ABC Local Radio

Originally, Local Radio was known internally as ABC Radio 1 in metropolitan regions and ABC Radio 3 in regional areas. Radio 1 was a largely local format while Radio 3 was more networked and included content from the national programme, Radio 2.^{[citation needed]}

In the 1980s, Radio National emerged from Radio 2, and Radio 3 dropped its Radio 2 content, with Radio 1 becoming ABC Metropolitan Radio and Radio 3 becoming ABC Regional Radio. The Regional Radio stations provided local programming in Breakfast and Drive, but networked common content for most of their broadcasting hours. Some different, local market formats emerged, including the Darwin Metro 8DDD on FM105.7^[1] and Gold Coast Regional, ABC Coast FM (4SCR), 91.7. Up until the mid-1990s, the majority of the local radio stations identified on-air by frequency and callsign. In the 1990s, a different convention was used, generally as ABC Radio (region) or (region) FM.^{[citation needed]}

In 2000, these two almost identical networks merged as ABC Local Radio. From this point all ABC Local Radio stations ceased to identify themselves according to their callsigns or other existing names, and instead use the format (frequency) ABC (region), or ABC (region) where there are multiple frequencies broadcasting the same service. However, as the callsigns were used continuously for up to seventy years and are much shorter than the new names, many long-term listeners still use these callsigns to refer to ABC Local Radio stations.^{[citation needed]}

In January 2017, ABC Local Radio rebranded with a new logo, dropping the frequency number of each local radio station as part of the network's multiplatform philosophy.^[2] Also that year, 19 regional stations began to stream on the ABC Listen app.^[3]

In April 2019, ABC Local Radio began a rollout of branding updates for its 44 regional bureaux, 10 regional stations dropping call signs from their names and two undergoing a significant name change to better identify their local region.^[4]

In March 2026, ABC Local Radio reinstated callsign‑based branding across its on‑air presentation and visual identity for metropolitan stations.

The ABC operates 45 regional stations and 8 metropolitan stations.

The metropolitan stations are:

• 702 ABC Sydney (2BL)
• 774 ABC Melbourne (3LO)
• 612 ABC Brisbane (4QR)
• 891 ABC Adelaide (5AN)
• 102.5 ABC Perth (6WF)
• 936 ABC Hobart (7ZR)
• 666 ABC Canberra (2CN)
• 105.7 ABC Darwin (8DDD)

The regional stations are:

The metropolitan and regional stations originate most of their own programming and produce local news updates. There are local news websites for each station.^[5]

When not airing local programming, the regional stations will usually simulcast their closest metropolitan station. The only exception is ABC Broken Hill, which will simulcast ABC Radio Adelaide because the town is on Central Time. Some programmes are aired first on Radio National, then on the Local Radio network. For example, Speaking Out, hosted by Larissa Behrendt, broadcasts (as of September 2020^[update]) on Radio National on Fridays at 8:00 pm and on Local Radio on Sundays at 9:00 pm.^[6]

In October 2015 a slight restructure of programming and news updates caused controversy. From 2016, Morning programs would be folded into longer Breakfast programs, followed by a new one-hour program, Local Life. There would also be a loss of four local radio news bulletins; instead, headlines would replace two afternoon full news bulletins.^[7]

• Timeline of Australian radio
• ABC Radio (Australian network)
• History of ABC Radio (Australia)