Ace has applied to AMCA for an FM repeater for Gold 1242 (3GV) at Bairnsdale on 98.3 MHz.
http://www.acma.gov.au/theACMA/proposed-variation-sale-and-remote-radio-laps
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They should probably ditch 1242 altogether and get an additional FM frequency in the Latrobe Valley too like they have currently for TRFM.
Proposed idea:
Latrobe Valley
- TRFM 99.5
- Gold 98.3
Bairnsdale
- TRFM 99.9
- Gold 99.1
This is assuming 99.1 is free? I’d move 98.3 to the Latrobe Valley as in Bairnsdale it’s probably a little too close to ABC RN on 98.7 in Orbost.
On this though, it is odd that TRFM is 99.5 in the Latrobe Valley as this frequency is also used for 3RPH in Geelong. I would have thought 99.9 would have been more suitable for Latrobe Valley and 99.5 could be used in Bairnsdale being a lot further from Geelong. 99.5/99.9 have been on-air since 2002.
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Gold (3GV) are not eligible for a full AM to FM conversion, hence why they won’t have a high-power FM licence from Mt Tassie for the Latrobe Valley. The reason is because of its huge overlap with the Warragul licence area in the Latrobe Valley.
I agree that 98.3 or 99.9 should be used as the commercial FM frequencies for Traralgon / Sale (and not 99.5).
But I would have allocated 99.1 to Bairnsdale, not 99.5.
This is so stations maintain the 0.8 mhz spacing in their markets.
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However the licence areas were amended to allow for s.39 licences to be issued.
Current s.30 figures show a 42% overlap of Warragul RA1 in Sale RA1 but below 30% for Warragul.
ACE to become majority owners of 3NE/Edge FM and 2QN/Edge FM from November 1.
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Not really good at all
How sad we have such a lack of choice how it is. My mum often has the car tuned into 2qn and i personally listen to the Edge more than any local station because i feel the local ACE stations don’t cater to my taste.
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Edge I like that for a FM radio name, would be nice to see them use that as there main FM network but I could never see that happening! I think MIXX is here to stay…
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Ace stations are just repeaters of 3AW content across Victoria bar a couple of local shows, kinda sad really.
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Yep, I feel sorry for people living in Swan Hill and other area where ACE are because of the lack of music variety. (Unless you are a under 30 year old female). Last time I was listening, all I heard on Mixx was just top 40 pop music while 3SH was talk back. I think Mixx should go more Hot AC, like the BOG FM stations since the AM network are Talkback.
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If there’s only two stations in a market, neither should be talk.
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Agree mate, most places have the ABC.
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Agree, a morning talkback show like Ray Hadley or Neil Mitchell is more than enough.
This doesnt auger well for 2QN, 3NE and The Edge.
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And Commercial Radio Australia are wondering why people are turning to online sources for music…
Outside of the big markets, I will stream radio or use my iPod. Very rarely in country areas do I listen to the radio.
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I’m in a ACE radio area and I can tell you CD.s are always playing in the car and thank god for I heart radio and Spotify around home!
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The Ace media release quotes Dave Robertson giving Ace a fair whack of credit:
O&M footy coverage
Local news
Commercial v/o talent
No surprise that these stations were run to the bone. Not heard them recently, so no idea they were too tight to employ their own journo (local newspaper and presser rip and read?).
Can understand the footy games within Albury RA1 being covered by 2AY for 3NE, this happened/happens all over the nation.
The v/o talent makes you wonder who did the production, outsourced that to 2AY also?
3NE had given up the fight long ago delegating to 2AY it seems.
Edge currently runs automation for a large part of the day and weekends. Wouldn’t hear much change with ACE in, only a wider spread of voice track ‘talent’.
As for the Mixx format, poorly advised Melbourne dwellers calling the shots? Under 40 format needs to be more diverse than a FOX/Nova replica.
Would be good if Ace spent more on engineering for 2QN’s s.39. Their Edge FM coverage is disappointing from Deni. Yes it’s flat out there, but, yes, they have mast with antenna bays more than 150m AGL and yet the coverage does not make it 100km.
102.5’s coverage seems okay to the south and east… I have received it at fair levels in Shepparton and even Albury in the past. Not sure about other directions though.
One thing I don’t understand with ACE is why they use different FM branding in Warrnambool and Traralgon in COAST FM and 3TR FM. Why they’re not also known as MIXX seems odd to me.
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Can’t answer for Warrnambool, but in the Latrobe Valley, 3TR and 3GG were pretty much head to head competitors (and at one point, 3GG had studios in the Valley). So unlike say, Horsham where ACE competed with ACE from surrounding areas and the heritage brand was left on AM, in the Latrobe Valley the heritage brand was taken to FM as 3TRFM with the hope of holding the audience and the advertisers, whilst 3GG launched SEAfm (later STAR, now HIT). From an advertising income viewpoint, a significant portion of ads on both 3GG/SEA and 3GV/TRFM are from the Latrobe Valley, so protecting the advertiser base was presumably part of the rationale. If the listeners stay, the advertisers will… given 3YB was surrounded by 3HA, 3CS and 3WM - can’t explain Warrnambool.
BTW IIRC, 3TR actually reduced its licence area to exclude the western portion of the Latrobe Valley so that it would be able to apply for a s39 licence rather than face the competitive tender with a new player. The fear of competition runs high…
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True mate, south and east are good, but when you are traveling 30 Km to 50 Km north towards Hay it start to fade out. I can pick up 102.5 in some parts of Shepparton.
It would make sense for advertising reasons to rename them to one name, either The Edge or Mixx. I think Edge would be the more suited.
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