SWR Triple 9 FM

What is now SWR Triple 9 grew out of a group of people who had initially started in the 1980s as aspirant broadcaster WOW FM. Eventually forming as SWR FM, in 1992 the station started conducting regular test transmissions on 88.3 FM and later on 100.3 FM. These were fully operational and programmed broadcasts, but were usually limited to one or two weeks at a time.[1] In 1994 the then Australian Broadcasting Authority agreed that SWR FM could use its 90 days per year of temporary transmission time by broadcasting every weekend, rather than using up all the time in one or two blocks. This enabled the station to have a continuous presence within the community.

In 1999 the station was able to broadcast full-time under new Temporary Community Broadcasting Licences. However it spent much of 2001 and 2002 off the air due to problems encountered in sharing the frequency with another temporary broadcaster.[2] In 2003 a licence was issued to SWR FM and they commenced full-time broadcasting on Saturday 27 September 2003.[3]

SWR Triple 9 is now home to Busco for Brekky (6am-9am) and Drive with Maz (4pm-6pm). The shows both provide local news, weather and traffic and play adult contemporary hits. SWR Triple 9 now has consistent 70's to Now music formatting with Maquarie National News bulletins every hour from 6am-6pm every weekday, so listeners can tune into regular programming as they drive to work, while they're at work and on their way home.

A view from the inside of the SWR Triple 9 OB Van in action at a local community event

Using its own outside broadcast unit SWR Triple 9 regularly broadcasts from local shows and festivals including the Blacktown and Holroyd festivals, Rooty Hill Australia Day celebrations and other local events. The station has a long history of giving air time to local bands. The Musos Show on Saturdays from 2pm-4pm features local and musicians and bands. SWRtember was initially launched to promote local upcoming talent. In 2011 New Zealand rock band Dragon headlined SWRtember and played a 45-minute set live to air.[4] SWRtember has since been replaced with SWR Triple 9's Annual Live Radio Gig (see below), usually occurring in September every year.

The station's overall format is adult contemporary, branded "The 70's to Now" but also covers a wide range of music styles through local access shows.[5] SWR Triple 9 also broadcasts programs that are presented by special interest groups or in languages other than English.[6][7]

Vacant Shade Performing at the 2016 Live Radio Gig

SWR Triple 9 hosts a 'Live Radio Gig' Annually, usually in September, to promote local acts and bands. Every year, the radio station invites local bands to perform on stage outside the SWR Triple 9 studios at Blacktown Showground, not only in front of an audience, but LIVE on radio as well. Hence the name, Live Radio Gig. In 2016, the broadcaster also live-streamed[8] the whole event to Facebook to further reach an ever-expanding online audience.

The annual Live Radio Gig has been a great success over the years, and there is no sign of this well-coordinated community event halting in the near future.

Bands that perform at a Live Radio Gig also receive multitrack recordings and mastered recordings of their set. This is a great initiative, as it gives local bands and artists access to professional recordings who otherwise may not be able to afford such services.

Any local bands that may be interested in performing at a Live Radio Gig, should contact the radio station via their website.

SWR Triple 9's breakfast announcer, Busco, holding the new logo.

On 1 May 2017, SWR FM rebranded as SWR Triple 9.[9]

Since the early days of the stations test broadcasts in 1991, the name, sound and feel has only slightly changed along the way. But 1 May marked the start of a new adventure with the stations new look, sound and logo.

"SWR Triple 9 Sydney's West will still have your favourite tunes from the 70's to Now, we've just got a bit of a facelift!"

In 2017 the station launched its own dedicated sports department with the birth of SWR Sport[10]

The station acquired the rights to broadcast A-League and W-League football in a partnership with Crocmedia for the 2017/18 season, after a pause this agreement recommenced for the 2019/20 A-League & W-League seasons.

SWR also acquired the broadcast rights to home matches of the Sydney Kings and Illawarra Hawks in the NBL being the first radio station in Sydney to provide a regular broadcast of Kings home games. This has since expanded to coverage of the entire league nationwide on a weekly basis calling more NBL games per week than any other radio station.

The station broadcast its own self-produced commentary of the 2nd leg of the 2018 FIFA World Cup intra-confederation playoff between the Socceroos and Honduras on 15 November 2017, the only radio outlet outside of ABC Grandstand to do so.[11]

In 2018 the station began live AFL broadcasts Friday Night in a partnership with the National Indigenous Radio Service as well as additional games involving the GWS Giants and Sydney Swans called and produced by SWR under the NIRS banner. In addition the station broadcasts NSWRL competition games on a weekly basis throughout winter.

SWR were the only radio outlet to broadcast every game of the 2018 Sydney 7's competition at Allianz Stadium, they again did so for the 2019 Sydney 7's competition.

Other events broadcast on SWR in 2018 include the first ever English Super League game played in Australia between Wigan Warriors and Hull FC at WIN Stadium on 10 February 2018, the 2018 W-League Grand Final between Sydney FC and Melbourne City, weekly matches from the Canterbury Cup NSW, the 2018 Shute Shield Grand Final, the first Bledisloe Cup test of 2018 between Australia and New Zealand and the first ever match between the Wallaroos and Black Ferns at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.

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