Radio History

[TV-Expert]

@littlegezzybear

A condition of the metro AM to FM conversions in the early 1990s was that the AM stations had to give their AM transmission facilities to the government so that they could be used for the RPH stations and for ABC parliamentary broadcasts. The implementation departed from that slightly, eg. 1107 AM in Sydney went to SBS instead of the ABC, but that was the policy iirc.

It didn’t set a precedent.

In major regional markets, the AM stations that converted to FM had their ex-AM licences turned into HPON services, such as those for Racing & Rete Italia (now SENTrack). In the case of 2KO’s old AM licence on 1413AM, it was eventually taken up by SBS Radio when it moved its Newcastle service from 1584AM in March 1996.

In Hobart, 7HO’s old AM licence became used by RPH after it converted to FM as HOFM in November 1990.

As for the current AM-FM conversions in solus regional markets, the old AM licences would simply just disappear after converting to FM.

[littlegezzybear]

Yes. My point was it didn’t set a precedent in the metro areas.

[NDY]

@Radiohead

Unless you count Kyle Sandilands butting heads with any guests a “sport”.

Yes he’s second to only Alan Jones

@dxnerd

Or Clive Palmer ‘twerking’ in the studio.

“That’s the man that should be running the country!”

On the other hand, I wonder if he’s ever partaken in any other sports before?

[Rob_Melb_AU]

With ACE acquiring 3MP, I thought it might be interesting to have a look at 3MP’s radio history. It is definitely a station that’s seen better days! Dates have been put to the nearest year for presentation purposes.

Key observations:

• Initial decent success competing against 3XY
• The 80s brought decline probably due to the impact of the FM entrants (EON, FOX). There are parallels with TTFM when Nova100 launched in that both stations went softer and lost ratings in response to new competition.
• The adoption of Easy Music in 1986 within a fortnight of 3AK abandoning the format is well documented and clearly the station’s second era of success.
• Wesgo’s purchase of 3EE in 1993 and simulcasting of 3MP could almost be called an own goal - the creation of Magic693 successfully cannibalised 3MPs ratings so much that when Southern Cross bought 3MP and Magic693 (so that Wesgo could acquire Gold104 and TTFM), it sold off 3MP and kept Magic693.
• By the time Data & Commerce Ltd (now Pacific Star) bought the station for $5.8M, it had stabilised at a 3 share - which effectively held steady for 10 years. That shows a niche can be achieved on the smell of an oily rag.
• The MTR joint venture drove away the remaining listeners and with other options like Smooth91.5 now existing, there was never enough extra promotion to lure them back. Its interesting to see how much format change has occurred over the last decade for basically nil impact. It doesn’t matter how good the quality is, if no-one knows about the product!

[TelevisionAU]

@Rob_Melb_AU

With ACE acquiring 3MP, I thought it might be interesting to have a look at 3MP’s radio history. It is definitely a station that’s seen better days! Dates have been put to the nearest year for presentation purposes.

this is awesome… thank you, very interesting!

[Brianc68]

@Rob_Melb_AU

With ACE acquiring 3MP, I thought it might be interesting to have a look at 3MP’s radio history. It is definitely a station that’s seen better days! Dates have been put to the nearest year for presentation purposes.

Key observations:

• Initial decent success competing against 3XY
• The 80s brought decline probably due to the impact of the FM entrants (EON, FOX). There are parallels with TTFM when Nova100 launched in that both stations went softer and lost ratings in response to new competition.
• The adoption of Easy Music in 1986 within a fortnight of 3AK abandoning the format is well documented and clearly the station’s second era of success.
• Wesgo’s purchase of 3EE in 1993 and simulcasting of 3MP could almost be called an own goal - the creation of Magic693 successfully cannibalised 3MPs ratings so much that when Southern Cross bought 3MP and Magic693 (so that Wesgo could acquire Gold104 and TTFM), it sold off 3MP and kept Magic693.
• By the time Data & Commerce Ltd (now Pacific Star) bought the station for $5.8M, it had stabilised at a 3 share - which effectively held steady for 10 years. That shows a niche can be achieved on the smell of an oily rag.
• The MTR joint venture drove away the remaining listeners and with other options like Smooth91.5 now existing, there was never enough extra promotion to lure them back. Its interesting to see how much format change has occurred over the last decade for basically nil impact. It doesn’t matter how good the quality is, if no-one knows about the product!

