Our history
Our history
Three D Radio has been broadcasting since 1979 as an S-Class community radio station on 93.7FM across the greater metropolitan area of Adelaide and its surrounding country areas.
The 5MMM office sign, East End, Rundle Street — before the station went to air.
In 1978, ABC FM was the only FM broadcaster in Adelaide and decided to restrict itself almost exclusively to the classical end of the music spectrum, progressively axing most of its more innovative, modern and experimental programs — including shows like Rocturnal.
Enough was enough. A community meeting was held on Sunday 2 July at the Box Factory Community Centre, attended by over 250 people. The group that followed decided to form an organisation to apply for a licence to broadcast “progressive” — that is, non-commercial, contemporary — music.
That organisation became the Progressive Music Broadcasting Association (PMBA). In August 1979, Premier Don Dunstan promised a $62,000 “seeding” grant to buy equipment, and an additional $10,000 Film Commission grant virtually guaranteed the success of the licence application.
The PMBA was offered a broadcasting licence on 5 October 1979, and the callsign 5MMM was selected on 16 November, with the first test transmissions starting on 17 December.
Celebrating 5MMM’s 5th birthday.
The Launch
At midnight on 21 December 1979, history was made. The first tracks played were Tomorrow Never Knows by 801 Live and Turn Up Your Radio by the Masters Apprentices. Mandy Salomon’s opening words captured the electric energy of 500 supporters cheering outside the studio, followed by Premier Dunstan’s unforgettable launch line: “Adelaide Radio Lived Again!”
5MMM championing local Adelaide music from the very beginning.
Becoming Three D Radio
On 1 October 1993, the station changed its name from Triple M (5MMM) to Three D Radio, after the Triple M callsign was purchased by Village Roadshow for their national commercial network.
Three D Radio is run entirely by the Progressive Music Broadcasting Association Inc., a not-for-profit, 100% volunteer-run organisation with no paid staff. It remains committed to playing contemporary, progressive and alternative music, and to supporting Adelaide’s local music and arts community — a mission that hasn’t changed since that first community meeting at the Box Factory in 1978.