Melbourne’s 89.9 The Light Celebrating 20 Years!
89.9 TheLight/Melbourne, AUS celebrates 20 years on the air today. On December 2nd 2002, 89.9 TheLight began broadcasting fulltime on FM. Today the station, (call signs 3TSC) reaches more than a million listeners per month on all platforms including DAB+ digital radio and streams online via website and mobile app.
The idea for a Christian station in Melbourne actually was birthed in a dream over 40 years ago. A small group of Melbournians had a dream for a positive and uplifting Christian radio station that reached out into EVERY home in Melbourne, to every single person, no matter who they were. In 2001, after more than 20 years of praying, planning, and lots of hard work, the group was granted a community broadcasting license by the government. They conducted a three-month temporary broadcast in late 2001 and was informed in December of that year that they were successful for one of the four community license’s available from the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
89.9 TheLight is run by Positive Media Inc, which was formerly called Triple Seven Communications and 89.9 LightFM and Light Melbourne Inc.
Watch the video of the timeline of 89.9 The Light below.
Jarrod Graetz joined PositiveMedia in 2009 as Station Manager before being promoted to CEO in 2012 until 2021 – “Leading PositiveMedia, home of 89.9 The Light, for half of its 20 years was an absolute privilege and a dream job. A highlight of my time there was seeing the station become the most listened to Christian radio station in the southern hemisphere, serving 1.4m listeners monthly. This, combined with transforming the radio organization into a professional outfit, allowed significant influence into the city of Melbourne. Numbers are one thing, but influence is more important.. and I’m proud to have led the organization to see transformation of countless lives with the love of Jesus… And that’s what it is all about! Happy 20 years PositiveMedia! Here’s to the next 20!”
Lucy Holmes co-hosts the award winning morning show on 89.9 LightFM “Lucy and Kel” (now her husband) – “It’s been the most incredible privilege of my life to be the breakfast host on this station for almost 14 of those 20 years.
Not only is TheLight the largest community station in the country with almost a million listeners, it is the most incredible force for good here in Melbourne. The reason I’ve dedicated my life to positive radio, is because of all the lives changed, transformed and made better by this station – it’s absolutely incredible.
From all our partnerships with amazing charities like The Salvos and providing Christmas Hampers every year to the needy, to things like CBM Miracles Day when our listeners give sight to the blind in the developing world (so far our listeners have given sight to 76,000 people around the world over the last ten years) to our initiatives like TheLight Careline where people can ring and chat to someone if they need to talk to someone or want prayer. This station does extraordinary work trying to be a force for good for people here in Melbourne who need hope.”
MJ Want is the 89.9 TheLight Head of Listener Engagement – “It’s been a privilege to be involved & watch how God has grown the radio station over the past 20 years. Since starting in a small office above a printing press to now one of the largest Christian stations in Australia, God has done a mighty work.I’ve been involved with TheLight since it began full-time broadcasting in 2022. I started as a weekend announcer and now am overseeing the content of the station. Lots has changed, but one thing hasn’t. That’s a burning passion within those involved to see every life alight with the love of Jesus.”
