Long shot indeed, unfortunately we know the reality is they don’t have the brains for such a format, let alone execute it well. The vision doesn’t exist with Adam Lang at the helm.
And those with speculating on handing back the licence. Every metro licence has value, sought after markets, large revenue collectively, never going to happen. Licence area plan specifies the number of licences, ACMA nor the Minister will direct a reduction.
The most comforting speculation would be to learn of bidders keen to buy some or all of MRN’s licences. Unfortunately, the appetite for investing in radio seems to be the domain of bargain hunters and bottom feeders waiting for stations to fall over such as this.
Still analogue because of owners such as MRN who have a complete sweep of AM licences have done zero to market digital radio. It’s their loss.
The TL format is essentially a narrowcasting format, back to back commercials. Radio classifieds.
The other tightrope that the review of TL needs to navigate is that of how not to lose the 65+ core that listen to their talk licences. Introduce a music format that the 65+ core may listen to and you weaken your talk numbers. So you need a music format that’s not replicated on FM and has an audience that will listen on AM.
Reminds me of a number of changes at 3AK and 3XY/3EE over the last twenty years, where the station gets bought by someone with limited money and uses all their cash buying the station leaving no funds for promotion. Whilst the format might be good - no one knows of it, so it attracts few listeners, there are no ads and the station lurches towards insolvency. If 2UE/3EE/4BH get sold by MRN, its easy to see a repeat cycle coming soon.
I’d throw in another problem they have launching any new format across the three stations that is music focused. That is the music gap is different in each city.
The gap in Brisbane is soft AC and they have a very strong classic hits/rock station already in 4KQ.
In Melbourne the gap is probably a softer 4KQ type station despite the fact they have a classic rock station on AM.
Not sure about Sydney. I guess it depends on what 2CH is doing.
That’s why I think BBC 2 could work as it’s a bit more entertainment focused with softer classic hits than KQ and some lighter new music. Also a bit more eclectic than Smooth FM.
Anyway you’re right it would take someone with vision and real skill to pull it off. And whatever they try would need to really push DAB like it’s never been pushed before. Effectively the AM frequencies would be viewed as temporary and eventually “supplementary” to the DAB signal.
strong text MACQUARUE MEDIS LIMITED NEEDS TO SELL THE TALKING LIFESTYLE NETWORK TO VISION CHRISTIAN MEDIA AND THE MANAGEMENT THERE CAN BRING VISION CHRISTIAN RADIO FORMAT TO 954AM SYDBEY, 1278AM MELBPURNE 882 AM BRUSBANE ABD DDAB+ PERTH HENMCE THIS WOULD MAKE THE FORMAT DIFFWERENT THAN ANYONE ELSOE IN SYDNEY, MELBOURNE, BRUSBANE & PERTH.
The problem is for cap city AM music stations is that even the very successful ones like 4KQ, which is the equivalent of WSFM/Gold in Brisbane, make a VERY small profit. 2CH lost $2.6 million dollars in the last 12 months (check the Oceania reports on the ASX if you don’t believe me). No matter how you rate on the AM band as a music station, its a tough business in the metro markets.
And it’s on 1611AM in the western suburbs of Sydney. Vision seem to rely on donors funding their transmitters, so unless a benefactor with very deep pockets appears the chances of them buying the Talking Lifestyle stations are nil, I think.
I suspect it’s more likely that EON would have insisted on a clause that prohibited Macquarie simply shifting Magic or a similar format to 954 as soon as 2CH had changed hands. I would imagine that there would still be a year or two left to run on any such clause.
only in parts of brisbane. i live within 5km of a transmitter and i cant pick it up.
i would be shocked if vison had at least not made enquiries about lesing space on DAB
I lived in Cannon Hill area and had a almost noise free copy in my car of Vision on 87.6 & 87.8.
I believe they have sites plotted all over the map in Brisbane
Whilst I could see Macquarie selling off 3EE and 4BH at some point, my sense is it would have to be a very good deal indeed before they considered selling 2UE - even though the inclusion of 2UE in the package would no doubt increase the chances of a sale. If they were going to sell 2UE, I think they would have done so instead of 2CH.
Although they’re not currently using the 2UE call sign on air, I think they probably live in fear of letting it go to a new owner who had sufficient vision and energy to revitalise the 2UE brand, trade on its slightly iconic status as Australia’s oldest commercial station and restore it to the successful station that it deserves to be but which Macquarie shows no desire or commitment to deliver
