On the topic of special event licences, the ACMA has thrown a curveball by licensing 91.1 MHz in the Sydney CBD. ‘Bankstown and Surrounding Areas Community Radio Inc’ has a temporary licence on this frequency from 22 March-21 April inclusive. The format is Islamic. It’s quite strong here and can be heard at least as far as the Illawarra.
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The above service would also hamper reception of both 90.9 ABC Newsradio from the Illawarra & C91.3 from Campbelltown in Sydney’s inner suburbs, meaning that it would be easier to pick up the Wollongong & Central Coast commercial stations than C91.3 in that part of the city. It’s pretty much like how 91.6 from Sydney CBD effectively wipes out reception of 91.7 2ST in the Illawarra when it’s on.
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Thanks dxnerd,
You’ve beaten me to the post/observation re 91.1.
There’s a peculiar aspect to this licence that I too noticed (before reading your post.)
- You look at the Client name: Bankstown and Surrounding Areas Community Radio Inc & content. How does the city transmitter location on a government building with only 100Watts of power actually serve geographically the Arabic speaking community in that region?
Ramadan is a couple of months off yet, so what is the special event (excusing my ignorance)?
We should all email ACMA to complain. Get these temp freqs moved somewhere more palatable.
Given one of the stations is a Islamic station, you’d probably get a reaction like this:
Seriously, I doubt ACMA’s going to care. If your excuse is I can’t hear a Wollongong or Gosford station in Sydney, I can bet their response will be either listen over the web, or get over it, it’s only temporary and the technical specs are designed that way. Remember, you’re dealing with government bureaucracy.
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Yes, the ACMA’s view has always been any listening of ‘out of area’ stations to be considered as fortuitous and not grounds for needing to change a frequency or operating specs of the ‘interfering’ service.
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Is the Community Radio thread really the right one to discuss Show Radio in? Anyway…
I live in a location fairly close to Homebush and although the reception of Show Radio on 107.9FM has generally been listenable in previous years, the reception of Show Radio 107.9 is rather ordinary this year! 
TBH, I personally think it’d be better to have these special event services on DAB+ in the metropolitan markets. Apparently Show Radio is being “supported by iHeartRadio” judging by some of the on-air branding, so you’d think ARN (with their connections to both iHeartRadio and the Sydney Royal Easter Show) could give AFTRS/Show Radio even 32kbps for a couple of weeks.
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Good point. At least FM & DAB+ would have been good.
Well that 107.9 silent carrier transmission, supposedly from Hurstville is (still) an illegal transmission as not listed in ACMA radio register.
Given prior comments I would think it best for someone to contact Show Radio & tell them that their FM transmission is being interfered with by an illegal FM transmission operating from Hurstville & instruct them to alert ACMA. I think that would be a better way to execute the complaint with ACMA.
BTW I see the ACMA radio interference inspectors busy up on the Gold Coast pre Commonwealth Games activities, ref their facebook page.
And yes this topic should have been initiated on the Narrowcast forum, my bad sorry.
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Unfortunately, the same does not ring true for community radio.
A power vacuum at Redlands based community station, Bay FM 100.3 saw Ted Seymour and Tony Edwards of FM 104 80’s era hired as ‘consultants’. They have drastically reduced specialist, community programming (outside of prime time as it was), resulted in an exodus of many members, replaced by a few outsiders and dictated the music position which has seen its point of difference removed and is now a poor imitation of current offerings of commercial stations. They are not well liked, hence minimal involvement from members.
And yes, the promo writing and production is dated from the 80’s.
There’s always old excommercial guys dying to get back into it via community radio, missing the point of what it’s supposed to be.
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4CRB’s long serving newsman Maurie Service has died:
3XY, 3DB, 3KZ, 3NE and 3TR as well as 4GG.
He did a good job of reading well at his age the headlines of the local newspaper.
Radio Blue Mountains (89.1) has been right channel stereo sound only since the weekend.
I’m surprised this hasn’t been fixed that.
Ring and ask and find out?
Has anyone heard of community stations initiating ‘consultation groups’ comprising of non members to advise the station on future programming decisions???
I think I’ve might have heard that happen. I think JOY 94.9 were doing the same. Funnily enough, Magic 1278 were doing the same right before it went to Talking Lifestyle.
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So in other words, it’s lip service? They didn’t listen.
Is it a tactic that gives ACMA the impression the community station is in touch with its licensed community?
Heard on Salt FM (106.5)
“Less sponsor spots per hour - so they stand out more”.
Who are they competing with for listeners - Sunshine FM?
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Not the best written promo is it @TV.Cynic? Good find to mention, thank you.
It should be written in a way both the audience and clients/potential clients understand it.
You’re right, exactly less than what other choice?
It would appear that they are referring to Sunshine FM.
I think the wording is okay, except I would call it “programme sponsor announcements” and not “spots”.
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2NBC 90.1 Narwee have recently moved their studio to Kogarah.
Pics & address here:
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