89.9 TheLight facts for kids

89.9 TheLight (call sign 3TSC) is a Christian community radio station in Melbourne, Australia. It is listened to by over a million people each month! You can hear it on the FM radio at 89.9 MHz, on DAB+ digital radio, and online through its website or mobile app. The main studios are in Mitcham, and its FM signal comes from a transmitter on Mount Dandenong.

The Story of 89.9 TheLight

The idea for this radio station started way back in 1977. Back then, it was called Melbourne Christian Radio. They did some test broadcasts in 1980, 1981, and 1982 using the name 3MCR. Later, they even bought air time on another station called 3DB to share their message.

Today, 89.9 TheLight is run by a group called Positive Media Inc. This group used to have different names like Triple Seven Communications and 89.9 LightFM. In late 2001, they ran a special three-month temporary broadcast. In December of that year, they found out they were chosen for one of only four special community radio licenses! These licenses were given out by the Australian Broadcasting Authority, which is now called the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). 89.9 TheLight officially started broadcasting all day, every day, on Sunday, December 1, 2002.

In January 2017, the station announced that over a million people listen to 89.9 TheLight every month. That's a lot of listeners!

Special Programs and Services

LightNews Updates

89.9 TheLight has its very own news team. They give news updates every hour throughout the day. During the breakfast show (from 6 AM to 9 AM), you can hear news every half an hour. Before this, 89.9 TheLight used to play news from another service called Macquarie National News.

Nine News on TheLight

Every night at 6 PM, 89.9 TheLight plays the Nine News Melbourne show at the same time as the TV channel. This news show features well-known presenters like Peter Hitchener, Tony Jones, and Livinia Nixon. However, if the Nine Network is showing a big sports event like cricket or the NRL Grand Final, then the news might not be on. The newsreader from Nine News often chats with 89.9 TheLight in the afternoon to give a sneak peek of the evening news.

Careline Support

The 89.9 TheLight Careline is a helpful service for people who need support. You can call them if you want someone to pray with you, learn more about Christianity, or just have someone listen to what you're going through. They can also help connect you with a local church if you'd like. The Lord Mayor's Charitable Fund helped pay for the Careline's costs in 2003, 2004, and 2005. Careline is a service that helps people all across Australia. It's a not-for-profit company that helps listeners of Christian media.

Digital Radio on DAB+

89.9 TheLight is also available on Digital Radio in Melbourne. This means you can listen to it on special digital radios.

TheLight MIX is another digital station that plays only Christian music. It started on December 1, 2011, and you can listen to it online or on DAB+ digital radio.

TheLight Christmas is a special "pop-up" digital radio station. It broadcasts every year from early December until early January. It plays all your favorite Christmas songs! In 2014, it became a digital radio station for the first time.

Meet the Presenters

89.9 TheLight On-Air Team

The people you hear on 89.9 TheLight include Lucy Holmes, Kel McWilliam, Cam Want, Jo Chapman, Joy, Euan, Gianna, Luke And Susie Holt, Azzan Schuster, Clayton Bjelan, MJ Want, and Allan Martin. You'll also hear voices from the Nine News Melbourne team.

Popular Shows

89.9 TheLight has many announcers who work full-time and some who work part-time. The station often highlights Lucy and Kel, who have spots on air throughout the day. In 2021, you might have seen Lucy and Kel on billboards around Melbourne, advertising the station!

Music on TheLight

Christian Music

89.9 TheLight plays a mix of Christian music and other popular songs. They sometimes change popular songs a bit to remove parts that might not fit with the station's message. The Christian music you'll hear is usually a mix of pop, modern rock, and gospel. About 40% of the music played is Christian. This doesn't even include Christian songs from mainstream artists like U2.

Mainstream Music

The other 60% of the music on 89.9 TheLight is generally adult contemporary music. This means they often play songs from the Billboard 100 Adult Contemporary charts. They also include music from the Top 40 charts in Australia and the United States. You'll also hear a variety of pop and Soft rock songs from the 1990s and early 2000s.