Radio History

[TheHomeOfMusic]

And 92.3 and 1422, homes of the big music stations in Melbourne in the 80s EON FM and 3XY respectively, are now occupied by ethnic stations 3ZZZ and narrowcaster 3XY Radio Hellas.

[TV.Cynic]

In QLD Breeze and Rebel are on 100.6 and 99.4 because there are no available odd frequencies in the region (according to ACMA). During troppo opening you can get a better appreciation of how crowded the band is.

[TV-Expert]

@dxnerd

The Ch 5s at Wollongong and Newcastle moved at the end of the 70s (?) to allow Sydney FM from 102-108 MHz. Also remember that 2MBS was originally on 92.1 MHz, so I’m guessing the 5s were still on air back in 1974-1975.

I’m sure a look back at the ABCB reports will confirm these dates, might be a job for the venerable @TV-Expert

ABC TV in Wollongong was always on 5A, which didn’t fell within the FM band. ABC TV in Newcastle moved from 5 to 5A in February 1977, with 2MBS moving from 92.1 to 102.5 not long after.

[TV.Cynic]

In a similar way, DDQ 5 at Toowoomba moved to DDQ 5a so that Brisbane FM’s could start up in that part of the band.

[TelevisionAU]

@TV.Cynic

In a similar way, DDQ 5 at Toowoomba moved to DDQ 5a so that Brisbane FM’s could start up in that part of the band.

Similar transition for ABGV5 in Alexandra, moving to 5A sometime around 1974-75.

[Brianc68]

@Radiohead

@Brianc68

I reckon they should have allowed QFM to move to Brisbane on 106.9 if both 4BH and 4KQ wouldn’t cough up the money.

Except it was meant to be an ‘AM to FM’ conversion and QFM was already on FM… Really one of 4BH, 4BC, 4IP and 4KQ should have converted… I’m still amazed none of them did.

And 4IP probably would have gone back to Top 40 if they had converted. Imagine if they got 99.7 or 100.5 and they could have been ‘Radio 100/Stereo 100’!

99.7 was one of the frequencies earmarked at the time so they could have had that one. The frequencies available were 96.5, 97.3, 98.1, 98.9 and 99.7

I don’t think they would have gone back to Top 40 but the Radio 10/Stereo 10 brand would have been perfect for a Hits and Memories or even classic hits of the 70s and 80s at the time. The 4IP/Radio 10 audience from the 70s and 80s
would have flocked to it on FM 99.7

[TelevisionAU]

@Brianc68

I don’t think they would have gone back to Top 40 but the Radio 10/Stereo 10 brand would have been perfect for a Hits and Memories or even classic hits of the 70s and 80s at the time. The 4IP/Radio 10 audience from the 70s and 80a would have flocked to it on FM 99.7

who owned 4IP at the time the AM-FM conversions were being auctioned off? they probably didn’t have enough coins to even put in a bid??!

[Brianc68]

@TelevisionAU

@Brianc68

I don’t think they would have gone back to Top 40 but the Radio 10/Stereo 10 brand would have been perfect for a Hits and Memories or even classic hits of the 70s and 80s at the time. The 4IP/Radio 10 audience from the 70s and 80a would have flocked to it on FM 99.7

who owned 4IP at the time the AM-FM conversions were being auctioned off? they probably didn’t have enough coins to even put in a bid??!

I’m actually not sure who owned it at the time of the auction, but I’m pretty sure they had reverted back to 4IP and were in the brief classic hits phase before being sold to TAB. Either way I’d say money was tight, but you’d still think they might have made a lowball bid.

[Radiohead]

@Brianc68

Either way I’d say money was tight, but you’d still think they might have made a lowball bid.

They probably should have in hindsight, might have done a Bradbury and ended up with it given 4BH and 4KQ couldn’t take it up! And as it probably wouldn’t have been worth it for 4BC being a talkback station.

Unless there was a reserve price on them?

[ron12]

@dxnerd

You also have to remember that 92-94 MHz was the only unencumbered part of the FM BSB back in the 80s; there were still plenty of Ch 3-5s on air around the capital cities.

That’s true generally speaking but there must have been lots of places where one or other of the 88-92, 94-101 or4 101-108 MHz was free. For example, Melbourne 101-108 MHz was free by the time ABC-FM started up so there wouldn’t have been any nearby channel 5 stations.

@TelevisionAU

who owned 4IP at the time the AM-FM conversions were being auctioned off? they probably didn’t have enough coins to even put in a bid??!

In January 1990 when I wen to the Gold Coast for a holiday, 4IP sounded a lot like 3XY Melbourne and BAY FM Geelong, not just music-wise but even the general sound of the station, with some pop/dance music by the likes of Paula Abdul but mostly rock and pop, but more pop in thee evenings. I always assumed that they had the same owners.

[TelevisionAU]

@ron12

In January 1990 when I wen to the Gold Coast for a holiday, 4IP sounded a lot like 3XY Melbourne and BAY FM Geelong, not just music-wise but even the general sound of the station, with some pop/dance music by the likes of Paula Abdul but mostly rock and pop, but more pop in thee evenings. I always assumed that they had the same owners.

