Grant also still own the old 3GL frequency, which is leased to the narrowcast 3CW.
I’ve complained about on-band narrowcasting before, but it just seems baffling to have so much of it when there’s so few available frequencies, and then the talk for options becomes things like co-channeling with Bendigo, with the resulting need for lots of coverage restrictions.
That said, it doesn’t sound like local radio is actually being floated, so the most people will get would be the occasional item on the ABC website - anything occurring in Geelong that would be notable enough to be reported on ABC Radio Melbourne would be reported on anyway.
Even if a local ABC service was literally just replacing the news bulletin, that’d still provide a valuable bit of diversity in what is a very underserved market.
At most I’d see them providing a service similar to ABC Central Coast - local in breakfast, including news, but a direct simulcast of ABC Melbourne at all other times.
91.9 ABC Surf Coast? Would make sense for 89.5 Marengo to simulcast the new station in place of 3LO if something like this went ahead
I think it’s more inertia than anything - no one would expect a full local radio service because they’ve never had it, so there’s very little push for it to actually happen. On the other hand, if you tried to cut a local radio service, even one in a much smaller market than Geelong is, you’d face huge resistance.
Ideally the Government/ABC would do a review of how many listeners would like a localised service and would listen to it in preference to ABC Melbourne if it did exist, not just drop this kind of thing in an attempt to win Corrangamite.
91.9 or 89.3 would be fine and yes should serve Geelong/Surfcoast. In emergencies it’d be quite valuable with bushfires down the coast. Local breakfast and local news would all that’d be required but would be great for the region! And bring some much needed media diversity - other than just Grant and one News Corp paper.
The only non metro market that enjoys that currently is Newcastle where the local newsroom replace most Sydney bulletins.
The Gold Coast newsroom is otherwise occupied that they don’t run a local midday bulletin any longer. Couple of local bulletins in b’fast and headlines during drive and occasionally mornings doesn’t cut it. No wonder the ratings are what they are.
ABC TV is now appears to be airing promos for the Local Radio Breakfast programs. One featuring Craig Zonca and Loretta Ryan just aired before Q and A here in Brisbane.
Got a theory on this. Might be a long bow. I really enjoy Andrew Moore coverage on the ABC. Andrew Moore is very happy on Grandstand compared to his GB days (the reason has been expressed on the Macquarie Radio Thread) . He was fairly right on the political issues on GB when he worked on 2GB, doing Alan Jones show etc. My impression he believed what he meant on GB and could speak more openly on his talkback shows (even when he was 2sm going back a few years). Politics do get mixed up in sports and on the ABC I can feel the difference.
I wonder when Warren Ryan & David Morrow were pushed out of the ABC. Has meant now that commentators/opinion need to be “careful” when airing views on sensitive issues. To avoid breaching the ABC core values. You may have “career issues” then.
here was the article for those who forgot.
David Morrow found employment at 2GB. I am not saying that David Morrow did the right thing, he should of had his mic off and avoid that topic in the workplace esp at the ABC.
Given what happen to David , will ABC radio come down hard on people expressing views on certain topics that don’t meet the ABC charter ? I get the impression Andrew is not giving his complete views as he would/could of GB. Its only an impression.
Other than cricket / rugby league , its rare for me to listen to the ABC. I know people GB/SM/Sky are saying the ABC should be more to the central rather than to the left. Like get some of the folk from the old 2ue like Mike Jeffreys have a show on the ABC who can be of the right to give it a bit of balance and may help the ratings.
For example , even allow them to express views about semi privatising the ABC (without fear of losing the job). Honest , diversity of views as the ABC is paid by our taxes. (Not saying its my view but people on air should be able to express it if they are in favour of it ). If the abc was able to be balanced it could help them in the ratings.
Queen’s Birthday holiday programming has been interesting.
Afternoon:
Brisbane’s Kat Feeney was also broadcast via Sydney/NSW and Adelaide/SA and seemingly Tasmania.
Mercifully, Melbourne had Andrew Hansen filling in. The five second check I made of both showed very light content, magazine style, hardly compelling. Hansen a better presenter with a genuine delivery. Feeney sounded contrived.
Drive:
Darwin program broadcast through the rest of the CST zone stations.
Melbourne, Sydney, Hobart drive presenters local but replaced statewide programs including Canberra and Newcastle.
Hobart had a special program with Ryk Goddard (I think it was him) for Dark Mofo festival from 1:30pm which was after The World Today and went straight before the AFL coverage on the analogue radio.
Prior to lunch seemed to be as normal with normal breakfasts in both north and south, Mornings and the Country Hour.
It already feels statewide enough, the North gets the additional Rural Report too which runs from 6:30 to 7am. Used to be a specific rural reporter but is now with Belinda from breakfast and one of the rural teams and is often done from Burnie - about the only time the Burnie studio is regularly used I think.