompson of the Austereo Network. The first song played on air was "Sultans of Swing" by Dire Straits. Initially, SAFM was somewhat of a fringe operation, hampered largely by the fact that many houses, and more importantly most contemporary cars, did not have the ability to receive FM radio broadcasts. In 1982 it changed its name to "SAFM" and in 1989 altered its frequency slightly to 107.1 MHz. A second frequency, 91.1 MHz, was added as what was the first of many repeater frequencies in Adelaide, required due to Adelaide's sometimes problematic television and radio reception idiosyncrasies. The frequency was later changed to 90.3 MHz and it continues to operate on that frequency. SAFM was the first station in the world to have Black Thunder promotional vehicles and the annual Australia Day Sky-Show fireworks display was an Adelaide institution for many years. Between 1984 and 1993 it was the highest rating station in Adelaide and achieving its best survey results in the late '80s, spearheaded by the "Morning Zoo" breakfast show. SAFM became number one again in 1999, holding that position until 2005, when it dropped back to third, behind the talk station FIVEaa and the music station Mix 102.3. From its inception SAFM was an adult rock-based format, before switching to a
contemporary hit radio Contemporary hit radio (also known as CHR, contemporary hits, hit list, current hits, hit music, top 40, or pop radio) is a radio format that is common in many countries that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by ...
(CHR) format in March 1996. In November 2003, the station adopted an adult contemporary music format, reverting to CHR in December 2004 following the launch of rival station
Nova 919 Nova 919 (call sign: 5ADL) is a commercial radio station operating in Adelaide, Australia, owned by NOVA Entertainment. Along with its sister stations Nova 100 Nova 100 (call sign: 3MEL) is a commercial radio station in Melbourne, Victo ...
. On 20 October 2014, the station was relaunched as Hit 107, but reverted to SAFM on 27 July 2020 as part of a network-wide relaunch, shifting to a "pop-based" Hot adult contemporary music format in an attempt to target a 30–54-year-old audience. In October 2022, it was reported that Cosi and his show would be axed. https://glamadelaide.com.au/huge-changes-to-radio-stations-across-adelaide-as-cosi-axed-from-safm%EF%BF%BC/


Programming

Local programming is produced and broadcast from the station's Franklin Street studios from 6am–3pm weekdays. The station's local output consists of a three-hour breakfast show presented by Rebecca Morse, Andrew Costello and
Anthony Lehmann Anthony Lehmann (born 20 August 1969) is an Australian comedian, actor, television and radio presenter. Career Born in Peebinga, South Australia, Lehmo started out working as a chartered accountant before realising he did not actually like acc ...
, a three-hour mornings show presented by Sean Craig Murphy, and a three-hour afternoons show presented by English Chris. In addition, the station's breakfast show is also broadcast on its Mount Gambier sister station. Networked programming originates from studios in
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metrop ...
and
Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountains ...
.


Digital radio

SAFM is simulcast on
DAB+ 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 sys ...
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 s ...
in Adelaide.


See also

*
Hamish & Andy Hamish & Andy are an Australian comedy duo formed in 2003 by Hamish Blake and Andy Lee. Best known for their various drive time radio programmes on the Hit Network, which aired in multiple formats until 2017, their shows gained consistently ...
*
List of radio stations in Australia This is a list of radio stations that broadcast in Australia. The first digit of the callsign represents the state or territory: 1 – ACT, 2 – NSW and ACT, 3 – VIC, 4 – QLD, 5 – SA, 6 – WA, 7 – TAS, 8 – NT. Australian Capi ...
* Music podcast


References


External links


Official website
{{Adelaide radio Radio stations in Adelaide Hot adult contemporary radio stations in Australia Radio stations established in 1980