2CA, 2CC & ABC Canberra were affected by this afternoon’s storm, which caused them to go off air for a while.
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And broadcasting. One thing for the TX site to be out but the studios too.
Question must be asked, why isn’t the backup geni/UPS keeping the studio lights on?
What are the active digital blocks transmitted from Black Mtn?
9C for national?
Is 8D on for the commercials or still on the trial allocation of 10B?
Yes.
It’s most likely still on the trial allocation of 10B. Full-time commercial DAB+ transmissions should commence sometime in the first half of this year.
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Thanks, when they have the new TX acquired and commissioned, the change will happen.
I will be staying on a farm at Mt Fairy on Tue night, north east of Bungendore, south west of Tarago. I will let you all know of the eastern fringe reception and will keep hitting the manual tune button for 9C at the high points on MR 92 from Nowra.
My time at the computer to research is limited between now and then, so any suggestions of high points is welcome.
I’m fortunate that the following day, will be travelling north perhaps via Gundaroo, Gunning, Crookwell and across the Lachlan to Oberon likely via Tuena, so will really be testing the fringe coverage of this great new 18.5kW ERP transmitter.
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Based on @Radiohead’s reception of Canberra DAB - you would assume the commercials were on the channel 10 frequency unallocated to DTV is Syndey area.
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I forgot about a email I sent to SCA asking for Mix 106.3 to be rebranded to a Triple M station… I just got a reply:
" Hi Aaron, thanks for the message.
We don’t have any plans to rebrand MIX106.3 CBR to MMM.
Our on air product is a little different in that apart from some excellent weekday shows with Kennedy Molloy and Luke Bona – all our music and content is managed and created in Canberra.
We think that our uniquely Canberra station supported by the legendary MMM brand is just perfect as MIX106.3.
Please stay in touch and let me your thoughts about how the station and our shows are travelling.
Cheers Rod"
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It’s good that there are no plans to change the name.
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I disagree; if SCA keep programming both stations they should just ditch the facade of competiton & rebrand to Triple M, or there should be a break-up of this dodgy shared company managing both of Canberra’s commercial FM radio stations.
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Whilst only a minor point, the MIX brand is not really uniquely Canberra. Now there are less MIX brands around I guess it is more unique.
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I will say this again, Canberra needs a third commercial fm station. Be it 2CA converting to fm, or Nova entertainment launching a Nova / Smooth / Star 95.1 station.
2XX need to have 95.1 Tuggeranong taken off them as they still have not launched their repeater service. This frequency needs to be realocated to Canberra in a revised Lap for a third commercial fm licence.
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Let’s be realistic here: Probably the only reasons the old Mix brand and especially the former Mix Network logo design has been kept for 106.3 Canberra is because they can’t exactly use the KIIS-style logo (which I believe Mix 102.3 Adelaide uses) in a joint venture where the sister station is Hit 104.7 while the “Pure Gold” brand is probably encroaching onto 2CA territory too much.
I’d also be willing to predict that in a regional provincial semi-metro (aside from covering the nation’s capital, the wider Canberra radio listening area has a population North of 500k, doesn’t it?) radio market with no commercial FM competition, the Canberra stations aren’t the highest of priorities for SCA/ARN - branding wise or in general - just as long as 104.7 and 106.3 are each consistently getting shares somewhere around the 10-15% mark.
Unless Canberra ever gets a third commercial FM station (whether that means 2CA converting to FM or a new player entering the market), the market will probably always remain in the “status quo” position it’s been in for a good two decades or so.
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There are other allocated Tuggeranong frequencies that have never been put to air either (SBS 103.1 and 1CMS 107.9) but I agree 95.1 is the most suitable of these to put to air from Black Mountain at 20kw (far enough away from Bathurst to not interfere with the new 2BS-FM?).
I agree Canberra should have a 3rd commercial FM station via an AM conversion.
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Does anyone have the http://fred.aimapi.io/ link for Mix 106.3? I tested using the callsign, and that one could’ve been outdated (Hit 104.7’s callsign however shows up with the current songs)…
It appears that Richard Perno is stepping down from presenting 2CC’s “Canberra Live” drive program, as they’re looking for a new drive presenter.
See job ad (via Radioinfo) here: https://www.radioinfo.com.au/jobs/2cc-drive-personality
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Mix 106.3 getting ready for the arrival of Jimmy Barnes at Songland Records at Cooleman Court, Weston Creek.
He finally arrived.
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2CC are doing a 4BC, with Alan Jones to take over breakfast from Tim Shaw, who will move to the drive program, the only local program to remain on the station during weekdays. As a result, Ray Hadley will be extended to a full 3-hour program. The changes will start from Monday 15th July.
Source: Radioinfo
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Personally, I don’t think 2CC’s ratings (which from all reports have been poor in recent years) will be helped by the decision to replace their local breakfast show with Alan Jones.
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The reduction of local content is sad, but I think this will be good for 2CC’s ratings. I don’t expect a ratings bonanza for them by any means, but Hadley and Jones are usually the best ratings of the day for them and I know of at least a few people (myself included) who stream Alan live rather than waiting around for his highlights show at 11am.
I expect 2CC to regain some listeners who abandoned them for streaming of 2GB, plus some federal Coalition staffers when they’re in town, and maybe a few curious Canberrans who want to check out what one of the most influential broadcasters in the country is talking about. Whether that improves the rest of the day’s figures, I don’t know, but I certainly hope Tim Shaw can bring most of his breakfast audience to Drive.
If nothing else, it will make Michael McLaren’s daily announcement that Alan Jones will be on after the 5:30 news make sense!
Personally I wish there was a tad more local programming (maybe an hour at 8am of “Canberra’s Morning News”, or a local show at midday where Chris Smith was and Steve Price will probably be) but given 2CC’s ratings I’m not surprised they have decided they can only sustain one local weekday show for now.
If this works out for 2CC, I expect Macquarie to run Alan live in to 6PR as “early breakfast” before long.
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