Coffs Harbour was Hot 105.5.
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Apparently, I read somewhere that they were the last DMG-owned regional FM station in NSW to rebrand to Star FM. They probably kept the old name for longer to distinguish it from Star FM (ex-Rox FM) from Kempsey/Port Macquarie before giving in to network pressure to have the same branding as all of its other stations in NSW, VIC & SA instead of with QLD & WA.
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Of course. I remember Hot 105.5.
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Originally started as FM105.5 They had a black and white logo and their studio was in the mall on Harbour Drive.
I still remember the sweepers:
The New Music Revolution Has Just Begun - Coffs Harbour - FM 1 0 5 point 5
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Albury had 2AY FM 104.9 (when 2AY and 2AAY were co-owned) then B104.9 before Star FM.
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Ah yes, I remember that. Hearing 2AY at night into Sydney they were promoting it as 2AY moving to FM. It then became AM 1494 from memory before becoming 2AY again only a few years later.
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Ah yes B104.9 was another one of the good oneās. Use to be spoilt for choice in the north east with B104.9 , The Edge and Sun Fm all within range driving on the Hume
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2UW might be another contender, with 69 years of history thrown away as it converted to Mix 106.5.
Now Iām aware that both 101.7 and 106.5 were brought by ARN (from Wesgo and the Albert Family respectively) not long after their conversions to FM, which likely wouldāve resulted in major changes for one station regardless. But one still wonders how a āClassic Hits 2UW 106.5ā mightāve performed in the ratings against 2WS-FM 101.7 and their āBest Songs of All Timeā formatā¦
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Geelongās 3GL to K-Rock is another oneā¦ a totally local brand swapped straight out for an American oneā¦
Canāt recall whether BAY-FM 93.9 started on FM before 3GL converted or notā¦ That could have been a factor in the 3GL rebrand.
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I always assumed Bay FM was the ex heritage 3GL.
Bay FM went to air on 11th December 1989, whilst 3GL converted to FM as K-Rock on 27th January 1990.
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Iāve said this before, but I think 95.5 The Cat would have been a better choice. Thatās still very American but whatās Geelong if not for its footy team.
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Thatās an extremely short period in which to be the sole commercial FM license in a market. I assume they would have known about 3GL being allowed to convert when they bought the licenseā¦ Though I know the Gold Coast was in a similar situation where 4GG converted not long after SEA FM started.
NEW FM however had the commercial FM market to themselves in Newcastle for just over 3 years before AM conversions were allowed there.
And on the Central Coast, Coast Rock however only had just under 18 months FM exclusivity before 2GO was allowed to convertā¦ but then they had to compete against Sydney and Newcastle overspill from Day 1.
Or with itās motoring heritage, being home to the Ford factory for many years, Power FM could have been a relevant name - since also now under common ownership with other Power FM stations.
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Apparently, 4GG converted to FM at the exact same time that Sea FM started. Also, in Geraldton, 6GE converted to FM at around the same time that its new FM station (6BAY) went to air back in July 1991. Geraldton was also the first regional market in WA to have its commercial stations on FM by quite a number of years, with not even Mandurah getting its own commercial FM station (as an S39 for 6MM) until 1996, whilst Bunbury didnāt get theirs until 1997.
After all, K-Rock now carries the same music log as that of Power FM in all its other markets.
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Both started at 4pm Monday 20 March 1989
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I could be wrong as itās been a while since I read about it, but yes I believe the FM conversion was planned for 3GL as a result of the new kid coming to town on FM. The incumbent clearly didnāt want to be at a disadvantage.
And you know, I grew up in Geelong with K-Rock yet never really gave it much of a thought that it was an American brand. There was certainly a lot of attachment to it as a local station, which it was back in those days. I think too the branding was there to shrug off the stale, oldie image that 3GL had and give it an edgier feel - funnily enough it was then Bay FM that took on that oldie image after that.
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I think the same happened in Shepparton. Sun FM was coming, and 3SR was intended to convert to FMā¦ but declined. It converted many years later after a change of ownership.
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If I understand rightly 3SR didnāt convert per se, but moved to FM on a new licence (as 3SR FM/3SRR). RSN now holds that commercial licence still with the 3SR callsign.
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The same goes for 2GZ (2OAG), 2MC (2PQQ), 2CS (2CFS), 3BA (3RBA), 3MA (3RMR), 4MB (4MBB), 4MK (4MMK) & 4CA (4CCA). 3CV became Star FM (3BDG) when they moved to FM, whilst 4MK & 4CA have since gone back to AM in 2009, but with their official callsigns (ie. not used on-air) being 4AA & 4EL respectively.
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Correct. The station moved to FM but it was essentially to a new licence while 3SR on AM still operates as RSN.
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