Sports radio station in Melbourne, Victoria
1116 SEN
(call sign
3AK
) is an Australian radio station in
Victoria, Australia
. Owned and operated by
Sports Entertainment Group
, it broadcasts a
sports radio
format. It commenced broadcasting on 29 November 1931 as 3AK, the station currently broadcasts from studios in
South Melbourne
.
History
[
edit
]
For the history of the station prior to 2003, see
3AK
.
The station first broadcast on 29 November 1931 as 3AK.
[1]
In October 2003, amid growing debt and struggling ratings, 3AK operators
Data & Commerce Limited
placed the station up for sale.
[2]
In November, owners Data & Commerce Limited entered into a lease with the newly formed Sports Entertainment Network to create SEN 1116, a 24-hour
sports radio
station. Headed by managing director Danny Staffieri, formerly of
FIVEaa
, the new station was promoted as 'entertaining radio with a sports focus', and would rival
horse racing
station
Sport 927
.
[3]
[4]
On 19 January 2004, SEN 1116 launched onto Melbourne's airwaves, with former AFL footballers
Garry Lyon
,
Tim Watson
and
Billy Brownless
heading the station's "Morning Glory" breakfast show,
Richmond Football Club
premiership player
Kevin Bartlett
in mornings,
Radio National
's
Francis Leach
in afternoons, and
Dermott Brereton
and
Anthony Hudson
in drive.
[5]
In the year's first radio ratings survey, the station jumped from reaching 1.2% of the Melbourne radio market as 3AK, to 2.1% as SEN,
[6]
growing to 2.8% in the year's fourth survey despite the lack of coverage of any major sports.
[7]
However, in July, the station secured broadcast rights to the
2004 Summer Olympics
, alongside
2GB
,
2CC
,
FIVEaa
,
6IX
,
HO-FM
and
Hot 100
, among others.
[8]
SEN also carried coverage of the
2004 NRL Grand Final
from 2GB, and the
2004?05 FA Premier League
from
BBC Radio 5 Live
.
In December 2004, the SEN brand was revealed to be expanded into
Adelaide
, with Sports Entertainment Network leasing
news talk
5DN
from
Australian Radio Network
to create
SEN 1323
.
[9]
[10]
Launching on 1 February 2005, the station became a simulcast of its Melbourne sister station, with only one Adelaide-based programme ? "The Boys Next Door", hosted by former FIVEaa presenter
Mark Aiston
,
The Sunday Footy Show
panelist
Mark Bickley
and
Port Adelaide Football Club
ruckman
Matthew Primus
. However, while the station remained flat in Melbourne, ratings dwindled in Adelaide; despite gaining coverage of the
New Zealand cricket tour of Australia
and the
2005 VFL season
, Sports Entertainment Network entered
voluntary administration
, citing $3.5 million in losses.
[11]
The SEN 1323 lease was cancelled, resulting in ARN launching
easy listening
-format
Cruise 1323
. The Melbourne station was sold back to
Pacific Star Network
, the renamed Data & Commerce Limited.
2010s
[
edit
]
In July 2015, the newsroom shared between SEN and sister station
3MP
was closed, replaced with the Victorian news service from
Macquarie National News
, based at
3AW
.
[12]
[13]
In November 2015, it was announced that
Francis Leach
would depart
ABC Grandstand Digital
following the axing of the
Grandstand Breakfast
programme, and rejoin SEN, hosting
SEN Breakfast
alongside
David Schwarz
to replace
The Morning Glory
.
[14]
Co-host
Andrew Maher
moved to afternoons, launching
SEN Lunch Break
, moving
Daniel Harford
into drive with Mark Allen.
Andrew Gaze
and
Tim Watson
, while losing regular timeslots, would remain with the station as a contributor.
[14]
In January 2018, the station's schedule was again refreshed. Former ABC commentator
Gerard Whateley
joined the station as chief sports caller and mornings presenter, with
Kevin Bartlett
moving to the drive show following the departure of Harford.
