It all started in 1968 with a letter published in The Age calling for people concerned about the lack of ‘serious music’ on radio to join the cause. It was from Brian Cabena, a classical music lover and radio enthusiast, who had a vision for a subscription-funded classical music radio broadcaster for Melbourne.
On 1st July 1975 at 6.30pm with a burst of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, 3MBS arrived on Melbourne’s airwaves as Australia’s pioneer Community Broadcaster.
And the 3MBS debut achieved a community radio first – listeners could now enjoy music in stereo courtesy of the newly established FM-band.
It was the beginning of four tumultuous and exciting decades of broadcasting fine music to Melbourne’s music lovers. The station survived a number of philosophical and financial challenges, and now operates out of premises at the Abbotsford Convent.
3MB’s activities have grown: it now records and broadcasts performances, and puts on special events such as its annual composer Marathon and a Young Performers Award.
3MBS will broadcast a special Illuminations program on Thursday 2nd July at 8pm (repeated on Sunday 5/7 at 5pm) in which host Loretto Perkins will take a trip down memory lane, recounting the past four decades – the people who fought for and brought the dream to life, the technological developments, the people and events that have shaped the broadcaster’s evolution.