Waterfront to welcome ABC's radio in residency in March 2022

In March 2022, the ABC's pop-up radio studio and newsroom will be on the corner of Cunningham St and Western Beach Rd, overlooking Corio Bay. Space has been provided by Deakin University's School of Creative Arts.

The joint newsgathering and community engagement initiative will see presenters and program makers from ABC Radio Melbourne and ABC NEWS Victoria broadcast from the region, providing additional local coverage across radio, online, social media and ABC television.

Deakin Vice-Chancellor Professor Iain Martin said the partnership was an exciting opportunity to provide listeners with engaging and relevant content that would 'spread the word' about the innovation happening at the University and in the community.

"There are so many untold stories about the amazing work being done at Deakin and in Geelong. And when more of these stories reach listeners, it will undoubtedly further strengthen Victoria’s position as the nation’s skills and innovation capital."

Deakin's Executive Dean, Faculty of Arts and Education, Professor Vanessa Lemm, said the initiative would provide opportunities for students to work closely with journalists, production teams, researchers and industry.

"It is so important for students to get workplace experience during their studies. This is a high priority in our course design at Deakin because students need to apply the skills they learn in a real-life setting. These kinds of experiences are just so valuable for their development and preparing them for their future careers."

Throughout March 2022, audiences will be able to drop by and see ABC Radio Melbourne presenters, including Virginia Trioli, Sammy J, Jacinta Parsons and Raf Epstein, who will broadcast live from a pop-up studio in the heart of the city at Deakin's Waterfront campus.

ABC Radio Melbourne Local Manager Dina Rosendorff said the Geelong Radio-in-Residency was part of a long-term commitment to tell stories from the city and surrounding region.

"The relationships we'll build in the Geelong region will further strengthen our connection with the local community. We're looking forward to hearing from the region's residents about the issues and topics that matter most to them," she said. "It's a great way to kick off our celebrations for the ABC's 90th anniversary."

ABC's Geelong Radio in Residency program schedule:

- Tuesday 1 March: Mornings with Virginia Trioli (8.30 - 11 am)
- Friday 4 March: Breakfast with Sammy J (5.30 - 8 am)
- Monday 7 March: The Conversation Hour (11 am - 12 noon)
- Saturday 12 March: Matt Preston - Saturday Mornings (10 am - 12 noon)
- Sunday 13 March: Sundays with Lisa Leong (10 am - 12 noon)
- Tuesday 15 - Wednesday 16 March: Drive with Jacinta Parsons (12.30 - 3.30 pm)
- Thursday 24 March: Afternoons with Jacinta Parsons (12.30 - 3.30 pm)
- Friday 25 March: The Friday Revue (12.30 - 3.30 pm)
- Thursday 31 March: The Conversation Hour (11 am - 12 noon)