Ditto. Still love that game to this day. Might have to break out the PS2
Should buy one of these narrowcast licences for Flash FM
2 Likes
Wave 103- actually based off a real radio station in Scotland- was always my favourite. I actually liked it so much I had the box set of CDs imported from the US; that was my first major purchase online I think. This was just before iTunes and iPods were a thing.
Anyway, getting back on topic. I donāt have anything against religious groups taking licences, lest anyone think Iām deliberately targeting them. I do dislike religious groups and other organisations taking advantage of their communities, though. This may or may not be the case here.
(Disclaimer: Iām not religious myself).
3 Likes
Itās certainly a shame imo that religious stations take up both Narrowcast and Community allocations.
Iād say the same thing about cases like there being a country music āCommunityā station in Brisbane - when thereās so many narrowcast licensed country stations around the country.
With the small amount of frequencies available, having a station category able to be in both limits opportunities.
1 Like
i get that - but they already have studios, presenters, programmes, etc.
as they are a charity, the financials are public.
as of when they last reported, they had a total income of $9,124,831.00 and expenses of $8,247,364.00 - an approx $877,000 profit
1 Like
Thanks. So no profit if they keep overpaying for HPON licences.
1 Like
A guy I went to school with wants to take over the country narrow cast station River City FM as the owner has passed away, and convert it to a community station which Murray Bridge doesnāt really have (others from surrounding areas can be received though). Easier said than done with the ACMA. Article is a bit old but it was behind a paywall until now.
1 Like
Playing around on some online SDRs recently it appears 1341 Geelong is off-air again - can anyone in Victoria confirm that? I recall some discussion here a little while back that they were off briefly due to some payment issues but I thought that had been resolved?
1 Like
Iām not getting anything but my AM receiverās not the best so I canāt be 100% sure.
Not in Victoria but the only thing in 1341 at my location was Sky Racing Newcastle with nothing under it, so I can confirm that 3CW Geelong is off the air and yes I do receive it in the evenings via AM Skywave.
2 Likes
Iāll check when I get home as itās local to me but I assume itās off air
1 Like
Yep, 3CW is off the air.
Just did a search and it seems the company operating the station was put into liquidation around the end of July, owing money to a number of creditors including the ATO. So I guess thatās the end of them.
3 Likes
Goodbye Chinese Radio 1341.
1 Like
There was some controversy over that stationās links to the CCP a while ago, also mentions the liquidation:
1 Like
I couldnāt read the full story without subscribing, however this text from ET might help the MS readers:-
July 20, 2021 Updated: July 24, 2021
One of Australiaās largest Chinese-language media groupsāwhich has links to Beijingāhas been seized by liquidators.
Ostar International Media Group, which is based in Melbourne, runs eight Chinese and English-language radio stations, 11 Chinese newspapers, and an online television program. Its most prominent program is the 3CW radio station in Melbourne.
The groupās owner, millionaire Jiang Zhaoqingāor Tommy Jiangāwas revealed to have links to the Chinese Communist Party and was invited as a special guest in 2011 to visit Beijing and attend the Chinese Peopleās Political Consultative Conference.
Ostar owed $5.6 million, including $550,000, to the Australian Taxation Office, according to the liquidation report.
The group also owed funds to media licensing businesses JLS Media ($287,000) and Geelong Broadcasters ($64,000). In addition, the Northeast Chinese Chamber of Commerce was owed $100,000.
Ostarās media outlets are known for toeing a fairly pro-Beijing line. In March 2020, one online news site owned by Ostar defended Beijingās handling of COVID-19 after Victorian state Member of Parliament Bernie Finn published a series of Facebook posts criticising the Chinese regime.
Jiangās other business, Global CAMG Media Group, remains solvent, however.
Global CAMG is 60 percent owned by Guoguang Century Media Consultancy, which in turn, is owned by Chinese state-owned media giant, China Radio International (CRI)
CRIās Sydney Bureau Chief Li Dayong left Australia after allegedly being questioned by the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation.
The seizure of Ostar comes following the release of new reports revealing the full extent of Beijingās influence or control over Chinese-language media in Australia.
In December, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute found that 12 out of the 24 largest traditional Chinese media outlets in Australia were run by executives with links to the United Front Work Department, Beijingās foremost overseas infiltration organ.
An additional four outlets were directly owned or received financial support from Beijing.
The report complemented earlier revelations by Australiaās peak intelligence body, the Office of National Intelligence, that the CCP had influence or control over two-thirds of online Chinese news media.
Former Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge warned last year that āmalign information or propagandaā was being spread through ethnic media in the country, including outlets ācontrolled or fundedā by state players.
2 Likes
Highly concerning. Typical that thereās not more scrutiny of Chinaās underhanded conduct.
1 Like
Thanks all for confirming. Canāt say Iām too sad to see it off-air - 1341 was always a blowtorch that ruined that part of the AM band for me when I lived down there, and I got no value from the programming (nor did much of Geelong really, I believe the licence was primarily used to target Melbourneās much larger Chinese community).
I suspect there arenāt many plans for the frequency now - thereās no need for racing radio or the like so close to Melbourne. You know, it would be a really good option to get that much-awaited ABC Geelong frequency going, at least in the short term. The infrastructure is there ready to go.
3 Likes
Thatād be ideal - but surely the people behind Niche Radio would rather jump back to AM rather than their current DAB situation, or otherwise a group like Vision.
1 Like
Ugh, if Vision get hold of that frequency I might travel down there myself just to cut the guy wires on the mastsā¦
2 Likes
Which makes sense given that despite the Geelong transmission i think 3CWās studio was actually in Preston? It used to be on Bell Street IIRC. Iām surprised that 3CW as 1341 got as far (particularly north) into Melbourne as it did. I donāt really remember listening out for 3GL back in its 1341 days but I didnāt think it came into Melbourne as strongly?
2 Likes
My understanding was that the transmitter and licence was still owned by Grant Broadcasters through Geelong Broadcasters Pty Ltd and the specs remained unchanged from 3GL days. Grants were merely leasing it to 3CW. I think it is more likely that KIX Country would be simulcasted along with the existing narrowcasters if they are unable to find a new lessee.
5 Likes