I don’t think talk ever made sense - just I hope the need for 3MP to fill a schedule of non-3AW programming will mean they will reduce the amount of networked 3AW content on their wider network.
Being in a 2 station ACE market would absolutely suck, with just one music station for the majority of the day.
Which is pretty much what the Super Radio Network does.
There’s not much music on their AM stations outside of local shifts.
Though, while I can’t stream them - my impression is the Super FM network is in general better to listen to than ACE.
In a market like Colac, there’s the CHR Mixx and then a mostly talk 3CS - giving you almost nothing to listen to for a huge segment of the audience. Though I think Edge take a different format on the FMs?
True but at least the Super FM stations seem to play broader music. I believe the Ace FM stations are pretty much Top 40?
The Edge’s and Mixx Colac (not sure whether Colac takes the Edge log or it’s own separate log) do a 2DayFM/hit107-esque 80s to Now format. The others are pretty hot AC/CHR, and particularly TRFM/Coast are very much just top 40. Ironically, they are actually quite good CHR’s compared to most other CHR’s now, they often play tracks from new/upcoming artists and tracks from already established artists that haven’t made it onto the charts yet. There’s also much less “throwbacks” than other stations (particularly Hit network).
That’s very true though 3CS plays much more music than most of the BOG AM’s, running music shifts Midday-6pm and again from Midnight-8:30am (if you count The Morning Rush breakfast show). You could also argue that the FM’s have a much clearer format & have some focus instead of trying to be everything to everyone all at once.
The last time I checked Mixx FM and Edge use the same music log. Edge uses 80s to now and Mixx uses nothing but hits but the music is the same
Was going through Bairnsdale, Victoria the other day and listened to TR FM and Gold via the local translators.
What is going on there? Gold was low in modulation and sounded very “thin”. Whereas TR FM was either over deviating and/or incredibly over processed and clipped. Probably the former. Used ABC stations as a reference.
Does nobody there ever listen? Especially strange as Gold promotes its FM translator, serving only part of its licence area, over its AM parent station.
Huh strange. When I was there last Christmas they both sounded fine, and I’ve heard both in a lot of the shops around there - plus they have a sales office on the main street. You’d think they’d notice, surely?
speaking of tr fm it seems mix fm in horsham and tr fm in taralgon are playing the same songs atm
You would indeed. Except that if someone only ever listens to the one station they might not think anything of it. Just turn up/down the volume as required.
Yes I agree. TRFM on 99.9 has always been lacking and at one stage I recall was mono. Gold on 98.3 when it started has never been much better. Disappointing really so I stick with 1242.
I thought it would have been fed off air from 99.5 on Mt Tassie… so no need for it to be mono?
Or are there some minor on air differences between 99.5 and 99.9 eg sweepers?
Yes it’s a separate feed for 99.9 with different ads too. In Gippsland Ace Radio have all microwave fed STLs in a long daisy chain ending at Mt. Taylor. Nothing is being fed off air.
Traralgon Studio —>
—> Mt. Tassie (99.5 TRFM transmitter) —>
—> Myrtlebank (Gold 1242am transmitter) —>
—> Mt. Taylor (98.3 Gold and 99.9 TRFM transmitter).
It might even be direct from Mt Tassie to Mt Taylor but there is definitely two microwave dishes at the 1242am Myrtlebank site in the middle pointing in opposite directions (one to Mt Tassie and one to Mt Taylor). Could be redundant links though I doubt it. Fairly sure Mytrlebank is relaying while also taking the 1242am feed to the transmitter on site.
That’s good to hear that they are going to some effort to differentiate between them.
Unlike SCA where Port Macquarie and Kempsey are the same on air these days on both Hit and Triple M (though the former ROX FM used to have some differentiation in sweepers and community announcements back in the 1990s).
Further to this for those interested in some Gippsland Radio history - even in the single station days pre-2002 where Ace only operated 1242 3TR, they still relayed the microwave STL via Mt Tassie. I assume because there was no easy line of sight from Traralgon to Myrtlebank.
This is the Mytrlebank site:
Nice “3TR-FM 99.5” billboard there too, which I presume dates back to the FM switch in 2002.
Speaking of material from around that time period, here’s some snapshots of what I presume was the first TV commercial produced for 3TR-FM:
Still not quite sure how this one made its way into a collection of what was otherwise, mostly VHS dubs of Early 2000s ARN TV commercials (again, thanks to the Frankster for sending me those a while back) but there you go.
3TR turns 90 today.
Been Listening to 102.5 Edge FM while driving at Work(Work in Shepparton) and I love listening to the music compare to the Shepparton SCA stations. Much better Breakfast show than Triple M Shepparton.
I also notice the 1566 and 1521 signals are very poor during the day which used to be really good about 5 year ago. I notice they are not in the Shepparton Radio Area but been listening online and been enjoying the music on 2QN in the afternoon. The Mix of Talk and Music make me envious of Wangaratta and Deni area.
AS the past and current owners have not invested in required maintenance of their AM TX assets.
True, would love to see an alternative to RSN (old 3sr Freq) in Shepparton area on the AM band during the day
