3CR is very sad to announce that long-term broadcaster Ralph Knight passed away today Friday 31 July. Ralph presented music programs Nostalgia Unlimited, Swing and Sway and Steam Radio, as well as the Unitarian Half Hour a program of the Melbourne Unitarian Peace Memorial Church. He made an enormous contribution to 3CR over the years both as a presenter and a radio technician and will be greatly missed at the station. We are sure that he will also be missed by his many listeners and supporters. We offer our deepest sympathy to Ralph's family and friends. Please stay tuned to 3CR's nostalgia music programs for tributes to Ralph over the coming weeks. Read a tribute to Ralph from his technical friends and colleagues here. 

Missed it? Listen back now. In 2020 the Smith Street Working Group and the City of Yarra partner with 3CR to bring a retrospective of the past 7 years of the Smith Street Dreaming Festival - usually a day event held on Smith Street during NAIDOC week. Presented by 3CR broadcaster Viv Malo, (The Black Block), alongside Dave Arden and others live to air from the 3CR studios. The broadcast featured music from past festival performers and interviews with some of the key figures of the Smith Street Dreaming formation. Broadcast live on Saturday 18 July, 1-4pm. 

We can't bring you our usual live prison broadcasts for Beyond the Bars in 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions. BUT we will be bringing you the voices of Indigenous men and women from the inside each day from Monday 6 July to Friday 10 July at 12-1pm. 3CR Indigenous broadcasters have been recording messages, cheerios, poems, stories, raps and short interviews with some of the inmates over the phone at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre, Loddon/Middleton Prison, Barwon Prison, Karreenga Annex and Fulham Correctional Centre. NAIDOC Week has been postponed to 8-15 November, but we wanted to reach out to the men and women at this time to facilitate their voices, and tell them they are not forgotten. Please listen in. Audio coming soon www.3cr.org.au/beyondthebars2020 

A heartfelt thanks to all of you who have donated to our June Station Appeal. We've really enjoyed hearing from our many loyal listeners and supporters, and have been humbled by your generous donations. Our Station Appeal is slowly bringing in the financial support we need to keep the station running for the next 12 months, but we are well short of where we need to be. Normally at this time of year we would be well on the way to reaching our $250,000 Radiothon target with fundraisers, gigs and other events. Unfortunately, many of the events that would help us reach our fundraising goals are just not possible. We're currently sitting on just $90,000. So with just one week to go to 30 June, we are giving the Station Appeal one last BIG PUSH! Thanks again for your support - it's really greatly appreciated. Donate today. 

Today 3CR broadcast live from the Blak Lives Matter rally in Melbourne organised by the Warriors of Aboriginal Resistance. Catch up on the speeches and the calls for action. Listen now. #radicalradio #communityradio #BlakLivesMatter

Our June Station Appeal kicks off today. We know many of you are doing it tough. So this call-out for donations is for those of you who can afford it. If you can, please dig deep to ensure that 3CR stays alive and thrives. To everyone, stay safe and keep connected to your local community radio station. 

Many of you will be familiar with 3CR's annual Radiothon fundraiser - it's when our listeners literally keep the station going with their generous donations. It's a vibrant and busy time each June at the station, and an all-in effort from our volunteers, staff and supporters. But in 2020, under Covid-19 restrictions, we need to do things a bit differently. So stay tuned for our June Station Appeal - it'll be online, on-point, and be asking those of you who can to make a donation to keep 3CR alive. 

Tune in on Friday 1 May for a great line-up of programs marking May Day 2020. Across eleven hours from 7.00am - 6.30pm there'll be coverage of the impact of Covid-19 on workers around the world, a history of the May Day struggle, First Nations news, rousing workers' songs and much more. Full details here. 

These are strange and disconcerting times, and 3CR - as always - is focused on community inclusion, participation and cohesion in order to build a better world. We want to hear from you - whether you're a regular listener, programmer, or you've just found us on the AM dial. Send us a voice memo! Share a radical vision for the future, an inspiring thought for the day, information on a current campaign or your personal insight of the day. Send your short (less than 1 minute) voice memo to reception@3cr.org.au and we'll put it on the radio! 

3CR has decided to close its doors to volunteers and guests from Monday 23 March as we try to do our part to minimise the spread of the coronavirus throughout the community. At the front of our minds, is protecting the most marginalised and vulnerable. But we are still here. And we’ll continue broadcasting, 24 hours a day, with radical, alternative content throughout this period – but things will sound a bit different. Some programmers will present their shows on the phone, and we’ll be finding creative ways to bring you our regular programming. So stay tuned, stay safe, and be kind to each other.