World Radio Day: Celebrating Curtin FM100.1

On the 16^th of October 1976, 6NR (New Radio) went to air, broadcasting on 990Khx medium wave band, covering a 20km radius around the Bentley campus. The first of its kind in Western Australia, 6NR was established as an education and community station.

The studio was designed and built by WAIT (Western Australian Institute of Technology) Electrical Engineering graduate Andrew Martin and the first station manager was Duncan Graham.

In 1976 programmes included The Guild Show, Ethnic Hour, Bedtime Stories hosted by Library Studies students, Science shows hosted by the WAIT Department of Physics, Artsview hosted by the WAIT Arts Review Group, Alternative News and The Ha Ha He He Ho Ho Nyuk Nyuk Show (a Monty Pythonesque production).

In 1986 Barbara Keyser was appointed as station manager, believed to be the first female in that role in Western Australia.

On their 21^st anniversary year in 1997, 6NR moved into a new broadcast complex on the Bentley campus in B004. At that time, they had 15 paid staff and dozens of volunteers.

October 2002 saw 6NR switch across to FM and rebranded as Curtin 100.1 FM.

Today in its 47^th year, Curtin FM continues to thrive, co-ordinating an army of volunteers who contribute hundreds of hours every week doing everything from producing shows to administration to on air presenting. Curtin’s journalism students are selected to present the news casts. Their base of approximately 200,000 listeners reaches around the globe.

Archival research, story and exhibition display by Carolyn Eaton, Information Officer at Curtin Information Management and Archives.

Curtin University Archives preserves and tells the stories of Curtin’s people, buildings, and activities.