To look at it generously (and with little more than this report to go off) - it seems like a small group of volunteers trying their best to make it work. Unfortunately, that’s simply not enough these days.
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It is a shame. I spent a good 5 years at AppleFm! Finished up there a couple years ago before moving to the Geelong area and joining 94.7 The Pulse. It does feel like many of the really small community radio stations are struggling these days - a lack of volunteers putting their hand up, financial pressures, and the ongoing challenge of keeping stations running sustainably with the rise in podcasting, Spotify etc.
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As we have alluded to before, the sub metro community stations are under the most pressure. They can’t really compete with the ‘big boys’ in the city. I have noticed a few pivoting to the mainstream, presumably chasing audience share such as Northside Radio in Sydney. They would be quite a well off station one would think, given the demography of the area, so this is quite telling. We might see some sub metro stations amalgamate in the future which would be a sensible option in the face of declining viability. This may also free up a few FM frequencies.
At least small regional community stations are in a slightly better position given the lack of true local competition in some towns, Braidwood being a good example (the Goulburn stations have no presence in town at all).
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Like I talked about a year ago, with the struggles of a couple of the stations in Sydney (2SER and 2FBI), Stereo 974 shutting down a couple of years ago in Brooklyn, now 3APL in Bacchus Marsh, plus VAR turning off their AM in the cap cities to save money, the Communicatons Minister needs to get all the community stations together (an inquiry) and start look at the ways to merge stations.
The money is drying up (even for the big boys) and volunteers are harder to come by (hello the YouTube, Instagram and TikTok generation). We can pretend like it’s the peak of community radio back in the mid-late 90s. A lot has changed in 30 years.
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Should the same be for those who supply services to community stations? Like should National Radio News merge with AIR News? Will we see more ‘networked’ community shows?
The grassroots fight to keep community radio station 2SER afloat is stepping up with a special broadcast on Monday night (May 18) by ABC radio veterans Robbie Buck and Richard Kingsmill, who are returning to the 2SER microphone to celebrate the station’s role in Sydney’s music scene and to discuss its future.
You can hear Kingsmill and Buck’s return to the airwaves and listen to some tunes at 7pm on 2SER 107.3 FM in Sydney, or online.
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Does Macquarie Uni still co-own the license?
I can think of one way that could raise the money to keep funding 2SER and it involves removing their logo from a certain pack of arsehats. 
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3MBR not far from going silent
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I suppose some of it comes down to how much is there still a cohesive ‘community’ - 3APL came into existence when Bacchus Marsh was certainly a distinct ‘town’ - rather than the commuter outer suburb of Melbourne that it is today.
97.4 probably got similarly hit with the gentrification of a lot of the inner western suburbs, changing the demographics and pricing out the people who would have naturally gotten involved in community organisations.
I’d personally just let the sub metro stations be commercial - the low power level is enough of a handicap. Even if you ended up with quasi networks, a local content requirement like regional radio would mean at least something of relevance to the region, which is lost anyway if they just go off air entirely.
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97.4 wasn’t a gentrification problem.
It was one bloke rigged things to have full control, ran off most of the presenters (to Wyn FM or 979 FM) and turned the station into a little cash cow thanks to the ethnic broadcasters.
However, when the CBF funding rules changed, the ethnic broadcasters weren’t bringing in the big bucks anymore. Needing to re-locate in 2020 gave the one in charge the perfect excuse to close down and sell off the equipment.
If the old 3WRB presenters weren’t run off in the late 90s, the station would probably still be on-air today.
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Having a bit of knowledge of the Murrayville area, it’s unfortunately a sign of the times in the far west of the Mallee in general. Would be a real shame to lose 3MBR however.
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I’d hope that maybe there could be a merger/takeover from Hot FM Mildura, with programming coming out of Mildura to those frequencies, and Hot FM helping the 3MBR volunteers remaining to produce their shows at hom (like a podcast) and submit that to Hot FM to air.
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This year’s Giving Day will honour one of those people - the extraordinary Ray Kerr, former Station Manager of 99.7 Bridge FM, whose vision and commitment helped shape Raise it for Redcliffe Hospital from its earliest days.
Ray was a strong advocate for Raise it for Redcliffe Hospital and a passionate supporter of Redcliffe Hospital and its important role in the local community. He helped establish the original Giving Day Radiothon and bring live radio broadcasting onsite at Redcliffe Hospital, creating a powerful platform for community storytelling, engagement and giving. His leadership helped embed 99.7 Bridge FM as a trusted and much-loved presence across all five previous Giving Days.
This year’s Raise it for Redcliffe Hospital Giving Day will again feature 99.7 Bridge FM broadcasting live from the front entrance of Redcliffe Hospital, bringing the local community together to raise comfort, wellbeing and research close to home. The focus is on completing the refurbishment of the remaining single rooms and ensuites in the Palliative Care Unit, to raise dignity, comfort and privacy for patients and families when they need it most.
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A couple of updates from 94.1 FM on the Gold Coast. Firstly they have started to slowly implement an updated station name and logo.
As explained in their latest newsletter:
Several years back we introduced “Goldie” into our promotions, and surveys have indicated this has been well received by our listeners. The Goldie has always been a nickname for the Gold Coast which everyone uses. 94.1FM then purchased web names “goldie” and “goldy” with various web sites such as www.goldiefm.com.au being created by direction to our main site www.941fm.com.au so both addresses takes you to our main website.
The station now holds the rights to GOLDIE FM and this will become our branding of the future involvement of 94.1FM to the entire Gold Coast. Our new logo incorporates our 94.1FM and “Sunshine Sun” image with our new branding “94.1 GOLDIE FM”.
So now we have a name, we are “GOLDIE FM” the Gold Coast’s Own Radio Station.
And additionally, the station has now teamed up with Nine Gold Coast News to increase local news output on the station. There now appears to be local news bulletins at 3.30pm and 4.30pm weekday afternoons. It doesn’t appear they are planning to simulcast the 5.30pm bulletin from 9. But could potentially be in the works, given previous broadcaster Juice FM ceased it’s simulcast of the bulletin several years ago.
Our Local News services suffered due to Covid, however I’m proud to announce 94.1FM has teamed with “9 Gold Coast News” to bring you the latest local news direct from their team of reporters as it happens.
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As a South East Queenslander I have always HATED the term “Goldie” for the Gold Coast. I also hate “Sunny Coast” for the Sunshine Coast.
It’s probably a good move for them to find a name though, rather than just the frequency. They’re only on a temporary licence and I wouldn’t be surprised if they get asked to vacate 94.1 for an alternate (non-Brisbane) frequency in exchange for a permanent licence. I feel like 94.1 will someday get allocated to Brisbane for either an ABC or commercial conversion.
The other community stations on the GC like Juice and Metro are on 0.4 spacing with the Brisbane stations.
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A go fund me page was set up to try and raise some funds for Apple FM. The station’s president appeared recently on ABC Ballarat and said if they don’t make $25,000, the station will close:(
They are also holding a fundraiser event.
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Good luck, I hope it can be saved…
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