You would think so. 
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I kinda think there’s two sides of SCA - the one that wants to oppose conversions in markets like Newcastle, Perth, Warragul and Canberra that would disadvantage them - and the one that wants to see the back of AM.
Basically, does SCA have enough competitive markets where they are the AM station to be worth it, versus the markets where it would bring a weak AM competitor to FM.
I suppose nothing would stop them being cynical and asking for FM conversions while opposing others…
The core license is the AM one though right, my understanding is the FMs are all translators?
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And the AM licence is for Warwick rather than Toowoomba.
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Ah, I get you now.
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Well no, the Toowoomba licence area is a single amalgamated area that includes both Toowoomba and Warwick. Due to history the 4WK AM transmitter provides better coverage for Warwick than Toowoomba hence they managed to get an FM translator approved for Toowoomba. It’s still all one licence area.
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According to the ACMA Stations book, 4GR is the only AM station serving Toowoomba. 4WK’s AM frequency serves Warwick. Both are part of the Toowoomba/Warwick License Area Plan.
The 95.5 FM translator replaced the 1359 AM one. So it was a conversion on a smaller scale since they are both low powered.
4AK is technically a Oakey station
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Yes, I recall some listings from years ago that listed Oakey instead of Toowoomba. The 4AK Road TX is also near Oakey.
Wonder why they went with 4AK instead of 4OK? Would have gone nicely with 4YOU, 4US and 4AM! Perhaps sounded too corny?
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AFAIK they were owned by 4BK so the AK/BK may have been appealing.
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Would be good if ACMA had the foresight to trial such a novel idea in their ‘home town’.
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Have SCA blocked B92 agreement in Warragul? @Moe
That’s correct.
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Seemingly not. I was just naming markets where SCA’s the one on FM and they have potential competitors on AM that might want to convert, but should have looked at the doc.
The big list in the document has Albury, Warragul and Sale listed as markets where all steps are done, so I assume the actual proposal for the LAP alteration is the next step, so those should all be close.
Albury is weird - why would 2AY want FM conversion when ACE have skipped it in markets like Colac where they are unopposed?
Maryborough (vic), Murwillumbah, Muswellbrook, Canberra and Atherton are the ones that are awaiting “Guidance notes”, but say they have obtained the in-market agreement.
Bunbury is the only market listed without the “in market” agreement as a yes, but with the form submitted.
Newcastle, Dubbo, Coffs Harbour, Kempsey, Orange and Toowoomba are all at the “expressed interest” stage only, so I would think given those are all BOG markets, it is BOG that is expressing interest in conversion so far, but SCA aren’t opposed, just slow on seeking their own conversions in competitive markets?
I dunno, just none of this kind of thing usually goes smoothly, so I might be seeking out a catch that’s not there…
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Thanks @moe, I asked the question before falling asleep, read the document this morning.
Perhaps ACE want to be on an equal footing in Albury where competitors are on FM? 2AY may have a failing TX they don’t want to replace?
Hopefully 3NE also converts to FM as its AM coverage is poor. 102.1 covers a huge area.
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Yes to all of that, and that FM is cheaper to operate in the long run, which would be the prime consideration. Mainly why BOG is doing it, they don’t get much benefit otherwise since their AM is mostly content.
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It’s all about competition. ACE would see it as they can get more advertising dollars in Albury that are currently going to SCA. In their solus markets they already have 100% of the radio advertising so they’d say it would be much harder to increase that amount.
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I’ll also add that 2AY’s AM transmitter is on some prime development land and (assuming they own it) they would easily get $1 million plus from selling it off.
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Yes competition & advertising revenue is mostly what it’s all about, AM/FM operating costs are pretty much irrelevant, though that’s what a lot of stations would have you think the reasoning for conversion.
The only real difference in ongoing operating costs between AM & FM is the maintenance upkeep of the antenna (AM Mast) vs FM Antenna with leased space on a tower owned & maintained by someone else.
Modern AM transmitters are quite efficient to run, lets say you run a 5kW AM transmitter & to get the same coverage, including antenna gain you need a 5kW FM transmitter (in many cases it’ll be more transmitter power needed for equivalent FM coverage).
As an example, using a new Nautel NX series AM transmitter, they are 86% efficient (power in - power out) at 5kW, & a new Nautel NVlt Series FM transmitter is 72% efficient (power in - power out) at 5kW, so the AM transmitter would use less electricity & cost less to operate than the FM one would.
And land they can sell off for big bucks that the AM site might be sitting on, over land almost useless on the top of a rocky hill, but then using 2HD Newcastle as an example, the AM transmitter site is in a swap pond, selling that land to use for anything else will not be at a premium price, in fact it might not even be saleable?
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But we have stations in solus markets converting too, as others have said, since they are the only operators, their revenue probably won’t increase much purely from converting from AM to FM.
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Yeah but where are most of them located & what sort of prime land is the AM transmitter site sitting on, they could make hundreds of thousands, if not a million or so selling it off for housing or industrial development. Even selling the land to the neighbouring local farmer for a few hundred thousand.
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