Is there any word on this? It feels like we have been waiting forever.
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Option 1 it is, but there’s a catch… https://www.acma.gov.au/consultations/2021-04/fm-broadcasting-services-band-perth-ra1-licence-area-consultation-172021
Option 1 for the conversion of the national ABC AM services and 2 commercial AM services in Perth to FM received the most support. However, these conversions were opposed by the existing FM commercial radio broadcasters because of the potential impact on their services.
We have considered the submissions and issues raised by the submitters. We’ve formed the view that Option 1 best promotes the objects of section 3 of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (BSA)
…
We believe the potential benefits of Option 1 could be better realised if it were progressed in stages:
- Plan for conversion of the national ABC AM services.
- Plan for conversion of the commercial AM services if the concerns of commercial FM services have been resolved.
This 2-stage approach would improve service quality for audiences of the national ABC AM services. There would also be less impact on existing commercial FM services.
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if the concerns of commercial FM services have been resolved.
What exactly do the ACMA think will magically solve the concerns of existing FM commercial broadcasters in the next three years that this year of ‘consultation’ didn’t?
They’ve chosen option 3 of leaving commercial stations on AM, but don’t want to admit it. A year to make the decision to kick the can down the road for 3 years.
Brilliant.
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Wow… unbelievable really. ACMA is a waste of space. Why can’t they actually make a decision? They seem incapable, or are there influences at play we’re not aware of. They’re like a school teacher telling fighting kids in the playground to “sort it out amongst yourselves”
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The ACMA could put all of Perth’s commercial stations on a level playing field by insisting that they all go digital only. A bit of a a nuclear option, but it does solve the problem, unless someone has a better solution that all commercial stations can agree with.
I’m not saying that the ACMA should do this, but if they threatened to do this, it might encourage the commercial stations to come up with a solution that makes them all happy.
The ACMA just released planning principles to extend AM to FM conversions to competitive regional markets. They could just apply the same principles to Perth, and in fact all other metro markets.
As far as I can tell, the only agreement with existing commercial broadcasters that they have to reach is on technical issues.
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You all missed the juicy bit:
At this time, we consider the concerns raised by commercial FM licensees suggest that Option 1 would create uncertainty in the commercial radio industry in Perth, and would not facilitate its development as an industry that is efficient, competitive and responsive to audience needs
and for 6PR and 6iX?
We will work with the commercial AM services licensees to develop interim solutions to improve their reception without affecting other broadcasters. This will be subject to the limited FM spectrum availability in Perth.
I have no idea what that even means. Aren’t the existing FM repeaters in Rockingham and Wanneroo the “interim solution”? Maybe they will have FM repeaters all along the freeway? I am sure the existing commercial FM owners would be more than happy to invest in this if it means their precious FM spectrum remains protected from central high-powered FM transmitter which covers all of Perth metro.
Actually 6iX should just get on with the job. Kill off, say, their KIX Country, use the bits to develop the only commercial DAB+ station with > 64 kbps, use full scrolling text, and in all marketing just sell their hifi digital service as the one and only. And please change the music format to what Perth metro lacks: a good 70s/80s/90s “Gold” music format, like Smooth but a bit edgier.
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And next the conflicting statements from the ACMA.
On the one hand:
We’ve formed the view that Option 1 … facilitates development of an industry that is efficient, competitive and responsive to audience needs
but on the other hand:
concerns raised by commercial FM licensees suggest that Option 1 would create uncertainty in the commercial radio industry in Perth, and would not facilitate its development as an industry that is efficient, competitive and responsive to audience needs
So the ACMA views it one way, the commercial FM incumbents view it opposite way, and the commercial FM incumbents end up calling the shots. So why bother?
And just to show how convoluted and pointless the ACMA are we come back with these recommendations prefixed as " we intend to include a proposal to consult on a variation to the Perth radio licence area plan":
- Consider whether, and how, to give effect to the national ABC AM conversions.
