Territory FM celebrates 35 years on air
Popular radio station Territory FM will reflect on its past, assess the present and imagine the future in the lead-up to a milestone anniversary this weekend.
Acting station manager Matt Bern said the community broadcaster this week would remember many of the Territory’s biggest personalities and some of the biggest stories from the past 35 years.
“There is a buzz of excitement in the studio as we count down to our 35th birthday this Sunday,” Matt said.
“We are 35 years young and looking forward to sharing some special moments with our audiences in Darwin, Palmerston, the rural area and on the internet.
“And we’ll mark the occasion by releasing a book that documents the journey from our humble beginnings to the present day.”
Matt said the Territory’s first Chief Minister Paul Everingham launched the station with a flick of a switch at 5pm on 5 June 1981.
“Darwin’s first hi-fi stereo-FM radio burst on to the airwaves in a moment televised live by both the ABC and Channel 8 (the forerunner of Channel 9).
“Moments later we played our first song, the Horst Jankowski instrumental ‘A Walk in the Black Forest’.
“It was a crazy, ramshackle ‘all-sorts’ station in the early days. It was the era of reel-to-reel magnetic analogue tapes and vinyl records. We used egg cartons on the wall to sound-proof the studio.”
Matt said 1041 Territory FM had since proudly provided Territorians with an alternative listening service to complement those provided by mainstream media.
“Four or five prime ministers have breezed through the studio doors and hundreds of musicians including the likes of Paul Kelly, Peter Garret, Daryl Braithwaite and Jessica Mauboy.
“We’ve always strived to reflect the essence of our community, which is why we are one of Darwin’s most listened-to radio stations.”
Matt said 1041 Territory FM was indebted to the hundreds of volunteers who had helped out over the years.
“In many respects our volunteers, along with our non-volunteers, have provided the backbone of what has evolved into a high-quality formatted station with a professional sound.”
Matt said that this Sunday the station would revert to 8 Top-FM, the call-sign they were known by in 1981.
1041 Territory FM operates under licence held by Charles Darwin University.