So Phil has been at me for some time to write this article... I have resisted to this point, as it's a bit trumpet tooting, which Daveo, Daz & I are all very uncomfortable with... But I get why he wants it and I'd be hassling me if I was him too... So here goes...
It takes a lot of work to produce a radio show every week... Even with a team team team of three passionate and dedicated volunteers.  Between David, Darren and I, we probably spend an additional ten hours a week, on top of our two hour show, on preparation or post production.  On The Dotted Line [TDL], we deliver ‘Dotted Live’ every week, with Australian independent musicians playing live in the studio & having a chat about song writing, gigs, CDs vs streaming, instruments, the music industry, venues… Anything that seems relevant at the time.
We are passionately dedicated to enhancing access to underrepresented musicians to as wide a listening audience as possible and we focus on independent Australian musicians, through both the guests who play live on the program and the recorded music played on each show.  The majority of these are local Hills residents, from 3MDR’s listening area, with some coming from other areas of Melbourne & Victoria, and occasionally from interstate & overseas.  Very few of the guests, and recorded music played, receive air time on any other radio stations, community or otherwise.  The performers are able to showcase their music and are prompted to promote their gigs, releases, how people can contact them / buy their music, their approach to songwriting, other projects they may have, anything and everything.  
We also have a number of digital channels that we use to promote and celebrate each performance:
• A dedicated photography website, where high quality professional photos taken of each performance are presented;
• A Facebook page and Instagram profile, where every show is promoted and playlists are posted from each program.  These platforms are also used to promote other relevant material posted by the local music community;
• A YouTube channel, where post-produced videos of the live performances, with post-mixed audio, are uploaded; and 
• An amrap program page, where six months of archived shows are kept and weekly playlists and blog entries are found.
In 2018 we had 69 live in studio performances from 128 musicians, with an average of 5 songs / act which equalled 345 live songs put to air.  This, and all of the above, led to TDL being nominated for a CBAA Award for Contribution to Australian Music by a Radio Program in May 2019.  We made the finals and attended the CBAA Awards Dinner in Melbourne on Saturday 26th October 2019, at the Pullman Melbourne on the Park. 
Our category was hotly contested and our fellow finalists all present amazing shows:
Contribution to Australian Music: Radio Program

• BRL (897fm, Perth, WA)
• Take One (Eastside Radio, Sydney, NSW)
• The Dotted Line | Dotted Live (3MDR, Melbourne, VIC)
• The Map (Edge Radio, Hobart, TAS)
• This Is Our Sound (PBAFM, Adelaide, SA)

We were nervous and not expecting anything... Thankfully our category was up pretty early, so we didn't have to wait long to receive the most excellent news that we had won!!  We could relax and enjoy the rest of the awards across the evening... It was a wonderful celebration of all that is achieved across the community radio sector and we felt extremely proud to be a part of it.
I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of David, Darren and myself, to send out a HUGE THANK-YOU to all of the musicians who have ever come in to play on TDL... We wouldn't have show without you and we know how lucky we are to have a mini concert in the studio every week.  Thank-you to 3MDR for providing us with a spot on the grid and our award nomination... We are most humbled... And also to all our listeners, subscribers, sponsors and supports... You folks rock!!
That's about all the talking about us I can muster...
Yours in community radio,
Ren
You can listen to the audio of our award nomination HERE.

Residents of the Yarra Ranges and Cardinia Shires are advised that Fire Restrictions came into effect on Monday 16th December 2019.

3MDR would like to see everyone staying safe this summer.

For all the information on what you can and can not do during the fire season please check with the following agencies:

www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au
www.cardinia.vic.gov.au
www.cfa.vic.gov.au
www.emergency.vic.gov.au

Please note that 3MDR is NOT an official emergency broadcaster as we do not have the required infrastructure or personnel to meet the requirements of this role.  Listeners are advised to keep an ear on the ABC as the State's official public emergency broadcaster.     Be sure to have a battery powered radio on hand throughout the summer fire season.

Keep an eye on www.emergency.vic.gov.au for updates on incidents in your local area.

As 3MDR broadcasts from the bushfire prone area of the Dandenong Ranges, the radio station will be closed on days declared CODE RED.   Announcements advising listeners to check www.emergency.vic.gov.au and to tune into the ABC will be scheduled throughout the automated music playlist.

