3RRR[2] (pronounced "Three Triple R", or simply "Triple R") is an Australian community radio station, based in Melbourne.
3RRR first commenced broadcasting in 1976 from the studios of 3ST, the student radio station of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (now RMIT University), on an educational licence with the name 3RMT. In 1979 it relocated to Fitzroy, and adopted its present name. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, it became synonymous with the post punk and new wave subcultures.[3] In late 2004, supporters raised enough money for the station to purchase and move into new premises on the corner of Blyth and Nicholson Streets in Brunswick East after the 20-year lease on their previous studios, in Victoria Street, Fitzroy, expired.
3RRR's mission statement was defined in 1990 as "To educate, inform and entertain by drawing upon appropriate community resources. To develop a critical approach to contemporary culture."
Triple R's programming is split roughly 70% specialist music and 30% talk-based shows. Hosts have creative control over content and the station does not have playlists. As such, the nature of 3RRR broadcasts varies wildly depending on the time of the week. As 3RRR states, "With the exception of [the] Breakfasters, all of Triple R’s programs are presented by volunteers" who present their shows for no remuneration.[4] A select few volunteer presenters are also in paid work at the station in operational roles.
3RRR's operations are funded entirely by community sponsorships and public subscribers (currently around 15,000), which, by removing standard commercial pressures, allows for this diverse programming. The estimated current listenership is 440,000 per week.[5] Due to the reaction from subscribers, in the late 1990s 3RRR cancelled sponsorship deals signed with the Ford and music venue The Mercury Lounge (due to its location in Melbourne's Crown Casino). No such "corporate" sponsorship of this type has been considered since.
In 2009, 3RRR opened its performance space for live music, live comedy and literary events among others.[4] In 2016, 3RRR was inducted into the Music Victoria Hall of Fame.[6]
The station celebrated its 40th birthday in 2016 with a three month long collaborative exhibition ON AIR: 40 years of 3RRR at the State Library Victoria.[7]
James Young (The Breakfasters/former Program Director)
Jason Moore (Local And/Or General) Local and/or General was created and hosted by Natalie Mitchell and Richard Moffat in 1997 and focuses on new Australian music. Many Australian bands had their first airplay on this program due to a policy of playing quality demo tapes and CDs before an act was signed. The name Local and/or General was borrowed from the name of a song and album by early 1980s band Models.In 1998 Richard Moffat left the show, and Natalie Mitchell hosted solo until 1999 when regular fill host Ryan Egan joined the show as co-host. Mitchell left the show in 2001 and Egan continued hosting solo until 2007 and handed over the reins to Jacinta Parsons, who hosted for a few years before moving on Dynamite and Detour shows. The show was then hosted by Nicole Jones and Luke Pocock for the next two years, with Pocock leaving in early 2011 to host his own show 'Set it Out' on Tuesday drivetime and Jones hosting solo until April 2013.
Jess McGuire (Breakfasters, Wired For Sound, I'd Rather Jack)
^Merryn, Gates (August 2011). "Making it up as we went"(PDF). Punk Journey: The History of the Melbourne Punk Scene. Melynda von Wayward. pp. 48–51. Retrieved 11 April 2023. Merryn [Gates] was copresenter with Julie Purvis of Bedlam, a weekly program on 3RRR (1980–86)
^Gates, Merryn (August 2011). "Making it up as we went". Art Monthly Australia (242). Art Monthly Australia Ltd: 48–51. ISSN1033-4025. Retrieved 11 April 2023. Merryn [Gates] was copresenter with Julie Purvis of Bedlam, a weekly program on 3RRR (1980–86)
