(Photo: ABC)

A pioneer of FM radio in Australia, Glenn Wheatley, has died in Melbourne at the age of 74 after contracting Covid-19.

Mr Wheatley was one of the leaders of a consortium that created Australia’s first FM station, EON in Melbourne, which went to air on 11 July 1980. The station still broadcasts today under the name Triple M.

In 2013 his consortium was the successful bidder for a pair of stations on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, RadioInfo reported. It owned Classic Hits 2CH in Sydney for four years.

Mr Wheatley was also an important figure in Australia’s music industry. Formerly bass player with the 1960s band The Masters Apprentices, he became a music entrepreneur and manager of talent that included Little River Band, John Farnham and Delta Goodrem.

“There was no more colourful a character in Australian radio than Glenn Wheatley,” RadioInfo said.