2YOU

88.9FM (call sign: 2YOU) is a community radio station broadcasting from Tamworth, Australia and is available online via iHeartRadio.

88.9 FM Tamworth, 96.3 FM Quirindi
CityTamworth, Australia
Frequency88.9 MHz FM
SloganWe’ve Got the Music (2019–present)
We Are Family (2014–2019)
Programming
Language(s)English
FormatClassic Hits
Ownership
OwnerTamworth Broadcasting Society Inc
History
First air date16 July 1983[1]
Former call signs2YOUFM (1983–2014)
Former frequencies95.5 MHz FM (1983–1999)[2]
Technical information
ClassCommunity radio
ERP3 kW
Repeater(s)96.3 MHz FM Quirindi
Links
Webcast
Website889fmtamworth.com.au

88.9FM 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 (CBAA) and aims to be a local voice for the Tamworth, New England/Northwest/Liverpool Plains area, offering regional news, local information, community announcements, outside broadcasts and coverage of major events.

The station's main frequency is 88.9 MHz on the FM band, with a repeater 96.3 MHz in the Liverpool Plains area covering Quirindi and Werris Creek.[3]

2YOUFM beginnings

2YOUFM 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 2YOUFM had moved twice more, to 324A Peel street in 1984 and to current studios the National Trust Railway Building in Darling Street East Tamworth.[4]

In 2013 2YOUFM 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

2YOUFM now became 88.9 FM this 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.[5] Regular shifts across the board were implemented, new image jingles, regional news from 88.9fm newsroom plus Macquarie National News 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 broadcast system. An upgrade of the transmission tower, antenna array and a new and more powerful transmitters to allow the station to now broadcast clearly to its broadcast licensed area.

88.9FM advertisement on city buses in Tamworth

The station broadcasts from its own building and tower from Bald Hill at 956-meter's 5 kilometres east of Tamworth with 3,000 watts ERP and reaches over 90,000 people in its broadcast coverage, including Tamworth City, Tamworth Regional, Gunnedah, Manilla, Quirindi and various towns in New England and The Northwest of New South Wales.[6] 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.[7]

In June 2020 Tamworth Broadcasting Switched on a high powered repeater from Quirindi, serving the Liverpool Plains doubling the stations broadcast coverage to over 20,000 sq. kilometres.

Programme

There is a mixed listening format all day with only well known songs from the '70s, '80s, ‘90s and the best in country. 88.9 FM operates Locally from Tamworth 24/7. Including, Breakfast, Morning, Afternoon, Drive, Night's and Weekends.

Popular segments on 88.9 FM include: Howdy's Dateline (Birthday’s & Chart’s on this day), Cactus, Music Scene Gig Guide with Scotty & Jacko, The Passing Parade, and the American Country Music Countdown.

88.9 FM has its own news team providing daily Regional and Local News Bulletins with stories updated on the stations Facebook Page with hourly news by 9News (formally Macquarie National News). Local Weather updates are provided by Gavin Morris from NBN Television and National/International sport is presented by Mike Rabbitt.

88.9 FM can be streamed live on the free iHeartRadio APP.

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.: Dann Missen
  • Nights 6:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.: Emma Bailey
  • Overnight 11:00 p.m. – 5:00 a.m.: Playing All the Hits
  • (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 – 3:00 p.m.: Playing All the Hits
  • Weekend Drive 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.: Playing All the Hits
  • 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
  • Weekends 12:00  p.m. – 6:00 p.m.: Playing All the Hits
  • Hits & Memories 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.: American Top 40 with Casey Kasem

Newsroom
  • Jon Wolfe
  • Carissa Ryan

Key Staff
  • President: John Brand
  • Chief Executive: George Frame
  • Operations/Programme Manager: Dann Missen
  • Sales/Marketing Manager: Scott Mcilveen

Board of Directors

Former Presenters (2014–present)

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
  • Licensed Power – 3 KW
  • Broadcasts Site – Bald Hill, 938 Metres high, 5 kilometres East of Tamworth City
  • Effective Radiated Power (ERP) – 3000 watts / 3 Kilowatt
  • Multiplexed ZPG high gain antenna array
  • Transmitter 1 – 2016 BWTX21,000 FM transmitter
  • Transmitter 2 – 2015 BWTX10,000 FM transmitter
  • Full emergency backup power

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 BWTX12,000 FM transmitter
  • Power (ERP) 6000 watts/ 6kw

Studios

  • Automation System – Studio's A,C,D Newsroom all interfaced through automation;"Maximation 7"
  • Production: Adobe
  • Desk: Elan 'Kestral 12' Studio in A, Studio B custom Auditron news/producers desk, C Studio Elan "Merlin" Studio C set up with full digital editing facilities.

References
  1. "began full broadcast operations on July 16, 1983". The Northern Daily Leader.
  2. "2YOU FM began as a mono station as 95.5FM and went stereophonic in the late 1990s when it moved to 89.9FM". The Northern Daily Leader. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  3. "88.9FM Gets Go Ahead". Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  4. "2YouFm Started in tiny studios".
  5. "'60s, '70s, '80s and country". The Northern Daily Leader. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  6. "New England and North W". Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  7. "88.9fm celebrates 5 years". Retrieved 11 April 2020.
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