Bendigo stations are also easily received in Ballarat so having the classic hits format will improve choice for listeners there, as the AC format had a lot of overlap with the Hot AC format of Power. At least they’ll have 2 Hot AC, 1 Rock and 1 classic hits format to choose from (aside from Triple J, ABC Classic and community radio).
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Looking at Lava, the change happened at 6pm ACST tonight, and seemed to be playing songs strictly from 1995 at the moment, presumably an episode of the 20/20 Retro Countdown.
This seemed to only apply to 5RM at the moment, as 5CS-5AU & 5CC have kept their “Classic Hits” format.
UPDATE: It appears that 5RM have gone back to the “Classic Hits” log at 8pm ACST.
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From Radio Today:
In sickness and in health: All hands on deck at Hobart’s 7HOFM
What happens when the dreaded lurgy strikes and the majority of staff at your radio station are off sick, including most of the announcers?
Hobart’s 7HOFM recently found out the hard way, with Content Director Allan Cameron pulling marathon shifts in order to keep the ARN station live and local.
7HOFM’s senior journalist and newsreader Britt Aylen also stepped up to the plate and hosted an on-air shift, drawing on her previous experience as an announcer at SAFM and Triple M Hobart.
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Generation Fresh winner Chelsea Barber lands her first commercial gig at Power FM SA
Less than a week after being crowned the winner of Generation Fresh on Adelaide’s Fresh 927, Chelsea Barber has already accepted her first commercial radio position.
From Monday, Chelsea will join Power FM SA, hosting Afternoons.
23 year-old Chelsea is a Murraylands local, calling the riverside town of Mannum home.
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For Sale - Gold Central Victoria’s studio and office in Bendigo:
https://www.realcommercial.com.au/for-sale/property-331-335-high-street-golden-square-vic-3555-504914852
Building is leased by the radio station.
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Kath Dwyer joins 5CC breakfast
The Eyre Peninsula’s 5CC has a brand new breakfast host, Kathryn Dwyer.
Kath is also a newcomer to radio. From Adelaide, she studied at the Australian Radio School under industry veteran Sean Craig Murphy. During her studies, she won the X Factor Award and the school’s in-house advertising writing competition.
Kath takes over from Brett Prince who is departing the dawn hours for a Content Director role with Eyre Peninsula Broadcasters earlier this month.
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Davo heads down south to K rock 95.5
After an extensive nation-wide search, Geelong’s K rock has announced that Hot100 Darwin Breakfast host Lauren ‘Davo’ Davidson will be joining Tim Bolch on Drive, while Jess Pantou Qazi heads off on 12 months of maternity leave from mid-September.
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Who will be hosting Hot100 Darwin breakfast while Davo is in Geelong?
I’m I correct in saying that 97.9 5AU is based in Port Augusta and 1044 5CS is based in Port Pirie and both stations are receivable in both areas, as well as in Whyalla? According the the ACMA website, 1044’s call sign is actually 5AU.
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That’s the way I see it too.. and it appears from their websites that they run the same format/network programming eg. Christian O’Connell, Retro 20/20 and I imagine they probably run the same music log as well.
Though 5AU and 5CS have the one Magic FM sister station on 105.9.
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I wish I knew. I find the whole 5CS/5AU licence areas and history baffling. Despite having it explained to me a few times 
. I just don’t get it. But my understanding is 5CS was Port Pirie and 5AU was Port Augusta, but both served Whyalla, kind of. What happened when they converted to FM I have no clue.
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5AU converted to FM in 2021, 1242AM to 97.9FM, 5CS didn’t and remains on 1044AM.
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Both also take the same Classic Hits Breakfast with Jordan Curtis, I’m guessing based out of Port Augusta.
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Interesting… I wonder what the purpose of 1044 is then? Perhaps they run different ads or have opt outs during shared programming with 5AU 97.9? As I understand, 97.9 should mirror the coverage of Magic 105.9 as they both broadcast from The Bluff, which is only 16 km north east of Port Pirie at 20,000 watts, so it should have excellent reception in Port Pirie as well as 5CS.
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I had a listen to both 5AU & 5CS over the last couple of days via the iheartradio app & apart from a different ad feed (both stations promote business in Port Augusta Port Pirie and Whyalla) and on air call signs, both are the same, same local news, weather etc. It’s a little confusing to me, basically I see it if your in the area and want to listen on FM choose 5AU and if you want AM transmitter choose 5CS.
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Where does Magic 105.9 fit in though?
Not sure, I haven’t looked into it yet lol!
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My understanding - 5CS was licensed for Port Pirie and 5AU was licensed for Port Augusta and in 2000/2001 the licences areas were merged and became one licence - 5AU continuing . 5CS was continued as a separate “brand” albeit it was just a secondary transmitter licence of 5AU. This is not really different to some other stations (2ST??) running different programs on different frequencies under one licence (which I also find counter-intuitive - in my mind, one licence = one program). Magic was the supplemental licence to 5AU. I wouldn’t be surprised that the creation of the single licence area was to prevent an auction situation which occurred requried by law where there was significant overlap rather than supplemental licences for “solus” areas.
Am guessing that overtime, the content of 5AU and 5CS has become fully networked and you would have to wonder why the dual brand “strategy” has continued rather than replace both with a generic name like Gold, so there is no apparent favouritism.
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Here’s an ABA Discussion Paper from July 2001 about what is being discussed above.
SpencerGulf_DiscPaper_July2001.pdf (368.0 KB)
Magic 105.9 is technically an FM conversion of 5CS.
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Local and loving it: Max’s radio tour rolls into town
Charles ‘Max’ Maxwell is a bit of a local rockstar.
Having called the Shoalhaven home for the past twelve years, the 2ST Breakfast host is a well-known figure in his community. And whether he’s casting a line or driving around the countryside, Max reckons he lives in the greatest place on earth.
This week, he’s out visiting his favourite places across the coast and the highlands, meeting listeners and broadcasting live as part of his ‘Local & Loving It Tour.’
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