Ram kind of makes sense for Goulburn (if ewe know what I mean). I’ve never understood the choice of Eagle FM, especially given the callsign is 2SNO. I wouldn’t mind betting the name was to be Snow FM, with Cooma as Ski FM. Given that it rarely snows in Goulburn these days, the more generic Eagle was probably a smart decision.
Back to rams, there is of course 4RAM Townsville and 5RAM Adelaide.
And some community stations are probably doing what they are doing, particularly in regional areas, because the commercial sector has abandoned so many regional towns and just running transmitters as revenue centres for centralised hubs somewhere. Community stations are at least providing a local service, and not a playlist being churned out from thousands of kilometres away.
Some definitely are, just look at their annual reports. They save all their money for a rainy day/future capital works, running their annual appeals to keep their audience engaged because they know the cash will dry up quickly if they become complacent.
Commercial radio types: “The community radio sector is unprofessional and shouldn’t be treated as legitimate!”
Also commercial radio types: “The community radio sector is too professional and shouldn’t be treated as legitimate!”
If it’s found that community radio has increased in popularity in regional areas due to a reduction in locally generated programming and therefore an increased reliance on network feeds by commercial broadcasters, then I wouldn’t be overly surprised.
Realistically it won’t ever happen, but personally I reckon ACMA should grow some teeth and increase the local content requirements (I get that 24/7 local content mightn’t always be viable, but only one local shift each weekday for some stations? Not good enough IMO!) for commercial radio in regional areas.
Hope 103.2 here in Sydney would probably be the same/similar? I don’t know whether they pay presenters but they’ve also got a Nine News 6pm simulcast, have a rather “commercial” sound/brand and play a decent amount of mainstream music for a Christian station…
Ultra 106.5 in Hobart is pretty commercial sounding too, similar to Light. Most metro CCM stations try to target a broader ‘family friendly’ AC audience in addition to the God Squad.
Does Bay FM play Planetshakers, Chris Tomlin, Hillsong, Lauren Daigle and Mandisa during the day? Light does, and so does Hope. And you won’t hear Rod Stewart’s Tonight’s The Night, Inner Circle’s Sweat or anything else suggestive on Light and Hope.
There are several community stations in SEQ that sound commercial.
One example, 94.1 on the Gold Coast. This is how they describe themselves.
94.1FM is a music station playing mainly music from the 80’s, selected music from today sprinkled with 60’s & 70’s Classic Hits. There is no doubt we have the biggest variety of music with a number of feature programs.
94.1FM targets the Gold Coast mature audience of baby boomers and the top end of Gen X that’s “still living” and “enjoying life to the “max”– with a large disposable income.
Of interest - they installed a new transmitter in December.
Besides the high number of jazz and similar genre shows on the weekend, FM 99.3 from Chatswood have interesting shows.
Presenters share well researched material with audience and don’t rush their delivery. That seems consistent across the station.
There are some gems, Monday drive for example. With the desert that summer is on commercial and ABC radio is with a lack of fill in teams, either automation or single operators, great to hear two blokes chatting on, amusing themselves and the audience.
Mike Goldman was their guest in at least the last hour, great to have talent in to interview, another way to add life to a show.
Update:
Friday, another example of this, mid afternoon show had two or three very well researched voices on air and well connected too, talking about J.O’K and his family.