PM (radio program)
{{For|the British program|PM (BBC Radio 4)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox radio show
| show_name = PM
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| format = News and current affairs
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| country = Australia
| language = English
| home_station = Radio National and ABC Local Radio
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| first_aired = 7 July 1969
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| opentheme = "Crossbeat" by David Cain
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| website = {{url|https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/pm}}
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}}
PM is one of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's flagship current affairs radio programs. It is also one of Australia's longest-running productions, having been first aired on 7 July 1969. It is the sister program to AM.
As of 2025 it is hosted by Samantha Donovan and broadcast on both Radio National and ABC Local Radio.{{cite web | title=PM with David Lipson | website=PM - ABC Radio | date=9 September 2022 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/pm | access-date=11 September 2022}}
History and timeslots
PM was first broadcast in 1969 for what were then ABC Radio 1 and Radio 3 (now ABC Local Radio). Launched on 7 July 1969, two years after its sister program AM, with both names created by ABC general manager Talbot Duckmanton.{{cite web | title=ABC's PM celebrates 50 years | website=Mumbrella | date=7 July 2019 | url=https://mumbrella.com.au/abcs-pm-celebrates-50-years-587603 | access-date=11 September 2022}}
It originally aired every weekday at 6:10 pm (after the 6:00 pm news bulletin), becoming a popular afternoon radio current affairs program. PM was later introduced to ABC Radio 2 (now ABC Radio National) with a new early edition at 5:10 pm after the 5:00 pm news.{{cn|date=September 2022}} PM was originally 20 minutes long before expansion to 50 minutes in 1987. In 2018 it reduced to a 25 minute format, which matched AM.
Description
PM complements AM and other ABC News and Current Affairs radio programs, namely The World Today and Correspondents Report.
{{as of|2025}} the program is usually presented by Samantha Donovan.
ABC's streaming links and podcasts allow listening to PM after its broadcast time.
Past presenters
PM{{'}}s first presenters were Lawrence Bryant and John Highfield, who hosted on alternate nights. Other presenters who have hosted the show include Iain Finlay, Paul Murphy (1983 to 1993[http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/speeches/2009/030 40th Anniversary of ABC PM program] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120805173011/http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/speeches/2009/030 |date=5 August 2012 }}), Monica Attard, and Ellen Fanning, and reporters Ray Martin, Bob Carr, Kate Baillieu and Maxine McKew.
Mark Colvin hosted the program from 1997 to 2017. In December 2017, Linda Mottram was announced as the new host of PM. Some time after July 2019, Mottram was replaced by David Lipson.
Musical signature themes
The original 1967 signature was "Crossbeat", a 30-second electronic music piece sourced from the BBC, composed and realised by David Cain of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. This was replaced by new themes for both AM and PM, composed by Tony Ansell in the 1980s, both based on a similar theme and performed in a similar manner on a synthesiser using a brass-type patch. The similarity between the themes represented a significant link between the sister programs.{{cn|date=September 2022}} The music was used from the 1980s until January 2017.{{youtube|h9QCsQAd_c4|ABC Radio "PM": Opening and Closing Themes}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official|https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/pm}}
Category:ABC News and Current Affairs
Category:Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio programs
Category:1969 establishments in Australia
Category:Australian news radio programs
Category:1960s Australian radio programs
Category:1970s Australian radio programs
Category:1980s Australian radio programs
Category:1990s Australian radio programs
Category:2000s Australian radio programs