I can see that not much could change in Brisbane (perhaps unfortunately).
ARN with B105 as the latest hits station, MMM with a male skewed with classic rock, football on weekends.
ACP with KISS as essentially a variety station. Most eras of music with concentration on latest and recent hits plus 80s and 90s. Perhaps 80s themed weekends etc.
Though it doesn’t matter who owns which.
Anyone reckon Nova will be on the blower to Anchorage about picking up FM stations in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide (after selling 5AA) to expand Smooth FM to those cities? Potentially a quick W for both Nova and Anchorage.
While it sounds like a sound plan, I don’t think Nova are in the market for acquisitions and have a 5 metro station would be too valuable for ACP to break it up.
Nova should sell FiveAA to Nine Radio and purchase Cruise1323 making it into smooth1323.
Some random thoughts on ARNs tilt at SCA:
in 1986 Austereo (Adelaide Stereo FM) paid $43.2M for Fox FM and Triple M (Rod Muir) paid $37.5M for Eon FM. In today’s dollars thats worth $253.6M or $28.1M more than the reported $225.5M bid for SCA comprising 99 radio stations plus regional tv stations. Assuming the tv operations have no value, thats a clear demonstration of the relative decline in value of radio.
For Fox FM it will be a little bit back to the future, having acquired Gold104 (KZFM) in 1994 as a stable mate after it went into receivership as it struggled to pay the debts from FM conversion. Ownership lasted barely a year, as the Austereo acquisition of Hoyts Media (Triple M) in 1995 meant Gold104 was sold to ARN to meet the two station rule.
when Macquarie Bank brought together DMG Regional and RG Capital in 2005, ACMA took a fairly strong view with regards to the two station rule and the operations of AMI, which IIRC AMI acquired but had Macquarie intitially continuing to run. I would expect this would apply. Whilst ACMA may be viewed as being in the industry’s pocket - they do not like playing favourites amongst them. They do not want Nine or Nova on the warpath.
When comparing an ACE or Capital Radio Network with ARN or SCA, it is chalk and cheese - smell of an oily rag versus full service offerings. I would expect ACP with the “benefits” of private ownership will quickly move to an ACE style operation. SCA has already done the part of stripping down the on-air components (especially Hit regional stations) so I think the most exposed areas will be backoffice activities (like HR, Legal, Finance - if you’re not listed, do you really need all these people).
As for who gets which stations, apart from what has been anounced on the metro stations, I reckon we will only know when someone yells Uno and plays the last card and there are alot of cards in the deck. Grab your drink and settle in.
They should. And also pick up 4BH in the process and launch Smooth 1116 & DAB
The Smooth DAB stations in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth do well, but having an analogue presence even on AM would certainly help.
You woul have to think Nova are all over what’s happening and working out what they want if it does come down to a stoush with ACMA. Particularly given their joint ventures with ARN in Perth and Brisbane. For example, an extreme example might be to sacrifice a Hit station in Brisbane ane Perth to allow a free run for Nova and KIIS in those cities, and having Smooth on FM. Eg. KIIS 97.3, Nova 106.9, Triple M and Smooth 105.3. Unlikely of course but it would be better for the listener.
One good thing about the ARN metros if this all happens. Hopefully they’ll upgrade to Zetta. Considering their regional network is already on Zetta. And all of SCA.
Already are - only Sydney is left on NexGen now.
Probably because of Kyle. I know when he started at KIIS he hated having to learn NexGen, hence why he has a panel op helper.
KIIS still uses NexGen?
KIIS Melbourne were still using NexGen up until a couple of weeks ago but have now only just started using Zetta.
SCA CEO John Kelly has been attempting to court alternate interest in the deal. The article hints at potential interest from SWM and ACM.
Meanwhile, someone has been hitting SCA investors offering to buy their shares - one significant institutional investor received an offer from an unknown party prior to the announcement offering to buy their whole share.
SCA’s AGM is on Friday too - could be interesting
I’m not sure this mooted deal is the best for the radio and broader media industry in Australia. I would like to see SCA be swallowed up by a large media conglomerate.
Who can realistically swallow them whole without having to part out significant chunks?
I don’t buy that we get a net benefit from concentrating ownership further - appreciate that attracting ‘new’ money into the sector is incredibly tough, but our current owners serve us poorly, and allowing their remits to get bigger is a shit outcome.
As if ACM can raise the capital involved…
I look forward to their newspapers being used as proxies for pushing any bid
Somewhat agree but I don’t think ARN can be trusted. And then farming off to private equity doesn’t fill me with confidence.
Also there’s been hardly any mention of the management of the worthless tv division.
It’s all far too messy and overall concerning.
I can’t see Anchorage being in it long-term - they’ll be actively looking for a buyer or to spin it out again once they’re confident they can achieve a return.
No one in their right mind is going to buy them separately, unless its SWM and Ten/Paramount, and its become clear that neither is particularly interested either in SCA’s previous attempts to sell out.
SWM and Ten/Paramount aren’t interested at the, say, 5x EBITDA that SCA would be seeking.
That being said, the recent Prime acquistion suggests that the Seven affiliates (at the least) could end up with SWM.
ACP maybe? The more shares they own (combined with ARN) the more they can control the board. If they can get to 50% between they get the deal they want.