So the ABC AM conversions have not even been confirmed?
- Consider requests from commercial AM services to improve their coverage (subject to spectrum availability).
Short of actually improving their coverage by allowing them to properly convert to FM?
- Progress other outstanding requests for changes to that licence area plan, not related to AM to FM conversions, which will be detailed in the forward work plan.
Since this whole Perth FM replanning issues is too hard for us let us go on to something, anything, just to show we are still relevant
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A short term solution for 6iX is to swap with 6RPH. Move 6iX to 990kHz at 5kW and move 6RPH to 1080kHz. The other option is to request that 6WB Katanning move from 1071kHz to 1062kHz to allow 6iX to increase to at least 5kW. Having them only on 2kW to power the majority of the metropolitan area is abysmal.
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When you highlight all the points like this it really shows what a clusterf#@k the ACMA have made of this. The more ACMA deliberate and waste literally years “consulting” and then making no decision, the more likely is the radio audience (particularly the AM audience) drifts away to other platforms quicker than it might have otherwise. The ineptitude of the ACMA is ultimately a threat to the industry itself IMO.
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Wow. I’m just speechless. So the way I understand it. ABC will get the FM conversions first? Then the two AM stations just have to suffer and wait? Because we know that it’s now in the “too hard” basket for ACMA.
We all know now that the other FM stations in Perth are pulling the stings and will never allow 6IX and 6PR to convert. Very disappointed.
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Has there been any word yet on which ABC service will be on each of 102.5, 103.3 and 104.1?
If 6IX did go 5kw it would be a directional array so might be designed to not cause too much trouble to 6WB.
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I’d swap 6IX and 6RPH. Given they both use the same site at Ascot, wouldn’t be too hard. 6RPH is running at 5kW already.
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6RPH wouldn’t want to drop back to 2kw.
What about moving 6IX and 6PR to the ABC frequencies 720 and 810 and to Hammersley (after ABC moves to FM) and have them at 10 or even 20kw? That would be better than what they’ve got now?
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Interestingly, there was a proposal back in 2000 for 6PR & 6IX to move their transmitters to Hamersley, both with a maximum ERP of 10kW OD. In the case of the latter, it also involved a frequency change to 1269 kHz (now used by 6RN Busselton).
There was also a proposal for 6PR & 6IX to have AM translators at Magenup Swamp in the southern suburbs, to be broadcasted on 1530 kHz & 1080 kHz respectively with a maximum ERP of 2kW OD.
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Personally I think any “interim solution” involving AM frequencies or transmitter specs is a waste of time. AM is dead. It’s just that ACMA haven’t realised it yet and will procrastinate until all of the listeners are gone.
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I notice reception is better on the lower end of the AM band here in Perth. Could be due to the higher powered transmitters there, or could be poorer propagation. All I know is that 6PR on 882 and ABC on 720 sound the best, so 6PR should keep 882 and 6iX should move to 720, and both should be allowed an increase to the power depending in Tx location (if Hamersley, that is not good for the southern suburbs, certainly here 20km south of Perth 720 comes through better than 810 or 585 (i.e. you can tell the difference this far away), I assume 720 has a higher Tx power?)
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Yes - 50 kW for ABC Local on 720, 20 kW for RN on 810, 10 kW for NewsRadio on 585, for what it’s worth.
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Then definitely at least 20 kW if 6iX (or 6PR) relocate to Hamersley.
And what happens to 105.7 used by 6iX in Rockingham/Wanneroo? In the name of “efficiency” 6iX should just run the one station, 720 at 20kW on AM and the two low-powered transmitters can be switched off (and 105.7 returns to the pool of available FM slots).
Of course those that actually listen to 105.7 6iX would lose the stereo reception let alone the better fidelity you get on FM. But as long as there is No Static At All then AM is good enough (Steely Dan was wrong about FM), it would be too anti-competitive to have good FM audio quality wouldn’t it?
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