93.9 Bay FM (call sign: 3BAY) is a commercial FM radio station based in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. It commenced broadcasting from an old industrial estate in Corio, Geelong in 1989.
The Official starting date provided by broadcasting authorities was 10 December 1989, however former listeners have suggested that Bay FM broadcasting began on the afternoon of Friday 8 December 1989.
Bay FM was originally licensed as part of the Australian Commonwealth government's bid to increase the diversity of radio services in regional centres.
Just before the official launch of the station, the parent company of Bay FM purchased the flagging 3XY Melbourne radio station (then broadcasting a mix of soft rock) from the then owners of 2SM. Under "new" management, 3XY, for a very short period of time, once Bay FM commenced transmission, continued broadcasting Soft Rock from Melbourne daily until 6 pm, then would simulcast Bay FM until 6 am the following morning, once the new Corio Bay FM and 3XY studios were complete, 3XY began simulcasting with Bay FM 24/7. (Apart from 3XY's AFL Coverage, which was a separate 3XY exclusive broadcast).
Only a few of the Melbourne 3XY announcers at the time joined the new Bay FM / 3XY joint on air simulcast / presentation, which involved either relocating or traveling daily to Geelong / Corio.
The on air slogan of the simulcast was "93.9 Bay FM, 1422 3XY........Great Rock 'n' Roll"
The then Australian Broadcasting Authority subsequently (after a period of approx 12 months) demanded that they cease simulcasting and recommence separate programs on each stations. 3XY continued with Hot Hits, and Bay FM relaunched with an easy listening music format (Both continuing to operate in the same Bay FM / 3XY studios in Corio). Shortly after the death of 3XY in 1991, Bay FM moved into the city of Geelong, In the mid 90s, Bay FM was purchased by the Cameron company (Grant Broadcasters, owner of K-Rock Geelong) and was relocated to the K-Rock building in the center of Geelong.
Programming on Bay FM Geelong including music, in addition to new simulcast of Seven News at 6pm from the Seven Network.
Read more about 93.9 Bay FM: Bay FM Newsroom, Previous Full Time Bay FM Announcers
Famous quotes containing the word bay:
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—Norman Mailer (b. 1923)