is a radio station broadcasting in
Melbourne, Australia . FOX FM broadcasts on 101.9
MHz FM and has the official callsign 3FOX. FOX FM is part of the
Austereo Today Network . It's target
Demographic is 18 to 29 year olds, and is skewed towards a female audience.
FOX was one of the original FM radio license holders in Melbourne. It aimed to be the first commercial FM station to commence broadcasting in Australia, although it was eventually beaten by EON FM (which is now FOX's sister station,
Triple M ). It began broadcasting on 1st August 1980 at 5pm.
FOX started life in direct competition with EON FM, playing popular rock and top 40 music. The original
Positioner for the station tried to take advantage of the novelty value of FM radio, using the play on words "FM is Fox Music!" Throughout the history of the station its logo and marketing have always included a picture of a fox, although this was discontinued in 2005 when the entire
Today Network introduced new standardised logos.
In 1986 FOX was bought by the owners of Sydney's
2Day FM to create the
Today Network , which now boasts five additional stations around Australia.
In 1996 the
Today Network , owned by the
Adelaide based
Austereo , merged with the
Triple M network to form a single radio company. The merge was unpopular with Fox staff due to the rivalry between the two stations.
The original Fox studios were located at the
ATV-10 television studios in Nunawading. Whilst geographically some distance from the city of
Melbourne , this site provided an easy link path to the transmitter site, and also allowed easy access to
Network Ten celebrities. The television show
Neighbours , for example, was (and still is) filmed at the site.
In the early 1990s, Fox FM relocated to their current studios at 180 St Kilda Road
St Kilda, Victoria ,
Australia . These studios are based around
Ward Beck Systems analogue broadcast consoles, and were soon equipped with digital playout systems. Today, Fox uses the Maestro playout system, as well as many other supporting systems in its studios.
In 1996,
Triple M Melbourne moved into the first floor of the Fox facility in
St Kilda where it remains today.
FOX FM transmits from the
ATV-10 transmission tower on top of
Mt Dandenong, Victoria , from a shared facility alongside radio stations
Triple M ,
Gold FM 104.3 ,
Mix 101.1 , and
Triple R . Its base power is 6KW, and this is provided by a Harris HT10 FM transmitter.
Fox FM gradually grew from a rock station into a top 40 / dance format over its history. Notable past announcers and programs have included ,
Barry Bissell , and ABCTV's Jodie J. Hill.
From 1995 to 1998, Fox FM broadcast the highly successful
Martin/Molloy drive program with
Tony Martin and
Mick Molloy . This program was networked to over 50 stations around Australia, and is considered one of Australia's most successful FM radio shows.
For six years the breakfast shift was held by
Tracy Bartram and
Matt Tilley , using the title Tracy and Matt in the Morning. After a gradual increase in ratings, the pair secured the number one position for the Melbourne breakfast shift in the
AC Nielson survey during 2001, beating traditional Melbourne number one station
3AW . Along with the rest of the station, Tracey and Matt's ratings fell with the introduction of rival station
Nova 100 into the market.
The current breakfast program is "The Matt and Jo Show", with
Matt Tilley ,
Jo Stanley ,
Adam Richard , and long time anchor
Troy Ellis .
Like most radio stations that are part of a national network, FOX FM participates in networking and automation of certain shows. Currently the following shows are networked:-
- Kyle & Jackie O's Hour of Power (6pm to 7pm) - From Sydney
- Lowie's Hot 30 (7pm to 10pm) - From Sydney
- The Hot Hits (Saturdays 4pm to 8pm)- From Sydney
- Take 40 with Andrew G (Sundays 8am to 12pm) - From Sydney
Currently FOX FM has panel operators looking after the networked shows, inserting local Melbourne commercials when necessary. However Austereo is looking to automate networking in all states, elminiating the need for a panel operator to be present during networking, and reducing the costs related to this.
FOX FM also uses local automation from Midnight to 6am, where the computerised playout system plays music, commercials and sweepers continuously without the need for a human to be present. What was once known as the 'graveyard shift' is now gone, removing for good one of the best new announcer training grounds.
- - ''The Matt and Jo Show with The Fabulous Adam Richard and Troy Ellis''
- - ''Rod Maldon (The Irod)''
- - ''Dave Higgins (Higgo)''
- - ''Hamish & Andy Show with Hamish Blake and Andy Lee (Monday - Friday)''
- '''Kyle and Jackie O Hour of Power (6-7pm)
- - ''Lowie's Hot 30 Countdown with Craig Lowe (Lowie) Lowie & Maz from MTV''
- - ''The Late Date Show with Bessie Bardot and Richard Marsland''
- - ''Hamish and Andy Show with Hamish Blake and Andy Lee''
- - ''Higgo, Becko, Rod Maldon (The Irod)''
- GENERAL MANAGER - Gary Pert
- SALES DIRECTOR - Simon Nedelko
- FINANCE MANAGER - John Bucknell
- PROGRAM DIRECTOR - Dave Cameron
- TECHNOLOGY MANAGER - Ross Taylor
- NEWS DIRECTOR - Christie Kerr
- PRODUCTION MANAGER - Matt Nikolic
- PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR - Scott McLaughlin
