One FM 98.5

One FM 98.5, identified by the registered callsign 3ONE, is a community radio station based in Shepparton, Victoria, Australia. The station was established in 1980 and obtained a licence for permanent full-time operation in 1989. It operates as a locally oriented broadcaster rather than as a national commercial network, producing predominantly live programming for listeners in Shepparton and nearby regional communities. The station's service area covers Shepparton and a surrounding regional footprint extending approximately 30 kilometres from Mount Major. Its signal and local relevance reach towns and communities including Euroa, Nagambie and Benalla, as well as smaller settlements in the broader Goulburn Valley region. This geographic role gives One FM a community-information function in addition to its entertainment role: its programming can reflect local events, regional interests and the concerns of audiences outside Australia's metropolitan media markets. One FM's schedule combines music and spoken-word programs, with much of the output created, presented or managed by volunteers. The station also broadcasts live-to-air coverage of Goulburn Valley Football League matches, along with results and related local sports information. These broadcasts reinforce the station's connection to regional institutions and community life, while its regular music and talk programming provides a broader general-interest service. The station has used several on-air identification approaches over its history. It originally operated under the One FM identity, but for a period of three years it was identified simply by its frequency. Following local surveys in Shepparton and surrounding areas, management concluded that listeners generally referred to the service as One FM rather than by its frequency alone. In late 2009, the station restored the One FM name to its broadcasts, logos, printed promotional material and other public-facing communications. The current identification, One FM 98.5, combines the recovered station brand with its FM frequency. One FM is part of Australia's community-broadcasting sector and is a member of the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia. Its operations are conducted within the framework of the Community Radio Codes of Practice issued by the Australian Communications and Media Authority in association with the CBAA. The station's identity is therefore grounded in local participation, volunteer involvement, regional content and service to its listening community rather than in a large corporate media portfolio.

One FM began operating in Shepparton in 1980 as a community radio initiative serving the local area. Its development took place within Australia's community-broadcasting environment, where stations commonly depend on volunteers and provide programming tailored to particular geographic communities rather than competing primarily through national commercial scale. In 1989, the station received authorization for permanent full-time operation. This marked an important institutional transition from an earlier community broadcasting presence to a continuing full-time service. Operating under the registered callsign 3ONE, the station built a schedule centered on locally produced radio, including music, spoken-word programs and information relevant to residents of Shepparton and the wider Goulburn Valley. The station's coverage extends around Shepparton from a transmission site at or near Mount Major, reaching a number of nearby regional towns and smaller communities. Its programming has included local sports, notably live-to-air broadcasts of Goulburn Valley Football League matches and the reporting of results. Such content has helped establish the station as part of the region's civic and sporting communications network, rather than solely as a source of recorded music. For a three-year period, the station used its 98.5 MHz frequency as its principal public identifier. Local research later indicated that people in Shepparton and surrounding areas more commonly referred to the service as One FM. In response, management restored the One FM name to the station's on-air identity, logos and printed promotional material in late 2009. The restored branding was subsequently presented together with the frequency as One FM 98.5. The station remains a community broadcaster predominantly operated and managed by volunteers. It is affiliated with the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia and follows the Community Radio Codes of Practice associated with the Australian Communications and Media Authority and the CBAA. Its continuing role is to provide locally made radio, regional sports coverage and community-oriented programming to Shepparton and neighboring parts of Victoria.

• 2009

  One FM identity restored

  [1]One FM (Shepparton)en.wikipedia.org

  Following local audience surveys, the station returned to the One FM identifier in its broadcasts, logos and promotional material after a three-year period using the frequency as its main identifier.

• 1989

  Permanent full-time licence

  [1]One FM (Shepparton)en.wikipedia.org

  The station was licensed for permanent full-time operation, formalizing its continuing role as a community broadcaster.

• 1980

  Station established

  [1]One FM (Shepparton)en.wikipedia.org

  A community radio station was established in Shepparton under the 3ONE callsign.

A locally focused, volunteer-supported community radio service for Shepparton and the surrounding Goulburn Valley region, emphasizing live local content, regional sports and community participation.

• Community radio station · 1980

  One FM 98.5 broadcast service

  The station's core offering is a locally produced FM radio service for Shepparton and surrounding Goulburn Valley communities. Its schedule is predominantly live and combines music, spoken-word programming, community information and regional-interest content. The service operates under the 3ONE callsign and is publicly identified as One FM 98.5.

• Sports broadcasting

  Goulburn Valley Football League coverage

  One FM broadcasts Goulburn Valley Football League matches live to air and provides associated results and information. This regional sports service is a distinctive part of the station's community role and connects its programming with local clubs, competitions and audiences across the Goulburn Valley.

• Radio programming · 1980

  Music and spoken-word programming

  Regular music and spoken-word programs form the general programming base of One FM. These shows are supported by volunteers and are designed for a regional audience, complementing the station's live local coverage and community-focused information.

• 2009

  Reinstatement of the One FM brandStrategy

  Background

  For three years, the station had been identified principally by its FM frequency. Local surveys indicated that listeners in Shepparton and nearby areas generally used the name One FM when referring to the service.

  Action taken

  Management restored One FM to the station's on-air identification, logos and printed promotional material, while retaining the 98.5 frequency in the combined One FM 98.5 presentation.

  Aftermath

  The station resumed use of its registered callsign and re-established One FM as its principal public-facing brand.

  Source

1. 1One FM (Shepparton)en.wikipedia.org
2. 2One FM 98.5 official websitefm985.com.au