[15]
[16]
In April 2018, parent company Pacific Star Network merged with sports media business
Crocmedia
,
[17]
most notable for producing the
AFL Nation
broadcast call heard across regional Australia.
In July 2019, SEN has partnered with Crocmedia has purchased 23 narrowband radio licences across Australia including
Sydney
,
Brisbane
,
Perth
,
Gold Coast
,
Darwin
and
Alice Springs
.
Notable announcers
[
edit
]
Current announcers
[
edit
]
Former announcers
[
edit
]
Sports coverage
[
edit
]
SEN has exclusive and non-exclusive rights to various sports in Australia:
Australian rules football
Basketball
Cricket
Football
Golf
Horse racing
Rugby League
Rugby Union
Tennis
Related stations
[
edit
]
SEN SA
[
edit
]
On 13 October 2018, SEN parent company Pacific Star Network confirmed it had purchased an AM narrowband licence in
Adelaide
,
South Australia
, returning the SEN brand to South Australia.
[18]
[19]
The station launched on 1629 AM on 6 December 2018, with local presenters
Kane Cornes
, Andrew Hayes,
Kym Dillon
and
Michelangelo Rucci
. Other programs, including
Gerard Whateley
's morning show and live sports coverage, will be syndicated live from the Melbourne station.
[18]
[20]
On 9 September 2019,
SEN SA Breakfast
commenced simulcasting on
RadioTAB
's 1539AM Adelaide frequency.
[21]
On 2 December, a second South Australian frequency was launched ? also on 1629 AM ? covering
Mount Gambier
.
[22]
SEN Track
[
edit
]
SEN Track is a radio network broadcasting coverage of
horse
,
thoroughbred
and
greyhound racing
, which launched on 28 March 2020.
1170 SEN
[
edit
]
For the history of the station prior to 2020, see
2CH
.
1170 SEN (official callsign
2CH
) is a sports radio station in Sydney, New South Wales.
SEN Top End
[
edit
]
On 17 October 2021 SEN Top End launched on 1611 AM Narrowcast broadcasting coverage of the Northern Territory Football League,
horse
,
thoroughbred
and
greyhound racing
.
SEN Hobart
[
edit
]
On 7 July 2021 SEN Hobart launched on 1629 AM Narrowcast providing coverage of several local and national sports such as Cricket, AFL,
horse
,
thoroughbred
and
greyhound racing
. There are live programs from Hobart on Friday, Saturday and Monday mornings.
SEN Gold Coast
[
edit
]
On the 3rd March 2021 SEN Gold Coast launched on 1620 AM Narrowcast providing coverage of several local and national sports such as Cricket, AFL,
horse
,
thoroughbred
and
greyhound racing
.
Former stations
[
edit
]
SEN 1323
[
edit
]
SEN 1323 was launched on 1 February 2005 in Adelaide, replacing
5DN
. It largely simulcast 1116 SEN, with a single opt-out program for the Adelaide market. The station closed following parent company Data & Commerce Limited entering voluntary administration in June 2005.
SEN+
[
edit
]
SEN+ commenced broadcasting on 13 August 2018, replacing
Classic Rock Radio
.
[23]
[24]
The station broadcast live coverage of the
NFL
,
NBA
,
A-League
and
Super Rugby
as well as live and timeshifted programming from the main SEN station.
On 28 March 2020, it was replaced by
SEN Track
and has since been purchased by
ACE Radio Broadcasters
to relaunch as
3MP
.
Notable programs
[
edit
]
Former
[
edit
]
- No Man Should Ever Walk Alone
, a Monday night hour-long show hosted by
Danny Frawley
on men's health, including mental health (a cause he championed after opening up about his own struggles), addiction and lifestyle. Frawley hosted the show until his death in 2019.
Podcasts
[
edit
]
The station also has produced some podcasts, including:
- Tiger Tragics
, a
Richmond
-centric podcast hosted by SEN fill-in and weekend host and
MCG
public address announcer Tony Schibeci and SEN producer's Mitchell Scott and Karl Bianco.
- The Carlton Show
, a
Carlton
-centric podcast co-hosted by Maher.
