It won’t be the commercial FMs moving.
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Proposed is the key word here. Wasn’t this supposed to happen by Q4 2020?
Also I lost count of how many temporary narrowcast stations we have in Perth below 92.1 MHz (and beyond 101.7 MHz).
And if a new commercial FM station, then that will be the only one without a DAB+ allocation compared to all other AM, FM, ABC/SBS and wide community stations.
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It was pushed back to Q1 2021, but that didn’t happen then either (we’re now in Q2 2021).
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In Perth (and Adelaide) they could just launch a secondary multiplex given they only have one commercial one right now - but I’d certainly still take an FM station even if it didn’t have a DAB allocation on top of it. In Brisbane, there’s 128k that went unsold in the excess capacity auction, so that could be used by a new entrant.
It’s worth noting that the metro broadcasters got a moratorium on new FM licenses for 6 years after the DAB launch, so implicit in that is that now that has expired (and been repealed), that there’s no direct ‘no new FM’ policy in place, just norms and not wanting to rock the boat.
I’d suspect though that FM conversions would be more likely than new licenses - that being a wider ACMA policy, that they are starting with the easy stuff of single operator markets, but could and should be expanded to competitive ones.
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Potential replanning does not mean actual. I don’t think this will happen. If it does happen by 2023, I very much doubt you will see new commercial FM services in Perth.
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So far the AM to FM conversion has been a success in the regional markets and there is much further to go.
The AM to FM conversions in the metro markets will be put in the too hard basket by ACMA as there will be pushback by CRA, CBAA and ABC.
Perth definitely needs a new multiplex, as does Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. This is where I think the focus will be over the medium to long-term by CRA and the wider radio indurstry.
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I’m surprised SCA haven’t pushed for a national multiplex - even if it only covers the 5 capitals plus Hobart and Mandurah at present
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Brilliant for Mandurah with an independent and local West Coast Radio running the show to secure AM to FM conversion of 6MM to The Wave and then soon afterwards DAB+ for both FM stations. What a contrast to Bunbury further south where Hit is on FM and MMM on AM, no DAB+ and all owned by a national commercial broadcaster (SCA).
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Hot Tomato could’ve had whatever ARN and Nova digital stations they wanted had they remained independently owned. Such a loss.
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I am going to mention something here that a lot of you may be interested in remember when SCAS PD team on the DAB+ side of things made the stragic decision to axe the first version of the DAB+ radio music log station triple M classic rock that SCAS PD team on the DAB+ side were originally programming and put to air because it canablaised the cume audience that the Triple M Radio music log stations were doing across the board in the radio survey book ratings numbers at that point well I was told by someone who worked at SCA at that time won’t mention names that the stragic decision that SCAS PD team on the DAB+, side made at that time to axe that DAB+ radio music log station did not go down well internally at SCA not one single SCA off air employee or off air producer agreed with that decision at that time
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Which doesn’t really surprise me.
That’s a good point as 12 months later they reversed that decision by launching MMM Classic Rock, Greatest Hits and Modern digital.
Now MMM Classic Rock has over 200k listeners in the metro cities and doing really well.
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They actually paid for the licences. The frequencies are then allocate so that the licence can be used and are determined in the Radio Licence Area Plans determined by parliament. The frequencies could change, provided that the licencees continue have a frequency allocated.
That said, CRA have enough sway that any reshuffle wouldn’t move commercial operators, or at least their primary frequencies. In a hypothetical reshuffle, narrowcasters would be the first to move, followed by community stations then commercial translators.
Now MMM Classic Rock has over 200k listeners in the metro cities and doing really well.
I am of the view for 2UE for example should of kept going as a talk station although I don’t mind the music format today. There is nothing wrong with healthy competition even if you own the stations. Its like St George and Westpac in my view, Hyundai and Kia. Plenty of examples.
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Sydney needs at least one music station on AM though, especially now that SEN decided it’s more important to have sport on 1170!
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True. I am just turning back the clock a bit here 
. Yeah it is good to have one AM station with music on the assumption 2CH is still a music station. 2UE will not go back to talk now (unless a change in owners).
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and your point being ???
and just because Geelong Ballarat and bendigo are smaller in central coast still doesnt mean it wouldnt add to the people listening to DAB+ . dont count us out
and so would balalrat and bendigo be a worthy contender for DAB+