Check out your local CFA Community Information and Workshop Sessions at https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/about/whats-on/

3MDR would like to wish all of our wonderful listeners, members, subscribers, sponsors and donors a safe and happy Festive Season.

It's been a terrific year at community radio 3MDR as we continue to develop the broadcasting operations at Forest Park Homestead.

Your support has been nothing short of amazing!   You are all keeping your local radio station on the airwaves.

A number of our dedicated volunteer presenters will be taking a well earned break from broadcasting over summer.  Larry Lyrebird will keep the all Australian tunes rolling and we'll have some special episodes with presenters in training and students who participated in work experience throughout the year.

Thanks again for your support.   We really do appreciate it!

Stay safe over the summer holidays.  Keep an eye on www.emergency.vic.gov.au as the weather heats up and pop the ABC into your presets on radios to keep informed of any fire activity in Victoria.

Be sure to tune into any local community radio stations around the country if you're travelling with family and friends this holiday season.

​We look forward to your company in 2020!

It is with great pleasure that we announce the winners of the 2019 Big Gig Monster Raffle prizes!!!!

The winning tickets were drawn live on air during The Dotted Line on Wednesday 11th December.

We thank you all for your support in attending the 2019 Big Gig at Sooki Lounge on Sunday 24th November and purchasing raffle tickets.   All the proceeds help keep community radio 3MDR on the airwaves.

Nearly $3000 was raised through the gig and raffle!


Chris D (pictured below) was the lucky winner of Prize Pack #1 which included all these goodies generously donated by local and not so local businesses and community members:
Cocoa acoustic guitar from Dave and Zenith Music
Sonic Soldier Designer Menswear $150 voucher 
Cafe Have Ya Bean  voucher Main St Upwey 
Cafe Grounded voucher Main St Upwey 
Amcal Chemist voucher Main St Upwey 
The Acorn Bar & Restaurant voucher The  Basin 

Christine (pictured below) picked up Prize Pack #2 and is super chuffed with the goodies which included the following fabulous items
Keane Haircare treatment  pack $30
JBL Cinema Sound Bar kindly donated by DAVE FROM DUNBALK 
Amcal Chemist vouchers Main St Upwey 
Prosecco Wine thanks to IGA Main St Upwey 
Trapezi Greek Restaurant $100 Voucher - Station St Fairfield
CK's Image Nails manicure / pedicure voucher from Main St Upwey

And last but by no means least, Martin from Kallista (pictured below) won Prize Pack #3 and scored a treasure trove of donated prizes including 
A beautiful Lightweight suitcase thanks to Peter n Staff at Hello World Belgrave 
Another fabulous Acorn Bar & Restaurant in The Basin dinner voucher  
Another voucher from Cafe Have Ya Bean at Main St Upwey 
Yet another Greek feast voucher for Trapezi Greek Restaurant in Fairfield 
Logitech Speaker system  From Dee at our local Bunnings store at Scoresby 
And gorgeous chocolates from Keera and crew at IGA Upwey 

3MDR would like to thank all the generous prize donors.  Be sure to pay them a visit and thank them for supporting your favourite community radio station 3MDR 97.1fm.  Click on the links for each business name and check them out online.

3MDR would also like to thank the fabulous Mae Parker, 3MDR volunteer extraordinaire for spending countless hours wrangling the prizes, setting up the display and selling the tickets.  We love you Mae!!!!

Attention lovers of live n local blues music!

The final Red To Blue Session for 2019 features The Hoodoo Men at the Emerald RSL on Friday 13th December.

Guaranteed to lead us into the Festive Season in grand style, The Hoodoo Men will be perform their special brand of fabulous blues grooves for your live entertainment pleasure.

The RSL bar will be open for festive refreshments and a local school will be providing food options as a fundraiser.

Doors open 7pm with the Hoodoo Men starting at 7:30pm.
Tickets are only $10 for 3MDR/RSL members/subscribers or $12......on the door.

We look forward to your company on Friday the 13th December for some Festive cheer and great live music with The Hoodoo Men!

​Tune into Red To Blue every Friday afternoon from 3pm.  Only on 3MDR 97.1fm