ARN Regional (formerly Grant Broadcasters)

Yes that’s what I think too. They won’t want to mess with it much but it’s not that big of a change from Hot Tomato to Hot 1029.

Personally I’ve always hated Hot Tomato as a station name, hope they ditch it eventually :slight_smile:

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I agree, I don’t really like the name either.

I can only think there must have a trademark related reason why they couldn’t use HOT FM at the time, possibly due to the former DMG stations in North QLD that become HIT, and/or with local community radio station Radio Metro that originally started out as HOTT FM.

I just presumed it was named after Hans Torv? Why the tomato part I’m not sure, but the HT made sense

It’s unique, I’ll give them that, but agree I’m not a fan. Still, made to change it now given how successful the station is

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TO(rv)MA(an)TO(rv)

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RDS: 1029 HOT

Truncated at least in the RDS text since RDS was switched on :wink:

There will have to be some changes. The structure of running one station doesn’t perfectly match being one station among many. Music etc is not part of that.

As likely covered in the Radio History, Gold Coast, DMG or Community Radio threads, this is what happened.

ABA release outcome that one FM licence will be auctioned on the Gold Coast in 2002.

In 2001, DMG approach the then aspirant/TCBL 105.7 Hott FM. They offer a logo, positioner and name change and surely money? Hott accept and became ‘Radio Metro’, positioner: It’s all about the music.

2002, DMG approach auction day with the word Hot vacant for the market but are the underbidder, the first and only time DMG aren’t the successful bidder in a major market auction.

2004, DMG sell regional assets (save for Star Gosford) to Macquarie Bank.

Trademarks are generally defended only where used. Yes, some have tried it on community stations who have buckled but this is the exception.

Tomato (three original shareholders) is named in similar fashion to Makybe Diva (named after staff).

Mann.

The rest is correct.

It’s a unique name I agree, however, it’s reached #1 and remained at or near the top.

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Thanks all for clarifying the origin of the rather unique name, appreciate it, and I guess it makes perfect sense now you point it out

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Boring observation but Magic 93.1 in the Riverland has increased the quality of their online streaming within the last day. At least it doesn’t sound like a 64kbps stream broadcasting underwater anymore

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Looks like they got RDS at the same time. Although I’m hearing a very faint background noise from 5RM bleeding in now.

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I’m not currently in the region but the feedback is still there on the online stream

It’s definitely 5RM bleeding through

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From Radioinfo:

Beginning on December 1st, Geelong, Bellarine and the Surf Coast will for the first time have access to up-to-the-minute live local and national news 7 days a week, following the expansion of the K rock and bay 93.9 news team.

The move will allow newsmakers and emergency services across Geelong greater access to the region’s top news service, ensuring that important stories can be delivered quickly and accurately right across the weekend.

Read more at: https://radioinfo.com.au/news/good-news-more-news-geelong

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So what money are they saving to reallocate resources on the weekend to news?

Of course River 949 has been running local news on the weekend for years.

When the Hot Tomato sale completes, they also have news on the weekend and have done so since the start in 2003.

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GB also instated weekend news in Tasmania a few months ago.

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Great idea as we don’t get local TV news here and newscorp love paywalls

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Grant Broadcasters accused of underpaying casual staff for weekend work.

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Janet has not been taking enough notice of how Bill ‘manages’ such matters.

4CC running local shifts tonight due to the bushfires in the region.

4RO continues with Steve Price’s shift out of 2GB, which as I speak features Andrew Bolt laughing about the name of the Victorian shadow Attorney-General. Live and local, yeah? (Edit: This Facebook post suggests they’re doing half-hourly updates)

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Just saw on their website that 4RO’s positioner is now “The Talk of Central Queensland”, implying that it now has a mostly talk format. Its previous positioner was “Classic Hits”, which is now being used by sister station 4CC, carrying the same log as heard on Zinc 96, 4BU, 4MK & 4CA.

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Make sense, since 4CC has had the same music log as Zinc, 4BU, 4MK and 4CA for the past 12 months.

I guess Grant Broadcaster would love to convert 4RO or 4CC to FM so they could have a Star in CQ and keep the other Classic Hits. 4CC would be the ideal one to convert to FM.

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Guess changes are been put into place… watch this space i reckon!!!

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It always has been talk since the AM’ers have been bundled together.

Talk in morning, sport in early evening and so on through until bfast.