Very interesting. Gee they were doing well in the early 90s, especially considering the FM competition at the time.

[AustralianAerial]

Curious about this timeline - what was ABS that preceded the AWA acquisition?

[Rob_Melb_AU]

ABS was Associated Broadcasting Services. It was ASX listed and was originally known as Argus Broadcasting Services. IIRC, it owned a number of radio and TV stations including 3YB, 3SR, 3UL, BTV6 and GMV6.

It was ultimately bought out by ENT Ltd (Examiner-Northern Television Limited) as part of the take-overs unleashed with TV aggregation.

[AustralianAerial]

Ah, that’s a name I’ve seen before, cheers

[TheStyles83]

Private Ownership of 1377am could give ACE Radio the Melbourne Flagship Station they’ve been Craving.

[dxnerd]

Found this old 2CH sticker on a Facebook group dedicated to exploring abandoned buildings:

(Credit: John Bush, ‘Abandoned Sydney’ Facebook group).

[Radiohead]

Pretty appropriate place for it to be given the comparatively low ratings it gets these days.

[SydneyCityTV]

…and because 2CH (at least as we know it) may soon be no more.

[bacco007]

The History of 2TM | 2TM Tamworth | Australia

[Radiohead]

Great find!

[dxer2_2000]

so what is happening to 2CH in the near future?

[TV-Expert]

It has been sold to SEN, who would most likely dump 2CH & its music format in favour of its all-sports format, in-line with its Melbourne station.

[crankymedia]

@TV.Cynic

When the transmitter was moved closer to the Sunny coast with a 5kw directional antenna system (at Bli Bli?)

Indeed, Bli Bli, near the former toll plaza on the north shore of the Maroochy River. In cane fields, nice alluvial soil, great conductivity and good antenna system.

The drawback of 5kW DA was that the Bruce Highway north of the coast heads towards the direction of the null towards Charters Towers and Rocky (837), so it would neatly fade out on the licence area boundary west of Black Mountain/Federal school and so 4GY had Gympie to themselves without any Sunshine Coast presence.

It was a perfect null, always fascinated me. Great engineering.

Incidentally, the Sunshine Coast Amateur Radio Club found a home in the aforementioned former toll plaza building beside the Sunshine Mwy. And the TX west of that in the clear space.

4SS had a great signal north up the coast, so you were ‘back in signal’ driving to Tin Can Bay or Rainbow Beach.

The St Helena stations KQ and IP/TAB also boomed up there and to Hervey Bay.

4SS was a saviour on Fraser Island when on the eastern/ocean side, coverage the whole way. I was there again in 1995 when Mix had begun. FM reception was ok, but not like AM 828. It was, at the time, the only FM receivable, besides ABC Classic Mt Goonaneman then on 92.5. Zinc 96 would be fine now as would Cheryl and Aaron’s Goonaneman FMs on Fraser.

Sadly, the lack of foresight of Sea FM Ltd/RG Capital saw the end of the 4SS site. ABC wanted to reuse the freq for Newsradio and nominated a new site in Valdora on the Yandina - Coolum Road, however the hills around Yandina are known for particularly prickly people and local NIMBY misconduct saw the ABC shelve that idea.

Instead, we have Newsradio Sunshine Coast on 94.5 which disrupts the once clear channel ABC North Coast from Mt Nardi had. A great loss of coverage, even within its own area as summer ducting et al wipes out the Mt Nardi signal in the nooks and crannies of the Border Ranges in NSW, north of the Mt Nardi site.

RIP 4SS, a wonderful TX site and station, local ownership, no network ambitions like then and now is how commercial radio can thrive again.

PS. @TV.Cynic, yes, a long time to reply to your post

[NRN11]

Great write up @crankymedia. I was up Gympie way last weekend and that 558 transmitter is not well. The signal as soon as you get south of Gympie deteriorates quickly. Nearly inaudible with interference by Cooroy.

[Radiohead]

@NRN11

Nearly inaudible with interference by Cooroy.

Probably why they have the 107.1 translator for the southern end of their licence area?