Would be good if so and see streets in it named after the site eg. Radio Road, Signal Street, Broadcast Boulevard,
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Can receive on the Hunter Valley SDR albeit with interference.
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And it’s gone, around 2:50-2:51 PM, with the final farewell starting at 2:49 PM (i.e. 1449). The last song was New Kid in Town by The Eagles.
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On Google it doesn’t look like the lands that big. Enough for around 10 houses and one street I’d say.
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The land easily floods… plenty of historical pictures around to show it.
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Some interesting talk in the latest FYSO 2023-28 update from ACMA about possible AM to FM conversions in the pipeline - emphasis my own
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Yet still no conversion in footnote 4 for competitive markets such as:
Bunbury,
Mildura,
Maryborough/Bendigo,
Ballarat,
Shepparton,
Dubbo,
Orange,
Port Macquarie,
Coffs Harbour,
Toowoomba,
Maryborough,
Bundaberg,
Rockhampton/Gladstone,
Mackay,
Cairns,
Kingaroy & the other decoupled two station markets that Macquarie had to divest due to a lack of voices in small markets (Resonate AM only markets).
If all converted, would be interesting to see if Craig sold Spirt SEN for a quick cash injection (hopefully to ARN, so the ASX would hopefully be informed of the sale price).
Maryborough Qld another example of this where Tabcorp could sell the FM licence to ARN. They could keep operating as a HPON on 1161 as done in Launceston.
Less transparent would be the sale of 1260 & 1314 Shep & Ballarat respectively. Again, same could happen as per the Maryborough & Launceston circumstances.
Ballarat the most interesting as Blyton & Camplin own the AM commercial there. Could Kevin retain it, convert to FM and operate a competitive format?
In the solus market conversions, Albany still yet to happen? Despite approval?
Lismore is going to be interesting, outside of 91.3, very limited high power allocations without another inefficient and compromised multi site solution.
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Is that Maryborough QLD or Maryborough VIC?
The document doesn’t specify but my intel is that it’s Maryborough, Vic (i.e. 3EL/Gold)
is mentioned in footnote 4
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Interesting but how is Muswellbrook a competitive market? ARN own the only 2 stations in that market. There is some overlap with the Newcastle FM stations, as they can be easily received in Muswellbrook but they are not Muswellbrook stations.
I didn’t know there was an AM station in Ballarat. I thought it was a monopoly solus market with ARN owning the only 2 stations there. A third FM station there would make it interesting, as it’s a much smaller market than even Geelong.
Not really in Muswellbrook, but definitely is the case in Singleton, which is the largest town in the licence area.
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I was there recently and in the car they be easily received.
It’s because of the overlap. 30% is the magic number, and 32.19% of the Muswellbrook licence area is also in the Newcastle licence area. Singleton is official in both licence areas.
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I see. Thanks for clarifying.
I believe 3HA Hamilton is to be converted to FM, i have been trying to find out when ?
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Currently 1314 3BT operates (is leased) as a relay for RSN 927, so not many would think there is a third commercial station. It is the original 3BA licence and I believe it is owned by Capital Radio Network.
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I believe it’s in the ACMA pile last time I spoke to that station about it….
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Is that a rule for conversion to even be considered? Or just a number to define what is in fact a “competitive market”.
I would think the latter since it seems to then be up to the licensees across both overlapping markets to agree on an outcome.
Noting this text in the ACMA document:
Proceeding with these variations may depend on the relevant licensees making timely strategic business decisions on available implementation options.
Also when they say “variations” is it simply enabling the FM conversion or are some markets negotiating further changes to the geographic license areas.
Converting to FM is an opportunity to review license boundaries given the new FM transmitters can and could cover a slightly different geographic area.
I’m also thinking a lot about the SCA and Ace overlapping areas (Sale/Warragul, Deniliquin/Shepparton and Albury/Wangaratta). Given Ace and SCA are in considerable partnership now, do they want to review their overlapping areas?
Possibly increase or decrease the overlap. Increasing the overlap would be good, an almost radio version of aggregation would mean more services in some areas.
Examples: Edge and 2QN FM (converted to FM) with more power into Shepparton and conversely Triple M and Hit with more power towards Deniliquin. In Gippsland, TRFM and Gold (converted to FM) with more power towards Warragul and then Triple M and 3GG (converted to FM) with more power towards Sale.
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I think the CRA’s preferred position is to minimise overspill, so sadly can’t see that happening.
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