The ABC has established a new FM transmission service for ABC Radio Australia in the second largest urban population hub in the Solomon Islands, the town of Gizo in Western Province. Residents of Gizo and surrounds on its island of Ghizo will now be able to enjoy the full suite of ABC Radio Australia’s content and program offering.

The addition of Gizo to ABC Radio Australia’s transmission footprint is a key deliverable for ABC International Services under the Federal Government’s enhanced funding for ABC services across the Indo-Pacific. Prior to the Gizo service, ABC Radio Australia has been available only to residents of Honiara on 107FM.

In the coming months, further transmission locations will be added across the region including in PNG, Nauru, Kiribati and other locations in Micronesia.

ABC International Services Head Claire M Gorman said: “We welcome Gizo and Ghizo Island to the ABC Radio Australia family and are delighted that its residents will have access to a rich new offering of news, information, entertainment, sport and music content. The commencement of broadcasting in Gizo marks an important milestone in the ongoing expansion of ABC Radio Australia’s footprint across the Pacific.”

Ghizo Island residents will now have access to ABC Radio Australia’s flagship regional current affairs program Pacific Beat, in addition to its weekday morning program Nesia Daily and newly launched culture, science, music and sports shows including Climate Mana, Culture Compass, Pacific Scientific, In The Fale, Off The Record and Fresh Off The Field.

ABC Radio Australia programs can now be heard on 107FM on Ghizo Island and in Honiara.