I’m thinking the logic of Geelong having its own station would be more based around local audience needs, news, issues, etc rather that the distance from a transmitter.
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You would think so, but most people here aren’t from Geelong so don’t understand this issue. They see Geelong as another suburb of Melbourne, it’s not. Never has been, never will be.
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That’s true we aren’t Melbourne but many commute between the two, this was apparent yesterday when I worked night shift and many of my regular customers after about 4am didn’t come due to the new restrictions on construction sites. Also as said previously, habits are hard to change and many will stick to 774 even if a local ABC started.
It would be good to have Geelong ABC but it will probably be a waste of time, money and a frequency
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Which has been going to plan until his cat killed the link just after the 6pm news tonight when he was introducing a tailback topic of dogs v cats. After the music bed ran out, a couple of promos and a puffed Jacinta Parsons appeared on air to take over.
From the 2hour 36 minutes mark.
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Like the journos in now closed offices of Nowra and Gladstone.
My suggestion would be to have a fully staffed ‘radio first’ newsroom in Geelong for hourly bulletins from 5am - 7pm. Most would be Melb content and then substitute less relevant stories with Geelong content.
The Advertiser is hard up filling their news pages with newsworthy news, so there wouldn’t be much.
Perhaps a flexible opt out could be established of 5 - 10mins hourly in bfast, morn & drive of local Geelong talkback and extended interviews.
It is extremely hard to change listener habits, Popular music station Hot Tomato took five years to record a shift win (Drive with the newly launched team of Mal Lees & Luke Bradnam) and eight to ten years for an overall survey win.
That’s for popular music too and from 08 on, a significant promotional spend of outdoor media and TV x-promo. ABC would never go close.
Between 774 and 693, they have a lions’ share of the Geelong market (and beyond into Colac and Ballarat too); having locals switch over to a new FM freq or find a new online stream really does take time. You also have drive market who drive to diverse parts of Melb where the null of of the Geelong site is and coverage ends, they will switch to 774 anyway.
The Geelong allocations are co channelled with Mt Alexander and cannot be OD. All current FM OD slots are allocated in the region.
Perhaps local bulletins prepared morning and afternoon via email, website, social platforms and smart speakers is the best solution for Geelong,
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Not sure why the sudden demand for ABC Geelong. Is 774 doing a terrible job covering the area?
Not sure why the ABC would allocate resources to a city that doesn’t require it. They already have a Reporter on the ground (like they do in Ipswich) I think.
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I wouldn’t say sudden, the service has been proposed for years, and has come up for discussion on this forum before.
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If ABC Geelong get the go ahead, Then I support ABC Bonnie Doon. hehehe
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ABCBD has a nice ring to it!
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Yes and it always has done.
It came up (again) because the ABC is spending a week at Deakin Waterfront presenting its weekday schedule. Well it was, not sure if lockdowns will affect that.
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Only if they can paraphrase a jingle to be “We’re coming from Bonnie Doon. We’re coming from Bonnie Doon.”
I think I’m dreaming now.
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Brian Nankervis is filling in for David Astle on the Victorian Evenings program this week and next. It seems David was in Sydney last week (maybe due to Letters and Numbers commitments for SBS?) and is now in 14 day quarantine after returning to Melbourne.
Also, I imagine this has been going on a while (probably already discussed), but the last hour of the Melbourne program also airs in Western Australia due to the 2 hour time difference. They don’t have their own Statewide Evenings program, rather have an ‘Early Mornings’ program to fill the 4-5am gap once Overnights finishes.
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That’s the set up for this winter. I can recall their evening gap filler has been different in previous years. Perhaps locally pre recorded highlights?
Matt Preston is filling in for Jacinta Parsons on Afternoons on ABC Melbourne next week.
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I know we’ve said it before but seriously it’s time for Macca to just disappear. Apart from playing the same song at least twice this morning - a French version of Waltzing Matilda, complete with his commentary and talking all the way through it. He also dedicated the whole show to the French so he could include his various diplomatic rants about the current submarine issue which pretty much involved him telling them regularly to just get over it and it’s just like when kids do something at school and then decide to play with someone else and other various analogies. The rest of the time was filled with various French things including his attempts to mutilate all other aspects of the language.
To be honest, I’m surprised the French didn’t suddenly declare war on us after the show ended. He also did have a few shots at China too because you know, they’re a great country to try and piss off too.
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Along with:
- Paul Kennedy hosting Breakfast
- Ali Moore hosting Mornings
- Mary Gearin hosting Drive
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I agree with you. I woke to hearing part of the show & thought it was bizarre & over-the-top. That said I agree with Macca that the French Government was having an immature hissy fit (my words) over the cancellation of the submarine purchase contract. Also that we’re really great mates & I feel that they’ll get over it - or should. That should have been enough commentary on a Sunday morning.
But to focus most of show on France & from what I heard for over 90 minutes was certainly weird & I thought Macca had lost the plot somewhat.
Then after hearing the blood curdling & horrid Dingo howls AGAIN - I thought OMG I’ve heard enough I’ve got to get out of bed & get some stuff done. Enough’s enough.
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Maca needs to retire. He is now a silly old fool. Give Warwick Long the gig
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Yes! That’s what I was thinking too!
I stumbled across an episode that was hosted by Warwick, and he’s better. None of those dizzying rants and talking over music and stuff.
In fact, I’m even betting that Warwick will get the job when Macca retires
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