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A History of PBS

1976

OCTOBER 1976: Melbourne needs a different kind of radio station! 50 people turn up to the first meeting.
JOHN ROBERTS introduces FELIX HOFFMAN on Dec 21, 1979

1977

JULY 1977: First test transmission - continuous 78 hours in mono with meagre power of 10 watts.
Listen to how it began. JOHN MAIZELS reflects (rec.1979).

SEPT 1977: Support for PBS mustered with a presence at the Melbourne HiFi show (also in 1978 & 1979).

DEC 1977: Final test transmission in stereo, 10-40 watts.

1978

1978: Public (now known as 'Community') FM licences are to be issued by the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal. PBS nearly misses out.

In April 1978, the Minister for Post and telecommunications Tony Staley, announced that Public FM licences would be issued, three in Melbourne, and that submissions for these licences should be presented to the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal. This was the first concrete opportunity for the aspirant PBS to consolidate its position, and fulfill its obligation to the subscribers. At the time, two Public Broadcasting stations were already operating in Melbourne, but PBS would not be allowed to begin regular broadcasts without a licence being granted.

In spite of the limited time available, an impressive submission was prepared and presented to the Tribunal. However in the rush to finalise the submission, including an eleventh hour personal delivery of the document to Sydney offices of the ABT, an oversight almost led to the rejection of nearly two years effort. For whilst great attention was given to the relevant sections of the submission, the pro forma was omitted.

After first being informed that it had been rejected, and following several harrowing days of negotiation and speculation, PBS supporters were relieved when the submission was accepted, and that PBS representatives were to appear before the forthcoming Tribunal hearings to determine who should be granted the licences.

After several days of scrutinising submissions and cross-examining applicants, the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal concluded the hearings with PBS being offered an S-type (special purpose) licence. The Progressive Broadcasting Service Cooperative Ltd has held the licence to this day. The other two Public FM licences granted at the time went to 3MBS and 3RRR.

1979

PBS searches for, and investigates over 40 possible transmitter sites.
PAUL CUTHBERT outlines the difficulties (rec. 1979)

4:30PM DECEMBER 21, 1979: Prince of Wales Hotel studio.
PBS-FM BEGINS REGULAR BROADCASTS

Transmitting from the Royal Womens Hospital on 107.7 MHz

Until the transmitter was relocated to Mt. Dandenong in 1987, broadcast hours were limited to exclude business hours on weekdays.

1980

FEB 9, 1980: GALA OPENING NIGHT, Prince of Wales Hotel St. Kilda.
ROBERT HUGGINS persuades PETER RUSSELL-CLARKE to officially open the station.

AUG 30, 1980: BIG FM BROADCAST OF 1980, Dallas Brooke's Hall. The first live-to-air PBS outside broadcast.

A costly and highly ambitious mix of big band sounds, comedy and live music; Kerry Biddell, Mondo Rock, Rod Quantock, Loose Change, Fred Dagg and more.

1982

FEB 1982: PBS appoints its first Station Manager, Ian Stanistreet.

1984

AUG 1984: PBS, MBS & ZZZ form a joint company, Public FM Transmissions Pty. Ltd. with the aim of securing transmission facilities on Mt. Dandenong.

1985

1985: PBS moves up the road from the Prince of Wales Hotel to the Park Lake Building at 171 Fitzroy Street, St.Kilda.
IAN STANISTREET (Station Manager 1982-88) interviewed in 1989.

1987

SEPT 1987: Transmission begins from Mt. Dandenong on the new frequency of 106.7 MHz in addition to 107.7.

NOV 16 1987: PBS officially begins 24/7 transmission on the current frequency of 106.7 MHz.
BILL RUNTING interviewed in 1989.

1988

JAN 1988: Mazz Knott is appointed as Station Manager.

APR 1988: Inaugural LIVE MUSIC WEEK - 50 acts play live for Melbourne listeners.
CAMERON PAINE interviewed in 1989, with a collage of contributing artists.

PBS is commended for this initiative by the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal in March 1989 when the broadcast licence is renewed for a further three years. Artists featured (in order); The Reptiles, Seven, Christopher Coe, Joe Geia, Sea Stories, Venom P. Stinger, Kia Kaha, Luna-C, Thing, An Ordinary Field, Untitled Red, Rocket 88's, Swinging Sidewalks.

OCT 21 1988 - Australia's very first Community TV / Radio LIVE SIMULCAST.
CAMERON PAINE coordinated the simulcast.

The event features Crown of Thorns, T.I.S.M. & Ton Up Pirates performing live at the Old Greek Theatre in Richmond. The vision is narrowcast to the inner west of Melbourne on UHF Ch47 during the week-long second test transmission by TVU.

1989

FEB 1989: A contentious new revamped 24 hour programme schedule is introduced by the Program Committee, trialing the first multi-genre programmes.

AUG 1989: The magazine Waves becomes Static.

DEC 1989: PBS celebrates 10 years on air with a one hour radio documentary produced for the occasion by Garry Havrillay. The 10th Anniversary edition of Static includes a revealing article on the first 10 years of live music at PBS by Cameron Paine.

1999

1999: During Peter Chellew's time as Station Manager, PBS wins a National Community Media Award for the 1998 Wangaratta Jazz & Blues Festival program which was relayed via satellite to community stations around Australia.

By now, PBS had firmly established its credentials for bringing live music from festivals, community and concert events to its listeners; St. Kilda Festival, Queenscliff Music Festival, Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Brunswick Street Fringe, Melbourne Show Country Music Muster, Cup Day Chaos, Anzac Day Anarchy and many more.

DEC 21, 1999: PBS celebrates 20 years on air with a special 2 hour program hosted by Len Davis - a free-flowing reunion of several volunteers who contributed during the early years.
Listen to excerpts of this program.

Live guests include; Paul Cuthbert, John Maizels, Ken Fargher, Brian Wise, Robert Huggins, David Stubbs, Phil MacDougall, Ian Stanistreet, Bill Runting & Garry Havrillay

2001

NOV 27 2001: The first transmission from 47 Easey Street, Collingwood, after Station Manager Roger Jones oversees the daunting and largely volunteer effort to build new studio facilities.

2004

For the 25th Anniversary, Anne-Marie Middlemast contributes a significant article to Easey magazine, "25 Years and Still Kicking Out the Jams!"

2007

JAN 2007: Adrian Basso ex MBS is appointed as Station Manager.

2008

MID 2008: PBS earns tax-deductible (DGR) status, representing considerable maturity for the station.

2009

MAR 2009: PBS organises a reunion at Fitzroy Town Hall to mark its 30th year, and launches current brand and logo.

JULY 2009: PBS doubles its broadcast power with a new FM transmitter purchased with funds donated by PBS listeners.

AUG 2009: Commercial and National broadcasters begin digital radio broadcasts, but Community stations like PBS are unable to participate until funds are made available to the Australian Community Radio sector by the Federal Government.

2010

DEC 2010: PBS and other Melbourne community stations begin digital radio transmissions with test simulcasts of their analogue services.

2011

APRIL 14, 2011: PBS and eight other Melbourne community radio stations launch their digital radio services with a joint simulcast from Federation Square.