Cultural hub, alternative news source, platform for independent music and training ground for broadcasters and activists, Brisbane's iconic community radio station 4ZZZ has just turned 50 years old and its colourful evolution has been chronicled in a new book.
Drawing on archival material, interviews with volunteers and staff, and rare audio recordings, People Powered Radio: Fifty Years of Australian Community Radio 4ZZZ, traced how the station shaped and had been shaped by Brisbane's communities over five decades, from rebellious beginnings in the 1970s to its thriving presence today.
4ZZZ began as a student-led initiative at the University of Queensland in 1975, created by young people passionate about music and political change, at a time when mainstream media rarely reflected local dissenting voices.
Author, Associate Professor Heather Anderson from Griffith University's Centre for Social and Cultural Research, who has volunteered with 4ZZZ since the early 1990s, said the station launched during the ultra-conservative premiership of Joh Bjelke-Petersen, providing a bold alternative to the dominant political narratives in Queensland.
"In 1988, a conservative student union cut funding and forcibly evicted 4ZZZ from UQ, and volunteers literally reconnected the transmitter to stay on air," Associate Professor Anderson said.
"Early shows such as Gay Waves and Murri Hour gave space to underrepresented communities and today's programming still reflects this tradition with shows such as Tranzmission, run by and for the trans community."
4ZZZ was instrumental in uplifting Brisbane's music scene long before commercial stations took notice, playing bands such as The Saints, The Go-Betweens, and countless underground acts that shaped local culture.
Despite many challenges, 4ZZZ has stayed independent and community-driven for over half a century, a testament to volunteer power and grassroots support.
Today, while commercial radio in Australia undergoes a radical transformation driven by the digital landscape, Associate Professor Anderson said community radio continues to thrive.
"Community radio is in robust health with more than 450 not-for-profit community broadcast services nationwide, drawing nearly five million weekly listeners," she said.
"The sector's significance is supported by new multi-year government funding of around $27 million from 2025-26, strengthening its capacity to amplify under-represented voices and sustain volunteer-driven media that enriches cultural life, empowers communities and reinforces media diversity across urban, regional and remote Australia."
