612 ABC Brisbane

Radio station


name = 612 ABC Brisbane
callsigns = 4QR
airdate = 1925
frequency = 612 kHz AM
area = Brisbane
owner = Australian Broadcasting Corporation
format = Talk
website = [http://www.abc.net.au/brisbane/ http://www.abc.net.au/brisbane/ ]

612 ABC Brisbane (callsign: 4QR) is an ABC Local Radio station in Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of the largest stations in the network, serving as a base for Queensland programming - many programs are broadcast across the ABC Local Radio network in regional and rural areas of Queensland when those stations are not carrying local programming.

The 2007 on-air team includes former member of the anarchic 1980s/90s comedy trio Doug Anthony All Stars Richard Fidler, former professional footballer Warren Boland, Steve Austin, Kelly Higgins-Devine, Courier-Mail columnist Madonna King and Spencer Howson. Past presenters have included Peter Dick, Rod Henshaw, Andrew Carroll and Susan Mitchell.

History

Radio broadcasting began in Brisbane in 1925 when the Government of Queensland commenced its own broadcasting operations with the callsign 4QG - 4 denoted the state of Queensland; QG stood for "Queensland Government". 4QG became a part of the ABC's radio network at its inception in 1932.

The ABC started a second Brisbane station on January 7, 1938 using the callsign 4QR - the new station carried national programming while 4QG aired mainly local content. 4QG is now part of the ABC's Radio National network - as such it now has the callsign "4RN", in common with all other Radio National services in Queensland.

Until December 2006, 612 ABC Brisbane's studios were located on Coronation Drive in the Brisbane inner-city suburb of Toowong (a location severely damaged by water in the 1974 Brisbane floods).

A number of breast cancer cases at the ABC's Toowong studios led to the permanent evacuation of the entire site in December, 2006. 350 staff, from ABC television, radio and online, were relocated. The station broadcast from the ABC's Gold Coast studios during the relocation period.

In September 2006, 612 ABC Brisbane was "host radio broadcaster" for naturalist Steve Irwin's memorial service at Australia Zoo, Beerwah. Breakfast announcers Spencer Howson (from 612 ABC Brisbane) and John Stokes (from the ABC's Sunshine Coast station Coast FM) were chosen to host the broadcast, made available to radio stations around the world.

Programmes

:"All programmes are produced for a local or statewide audience unless marked national. All times are in Australian Eastern Standard time (UTC+10). Queensland does not observe daylight saving."

Mondays to Fridays

*5.00am - 8.00am Breakfast, Spencer Howson
*7.45am - 8.30am News & "AM" with Tony Eastley
*8.30am - 11.00am Mornings, Madonna King
*11.00am - 12.00pm "The Conversation Hour", Richard Fidler- "Heard across Qld and NSW"
*12.00pm - 1.00pm "The World Today", Eleanor Hall
*1.00pm - 3.00pm Afternoons, Richard Fidler
*3.00pm - 6.00pm Drive, Kelly Higgins-Devine
*6.00pm - 7.00pm PM,Mark Colvin
*7.00pm - 10.00pm Evenings, Steve Austin - "Statewide except Fridays"
*10.00pm - 2.00am Nightlife, Tony Delroy - "National"
*2.00am - 5.00am Overnights, Trevor Chappell (Monday - Thursday) and Rod Quinn (Friday - Sunday)

aturdays

*5.00am - 6.00am Fish Talk, Jason Hagen
*6.00am - 8.00am Breakfast
*8.00am - 8.30am Saturday AM,
*8.30am - 9.00am Saturday Breakfast continues
*9.00am - 12.00pm Weekends, Warren Boland
*12.00pm - 2.00pm Grandstand Active, Tracy Holmes
*2.00pm - 5.00pm Grandstand, Tracey Holmes
*5.00pm - 10.00pm Grandstand Rugby League
*10.00pm - 2.00am Saturday Night Country, John Nutting
*2.00am - 5.00am Overnights, Rod Quinn

undays

*5.30am - 10.00am Australia All Over, Ian McNamara
*10.00am - 12.00pm Weekends, Warren Boland
*12:00pm - 6.30pm Grandstand Rugby League, David Morrow
*6.30pm - 9.00pm The Coodabeen Champions
*9.00pm - 9.30pm Sunday Profile, Monica Attard
*9.30pm - 10.00pm Speaking Out, Stan Grant
*10.00pm - 2.00am Sunday Nights, John Cleary
*2.00am - 5.30am Overnights, Rod Quinn

The Morning Show

The show currently runs from 8:30am until 11:00am with the first 30 minutes devoted to the main news stories of the day. Prime Ministers, Premiers and other politicians will lobby to be interviewed in this first half hour.

After 9:00am talkback callers are encouraged to contribute to the day's debate.

However, The Morning Show has proved almost as controversial as the stories normally covered on the local current affairs show. Several people have presented the show over the years with their departure often making headlines.

Recent presenters have been Steve Austin (2004-5), Kirsten Macgregor (2003), Susan Mitchell (2002), Andrew Carroll (2000-1), Cathy Border (2000), John Barton, Carolyn Tucker (1999), Anna Reynolds and Rod Henshaw.

The current presenter Madonna King has presented the program since the beginning of 2006. She is married to David Fagan, Editor of the Brisbane-based newspaper The Courier Mail. King also writes a column for the Saturday edition of The Courier Mail.

In 2002, the ABC was forced to apologise to Andrew Carroll and admit he was unfairly sacked (See [http://www.abc.net.au/corp/pubs/media/s690457.htm Media Release] ). Carroll was taken off-air after commenting, during an interview with Queensland Premier Peter Beattie, that he would have to "reconsider the terms of his contract" (or similar). Carroll's story was featured on the ABC's own media watchdog program [http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/200502_s3.htm Media Watch] .

External links

* [http://www.abc.net.au/brisbane 612 ABC Brisbane online]
* [http://www.abc.net.au/brisbane/history/default.htm A history of ABC radio in Brisbane]