On August 15, 1994 ABC NewsRadio was launched. Originally called the PNN (Parliamentary and News Network) it was established to expand on the Parliamentary Broadcast Network (PBN) providing a continuous news service around sittings.
The PBN started on AM in all capital cities except Darwin, but including Newcastle. Darwin was added in 1997 and by the end of that year it had around 400,000 listeners nationwide.
ABC NewsRadio still broadcasts every session live from the House of Representatives and the Senate. After September 11, 2001 it began 24 hour news with live audio streaming online. From 2002, sitting time would be broadcast live on the radio network with rolling news programming online.
The service was extended to digital radio in 2009 with the state capital’s getting separate standard and parliamentary feeds. Sometimes on weekends AFL matches get broadcast too.
Now, NewsRadio has 84 AM/FM transmitters, reaching 97% of Australians. It is available as a continuous news service online via the ABC Listen website and ABC Listen app as well as DAB+. The TV audio channel further includes another 420 transmitters around the country.
You can hear Kate Dundas, the ABC’s Head of National Networks from 2004 to 2007, and Director of Radio between 2009 and 2014 talking about the station’s early days via this link:
Cake picture: Managing Editor, ABC Audio News and Current Affairs, Tanya Nolan, from LinkedIn