Agree. A BBC R2 would give the likes of Gold and Smooth something to worry about, also to some extent KIIS and HIT.
I also remember Coast FM on the Gold Coast. It was fantastic. I wish Double J was more like that.
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which is why something like that would never happen. The ABC would not do something to deliberately compete against the commercials, and even if it did, it would be beaten into submission by the government after the commercial stations march to Parliament House crying foul 
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And yet it happens in Britain without anyone blinking an eye.
Surely ABC are deliberately competing in the talk market with ABC Local in particular. So what’s the difference?
They are also competing for the youth market undoubtedly with Triple J. So why not compete in the adult music market?
For example, look at Brisbane and Adelaide. Four commercial FM stations and none of them serving an adult music audience - the market is not providing service. Why shouldn’t ABC step in and fill this gap?
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Double J doesn’t need to be on FM in the metro’s as it’s already on DAB.
A regional roll out is a good idea, if they can find new frequencies for it or replace it with RN or ABC News.
I think ABC News is really important, especially in natural disasters, so RN would be the one to replace. ABC Classic has a larger audience and as @Radiohead mentioned, it adds diversity/culture to regional areas that don’t have a station like this.
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Double J originally launched in the 70s (before becoming Triple J) as an alternative station and it has been that way ever since. At the time, there was demand for alternative station that wasn’t been catered for by commercial networks, and it is as true today as it was then.
Double J targets an older audience than Triple J so I think it deserves a spot on FM in regional areas where there is no DAB.
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The British media landscape is far different to ours. Theirs has always been heavily slanted towards public broadcasting, given that the BBC monopolised radio and TV for so many years before commercial entrants were allowed. The BBC has a far more mainstream offering whereas the ABC has never really had that in its remit and the government here will be more sympathetic to commercial interests having a sook than the sticking up for the ABC.
Triple J has never been mainstream youth, though. It’s always had a more alternative bent.
Fair point, but I would suggest ABC Local is not just mirroring or straight out competing to what commercial talk radio is doing, but I feel sometimes the distinction is sometimes getting blurred.
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That was exactly what I was saying, CRA and the commercial radio stations are just to powerful. If ACMA hints of allocating another commercial radio licence the incumbents jump up and down, and ACMA says I am sorry. Funny how the industry has so much power over this government body.
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That’s true, and could explain ACMAs delay to making a decision on FM conversions in Perth.
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It shouldn’t because fm conversions in Perth should benefit everyone.
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They benefit the stations that convert and their listeners, but not the competitors who could stand to lose listeners.
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I have not read the submissions, are there many opposing it?
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Everybody on commercial FM (SCA, ARN, Nova, just to name a few 
).
Even Nine owners of 6PR seem lukewarm to converting to FM especially in comparison to 6iX who are desperate to do so. The majority commercial (SCA, ARN, Nova) are against it, only the minority (Capital/Grant) are for it. The only light at the end of the tunnel is that if 6iX converts to FM, ARN or Nova will eye it very keenly to acquire, but they are not saying.
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That would seem right, about most opposing it. I think they all like the status quo, and hopefully this doesn’t result in the Perth spectrum replan getting placed permanently on the back burner by ACMA.
I would think SCA would oppose the replan the most as there is no opportunity for them to purchase 6IX, if it was to convert to fm. They are stuck with their basket case 6MMM.
Maybe all that comes out of this is a fm conversion for 6IX, with Grant’s connection to ARN handing the station over to ARN to become KIIS Perth.But ARN’ would need to divest their 50% share in Nova. Same goes if Nova wants to purchase 6IX for their Smooth network.
ACMA are essentially the Police of communications, the Government make the rules & say what they want, it’s then up to ACMA to work out a way & make it happen, ACMA don’t have a say in the rules & regulations, only uphold them & make what the Government wants happen.
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So basically it is the federal government caving into the CRA lobby group to make sure there are no new fm licences?
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Thanks for clearing that up
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Pretty much yes, the federal communications minister & communication dept. rules, ACMA just carries out what they want/say & the ABC charter/Act. overrules anything Commercial.
If ABC want spectrum, they more or less get it & ACMA have to work with that & fit all other commercial, community, narrowcast, etc. around it.
This isn’t a (political) LNP thing either, it’s been that way across many successive governments Lib’s & Labor.
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Have you listened to triple j lately? They now play pretty much the same music as Nova and KIIS FM. Have a look at this year’s Hottest 100 or checkout their playlist on Online Radio Box if you don’t believe me! They are prepping for the time commercials are allowed onto the ABC if Morrison wins the next election!
You’re giving ACMA too much slack. Yes, their role is to just do what the government/Act tells them to, but like all Government departments they can be good/bad, efficient/inefficient.
It’s also ACMA’s role to advise the Government. The Government might make the laws, but they do so based on what ACMA can present to them.
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Which is very influenced by the Government’s selection of those who lead the ACMA - Lobbyist Creina Chapman appointed as ACMA chief executive - when a literal SCA lobbiest is put on the board of the regulator, no wonder we have outcomes so skewed to the wants of the biggest commercial operators…
You’d need change at the top to result in change to what the ACMA would recommend.
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