Melbourne Talk Radio

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Melbourne Talk Radio (MTR 1377) was a Melbourne AM station on 1377 kHz. It began on 19 April 2010, operated from Rowville with a 5 kW transmitter, and closed on 2 March 2012. It replaced the older 3MP on the same frequency, and after MTR shut down, 3MP returned to 1377 as MyMP.

MTR was a 50/50 joint venture between Pacific Star Network and Macquarie Radio Network, operating as Melbourne Radio Operations Pty Ltd. Its offices were in Swan Street, Richmond. The station launched on 7 April 2010 as a conservative talkback station, with Steve Price as breakfast host and program director, promising to be bold and controversial.

The station struggled to attract a stable audience and earned the nickname “Men Talking Rubbish.” Reasons included a low-bandwidth signal that limited reception in outer Melbourne suburbs and overestimating the potential audience. It faced ongoing low ratings and legal issues, including disputes over syndication from Sydney’s 2GB.

In early 2012, the owners clashed over budgets and payments. On 2 March 2012 the station was closed and placed into administration. The frequency was later reused by 3MP as MyMP. MTR also aired 2GB’s Macquarie National News from Sydney, and Melbourne’s newsroom was cut in December 2011 as part of cost-cutting.