I think if SEN had a second licence in Sydney, there is a real possibility that they would put 2CH on AM, but like I said earlier, it doesn’t really matter what’s only on AM or FM as you also have DAB and streaming, where all demographics are catered for.
There we go, one of the likely candidates has won.
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Looks like SEN 693 here we come, and thus 4KQ to be banished to DAB/online. Time will tell.
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Awful
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Yes, my sentiment too:
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Ray Hadley just mentioned the sale on air stating all existing station Staff would be gone by the time SEN takes over on 1st July and expressing best wishes to Laurel, Gary & Mark.
He also took the time to have a crack at SEN and their poor ratings wondering where all the cash is coming from.
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Yep…worst news possible for Brisbane listeners. This is why this two station rule sucks.
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so 10% of Brisbane radio listeners are now basically being told to sod off? Which other station is likely to try and capture them? 97.3? or could this be a windfall for 4BH?
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4BH won’t be the only winner out of this, but also Breeze, which can be heard into much of Brisbane on 92.1FM.
The interesting outcome out of this is that the Gold Coast will still have a proper ‘classic hits’ station on DAB+ in the form of Hot Tomato Gold, which is owned by ARN.
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It would be comparatively easy to get some of the audience via playing “classic hits”, but part of the attraction of 4KQ was its local focus. It was really was Brisbane’s classic hits that were based on past Top 40 listings from the city. There was also a lot of local flavour from talking about past events, locations, TV programs, cinema etc.
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“The 2CH network” could expand then on dab. Yeah the local flavour is what works (its not always about the music). It is unfortunate.
4BH really need to take advantage now, get some of those names from 4KQ to join. Tweak the music a bit. Can they buy 4KQ naming rights? It will then just be a freq change. SEN would not care?
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I agree. Perhaps 4BH could shift to a ‘classic hits’ format, using the same log as Magic 1278, to capitalise on the loss of 4KQ.
4KQ would still be the assigned callsign for the station, unless SEN are willing to change their callsign for its newly-acquired Brisbane AM licence. After all, their Sydney AM licence still has 2CH as their assigned callsign, likewise for its Melbourne AM licence, which is 3AK.
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Yes unlike Sydney, I don’t think 2UE really cashed in on the 2CH change (as it was run by Nine in autopilot mode). Now that ACE are in, its time to talk to staff at 4KQ to rebuild 4BH. They can do some good advertising. Looking for your classic hits station? just go up the dial, your new home of classic hits. Although easier said than done and you need money to do this which Ace may not have.
The purchase of 4KQ mirrors the acquisition of Sydney’s 2CH in 2019 and will guarantee that the new station will not compete with any of ARN’s Brisbane stations, and is likely to push the current audience onto other, possibly ARN stations.
I wonder does that mean no 4KQ on DAB? I think this is why ARN wanted to sell to SEN to be honest.
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Nine papers think 4BH will be the biggest beneficiary.
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Hope they go broke. ACMA are toothless tigers. What a crap result for radio all over. More sport, talk and shit.
Whilst KQ as a brand will exist as an online station (hopefully) like CH did, it will be a shadow of its former self.
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I feel sorry for the existing presenters and staff at 4KQ, especially Laurel, Gary and Mark. Will they find a job at another station or will the trio have to split?
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The above news now means that Melbourne will be the only city in Australia to have two AM music stations: Magic & 3MP, both operated by ACE. This also happens to be the same market that has a Smooth & Pure Gold station on FM.
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Awful news. Only a few years back, 4BH was converted to a sport station and 4KQ was the beneficiary, how the tables have turned.
SEN should have gone after 4BH instead, had ARN worked out a deal with Nine Radio to sell 4KQ to them and lease it to Ace ala Sydney and Melbourne.
This is reminiscent of when 5DN became SEN1323 in 2005, result will be the same.
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Could they not move Laurel, Gary and Mark to 97.3FM drive maybe and remove Will and Woody?
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