- The Geelong Show
, a
Geelong
-centric podcast co-hosted by Ben Casanelia of
Inside Football
, SEN's AFL magazine.
- SEN America
, covering American sports leagues such as the NBA.
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Walker, R.R. (1973).
The Magic Spark. 50 Years of Radio in Australia
. Hawthorn Press.
- ^
McIlwraith, Ian (7 October 2003).
"3AK looks for new owner"
.
The Age
. Retrieved
9 July
2015
.
- ^
Catalano, Christian (28 November 2003).
"3AK to fade"
.
The Age
. Retrieved
9 July
2015
.
- ^
"3AK's sporting chance"
.
The Age
. 4 December 2003
. Retrieved
9 July
2015
.
- ^
"SEN lineup and launch date"
.
Radioinfo.com.au
. 18 January 2004
. Retrieved
9 July
2015
.
- ^
"First survey for 2004 released - full of surprises"
.
Radioinfo.com.au
. 25 February 2004
. Retrieved
9 July
2015
.
- ^
"Latest Capital City ratings - 2GB tops Sydney, Triple M rising nationally"
.
Radioinfo.com.au
. 23 June 2004
. Retrieved
9 July
2015
.
- ^
"2GB's 60 Station Olympic Coverage"
.
Radioinfo.com.au
. 6 July 2004
. Retrieved
9 July
2015
.
- ^
"SEN1323: Adelaide!"
.
Radioinfo.com.au
. 22 December 2004
. Retrieved
9 July
2015
.
- ^
Brady, Nicole (30 December 2004).
"Radio waves"
.
The Age
. Retrieved
9 July
2015
.
- ^
"SEN in voluntary administration"
.
Radioinfo.com.au
. 1 June 2005
. Retrieved
13 November
2018
.
- ^
Gunn, Nikole (8 July 2015).
"Another one bites the dust"
.
Radio Today
. Retrieved
9 July
2015
.
- ^
Rawsthorne, Sally (8 July 2015).
"
"Melbourne's Home of Sport" shutters its newsroom"
.
Mediaweek
. Retrieved
9 July
2015
.
- ^
a
b
"Francis Leach returns to SEN as part of new 2016 line-up"
.
1116 SEN
. 18 November 2015. Archived from
the original
on 25 November 2015
. Retrieved
25 November
2015
.
- ^
"Whateley to head SEN sports coverage"
.
1116 SEN
. 1 January 2018
. Retrieved
27 November
2018
.
- ^
McKern, James (1 January 2018).
"Gerard Whateley has quit the ABC and will headline SEN's morning show"
.
News.com.au
. Retrieved
27 November
2018
.
- ^
"Pacific Star Network completes media merger with Crocmedia"
.
proactiveinvestors Australia
. 3 April 2018
. Retrieved
15 November
2018
.
- ^
a
b
"Sports radio SEN returns to Adelaide, local hero hosting breakfast"
.
Mediaweek
. 23 October 2018
. Retrieved
27 November
2018
.
- ^
Wilson, Zanda.
"SEN returns to South Australia with new sport station 1629 SEN"
.
Radio Today
. Retrieved
27 November
2018
.
- ^
Iannella, Antimo (1 November 2018).
"SEN SA's drivetime duo Kym Dillon and Michelangelo Rucci launch new show Kymbo & The Rooch"
.
Adelaide Advertiser
. Retrieved
27 November
2018
.
- ^
"SEN SA breakfast spreads its wings"
.
SEN
. 6 September 2019
. Retrieved
7 September
2019
.
- ^
"SEN launches new station in Mt Gambier"
.
Mumbrella
. 2 December 2019
. Retrieved
2 December
2019
.
- ^
Wilson, Zanda (7 August 2018).
"PSN rebrands 1377 AM to SEN+"
.
Radio Today
. Retrieved
15 November
2018
.
- ^
Samios, Zoe (8 August 2018).
"Pacific Star Network rebrands Classic Rock Radio as SEN+"
.
Mumbrella
. Retrieved
15 November
2018
.
External links
[
edit
]