This month 3MP turns 30! It seems like only yesterday that Melbourne had that summer feeling with the first new commercial radio station in close to 40 years. Launched on July 21 1976, 3MP settled into an original format at little less edgey than that of power house 3XY.


In 1985 3MP picked up the Beautiful Music format discarded by 3AK. It was this that lead 3MP to some of its strongest audience share ever. The station evolved with the format and as the music was adjusted to meet the audience response the station went from strength to strength.


After buying out the failing 3EE in 1993 3MP began to broadcast on two frequencies, 1377 and 693. Management knew this could not last forever and after various complaints from rival stations 3MP launched Magic 693.


In the mid 1990’s 3AW bought both 3MP and Magic 693. 3AW already had a sinking ship on its hands at the time, 3AK! (which it had  bought and relaunched as you guessed it, a beautiful music station)  3AW knew it could only keep one station and at the time 3MP was viewed in many peoples eyes as the one that could  be sustained. Wrong 3AW had their eyes on one station and that was the fledgling Magic 693 which had already began its ratings climb on 3MP..


The rest they say is history 3MP was sold but first its once quality newsroom was closed, more or less 3MP had some some vital organs ripped out. After being discharged into the hands of  Goulburn Valley Broadcasters the station carried on in an easy listening format with varying levels of ratings and an ever shrinking workforce.


The station derived its name from the Mornington Peninsula ’MP’ and up until 2002 the station was based in Frankston where it was very much part of the fabric of the Peninsula  community for much of its first 25 years or so. After Data and Commerce purchased the station in 2001, the following year it moved in with sister station 3AK in inner city Richmond.


Happy Birthday 3MP!