ABC Radio Perth, plus ABC NewsRadio and Radio National in the west Australian capital city will all move from AM transmission to FM in early 2026. The switch follows the outcome of The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) proposal to vary the Perth and Remote Western Australia radio licence area plans.
The ABC has been worried about the Perth AM signal coverage since the 1970s, particularly to the south of Perth. AM720 should be a good frequency because lower AM frequencies generally carry better, but in the case of Perth, ground conductivity is poor.
AM transmissions require moist soil to get the best performance out of an AM transmitter’s ‘earth mat’ which is why most AM transmitters are located in swampy areas. FM does not work the same way, so ground conductivity problems are not an issue on FM. The other AM stations in Perth face the same issues and the ratings show that all the AMs in that city regularly sit towards the bottom of the pack.
Technical studies and approval talks with all the other broadcasters in the licence area have been going on for several years to reach this point.
The ACMA’s Proposal to vary the Perth and Remote Western Australia radio licence area plans consultation paper identified a number of FM stations that may have to move frequencies to accommodate the proposed new frequency for the ABC stations.
The final frequency for the move has not yet been announced by the ABC, but the discussion paper identifies FM 102.5 as the most likely frequency for ABC Radio Perth, the former 720 6WF.
ABC Managing Director Hugh Marks said:
“We are excited by this rare opportunity to improve the quality of the ABC’s services to our audiences in Perth. We have long been aware of the challenges of AM reception in Perth. With FM, audiences can enjoy richer sound and more reliable broadcasts, ensuring they stay connected to the programs they love.”
ABC Director Audio Ben Latimer said:
“We are excited by this rare opportunity to fix a long-standing audio quality issue that is unique to the Perth terrain and landscape.
Perth AM listeners in general, experience some of the worst quality AM audio in the country due to a combination of factors including the city’s sandy soil and signal interference from the electric commuter train network.
These new FM licenses will deliver better quality audio and are significantly less expensive; providing better value to taxpayers as demand for AM declines in capital cities.
This change reinforces the ABC’s ongoing commitment to our radio services and our ongoing desire to provide the best quality broadcasts for audiences across the country.”
Latimer added ABC AM services would continue in regional and remote WA areas where services were not prone to interference and the AM signal covered greater distances and that the FM move in Perth will not have an impact on the ABC’s commitment to emergency broadcasting or Parliament broadcasting.
The ABC has completed construction work on the FM transmission towers and is now liaising with other broadcasters about changes needed to their FM services, as required by the ACMA. The transition to FM services begins in early 2026, with AM services ceasing shortly after FM broadcasts are fully operational. The ABC has also recently increased the coverage and quality of existing FM stations triple j and ABC Classic by upgrading the FM signal on those frequencies. This upgrade has meant many residents of greater Perth and parts of regional WA can access these stations for the first time while improving the audio quality for existing audiences.