I’d say Vision Christian Radio
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Vision Christian Radio don’t run any Community stations in Australia. They have LPON, HPON, and lease DAB+ spectrum off commercial stations too. Although they are a non-profit, their centralised model isn’t particularly compatible with the Community licensing requirements.
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Consultation has been extended for submissions into the changes to ABC, Commercial & Community radio services In Perth & remote Western Australian radio licence area plans:
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More delays. Quelle surprise ACMA.
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Huge shock. Only 6PR will be left on the AM band here
is 6IX moving to FM too? Presumably other stations like racing radio or Vision Australia are staying AM too?
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Not to mention 6iX, even though it’s also available on FM in the northern suburbs & around Rockingham.
As to whether 6PR & 6iX will convert its main AM service to FM, it seems ACMA has given up, given the below:
However, considering the lack of progress on any potential conversion of commercial AM services, we now consider our work on Perth replanning completed and will shift our focus to broadcast
planning priorities in other locations across Australia.
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KCR moving this month
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I actually disagree — this outcome was always the most predictable result of the replan, and here’s why:
It’s well-established that ACMA tends to operate within the interests of the existing licence holders. The incumbents have never wanted an additional commercial frequency to be released, because that would almost certainly mean a new competitor entering the market. They also don’t want unused spectrum sitting there, because an open frequency today could easily become a sold-off frequency tomorrow.
By allocating three FM frequencies to the ABC — and specifically assigning two of them to low-rating networks like Radio National and NewsRadio — ACMA effectively fills the band without threatening the current commercial players. These outlets aren’t exactly powerhouses in terms of audience share (in the last survey, NewsRadio pulled around 1.8% and RN about 0.7%), so their presence doesn’t disrupt the competitive landscape, but it does neatly block the potential for new commercial entrants.
In other words, the replan didn’t just happen this way — it was the path of least resistance for everyone already in the ecosystem.
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Annoying that the article said it was 102 years since ABC hit the airwaves. It’s not. The ABC began in the 1930s.
After making that mistake, at least it acknowledged that 6WF was originally a commercial radio station. So it contradicted itself.
Hope someone can record the test transmissions from these new ABC FM services about the start In Perth.
Would 6PR ever convert to FM in this case.
i think the door has been shut on any AM commercial station in Perth migrating to FM, which may act as a precedent for other cities too.
i don’t know what scope there is/was for other AMs to convert. I suspect there is no room for them on FM especially as ABC has just been handed 3 frequencies.
Disappointing that 6PR and 6IX were not considered especially with their much lower TX signal on AM. It’s not like the ABC were struggling for power with 10kW, 50kW and 20kW for Newsradio, Local Radio and Radio National. The real reason is that the current transmission site in Hamersley is prime real estate land.
6PR was meant to move to 91.3 and 6IX to 105.7
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4 posts were merged into an existing topic: Future of radio
Yes exactly, as there was a technical (not commercial) reason to relocate AM stations to FM then all those on AM affected should be moved, with 6iX being the highest priority since it has the worst reception (necessitating FM repeaters north and south). If an FM license is more valuable than an AM license then 6iX would have simply be required to pay to acquire it.
Can either 6iX or 6PR move to a lower AM frequency vacated by the ABC (e.g. 720 kHz or 810 kHz, but not 585 kHz?) which may have better propagation?
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Isn’t the FM band in Melbourne already congested (no new FM stations possible)?
You should read the two submissions from ARN and Nove93.7 both highlighting it is unfair for the commercial AM stations to move to FM and suggesting that DAB+ and streaming are equally good solutions. They are correct, what they fail to miss as that Nova 93.7 and 96fm are probably more happy with their FM stations than their DAB+ or streaming options. Surprised there were no submissions from 6iX or 6PR, I guess that have pretty much given up. I just wish 6iX would accept that and reformat to provide a DAB+ alternative that takes on Smooth DAB+ Perth and 96fm 80s.
It is sad though that DAB+ which solves all these problems, would provide more opportunity (for LPON/HPON stations), and is much more efficient use of spectrum and power, has a lower return value than the almighty FM band. Certainly the AM band is terminal internationally (esp. Europe and Asia) so it is unfair to the AM only stations left behind (especially those without at least a DAB+ alternative).
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