4IP had a cheeky slogan you couldn’t get away with these days

I thought 2SM,3XY,4IP had common ownership during the Lite’n’Easy/Easy Rock chapter but not sure if that was still in place by mid-late 1989 when the AM-FM conversions were up for bids. IIRC, 3XY got sold off to Bay FM in 1989 before Bay FM even started operation.

[Radiohead]

@TelevisionAU

Lite’n’Easy/Easy Rock chapter but not sure if that was still in place by mid-late 1989

I don’t think it was… I recall DXing 4IP at night in late 89/early 90s and it had moved more back to a pop format… I recall the night show using the tagline ‘Boogie Over Brisbane’.

[thesub1]

I wonder if KIIS would be shamed if they used that slogan?

[Moe]

@Vidiot

There are a few off channel stations like 2CBA in Sydney and 3PVR in Melbourne’s north east (88.6). Apparently they were put on those off channels because of potential interference to analog VHF TV stations. It’s a pity that wasn’t resolved by a small frequency change after the analong TV services were closed down.

I wonder if they ever do re-allocate the 97.4 that 3WRB was on, if it moves to an odd frequency. I do think those sub metro frequencies are a good example of poor allocations - that you almost have metro wide spare frequencies to use them in a small pocket of the city - and then they all end up being so strong you can receive half of them on the other side of the city.

I suppose the planning initially was hit by the issue that no one seemed to think FM would be a success - otherwise you might have seen something like a community radio sub band more like the US model.

[Vidiot]

@Moe

I do think those sub metro frequencies are a good example of poor allocations - that you almost have metro wide spare frequencies to use them in a small pocket of the city - and then they all end up being so strong you can receive half of them on the other side of the city.

Agree 100% Moe. They should be the first allocations to be cleaned up/restacked. It could allow for at least 2 or 3 city wide frequencies to become available in Melbourne.

[Brianc68]

@Vidiot

@Moe

I do think those sub metro frequencies are a good example of poor allocations - that you almost have metro wide spare frequencies to use them in a small pocket of the city - and then they all end up being so strong you can receive half of them on the other side of the city.

Agree 100% Moe. They should be the first allocations to be cleaned up/restacked. It could allow for at least 2 or 3 city wide frequencies to become available in Melbourne.

And Brisbane at least one on 99.7

[ron12]

The government could make one FM frequency available in each mainland state capital (except Perth) and make some money by allowing a commercial AM station in each city to convert to FM, then move SBS from FM to AM.

Or they could make SBS digital only, given that it can be received by DAB+, FTA TV & via the net, and given its small audience.

NOTE: In Perth they’re supposed to be trying to move all the government and commercial AM stations to FM.

[Tejas57]

@ron12

The government could make one FM frequency available in each mainland state capital (except Perth) and make some money by allowing a commercial AM station in each city to convert to FM, then move SBS from FM to AM.

i feel like now is the time to do a restack in each capitol and do it right - have band allocations for abc, sbs and community so you know no matter which state your in classic fm (for example) is on 90.7

won’t happen though as it will get kicked down the road until DAB or streaming is the main broadcast medium

[TelevisionAU]

@Tejas57

i feel like now is the time to do a restack in each capitol and do it right - have band allocations for abc, sbs and community so you know no matter which state your in classic fm (for example) is on 90.7

does the government or industry have appetite to spend thousands (if not more) on a widespread re-stack? If the benefit of any re-stack would be to open up some new slots on FM you can bet the industry will shut it down quick smart.

@ron12

Or they could make SBS digital only, given that it can be received by DAB+, FTA TV & via the net, and given its small audience.

Despite its relatively small (though not insignificant) audience and availability on digital platforms, it’s probably not a good move politically to force a national broadcaster with a wide multicultural charter to shift from analogue radio. Could be seen as an antagonistic move. Again, if such a move was only a means to progress more commercial competition you can be sure the industry will convince the government to shut it down.

[Brianc68]

@TelevisionAU

@Tejas57

i feel like now is the time to do a restack in each capitol and do it right - have band allocations for abc, sbs and community so you know no matter which state your in classic fm (for example) is on 90.7

does the government or industry have appetite to spend thousands (if not more) on a widespread re-stack? If the benefit of any re-stack would be to open up some new slots on FM you can bet the industry will shut it down quick smart.

@ron12

Or they could make SBS digital only, given that it can be received by DAB+, FTA TV & via the net, and given its small audience.

Despite its relatively small (though not insignificant) audience and availability on digital platforms, it’s probably not a good move politically to force a national broadcaster with a wide multicultural charter to shift from analogue radio. Could be seen as an antagonistic move. Again, if such a move was only a means to progress more commercial competition you can be sure the industry will convince the government to shut it down.

I agree. But why are we so convinced the industry will be able to “shut down” moves for additional FM commercial or ABC stations? The industry weren’t able to stop the last round of auctions, or the ones before. So why now? Sure they’d try, but it just needs some balls.

The biggest impediment to FM planning I think is it would require the ACMA to actually do some work, and within a timeframe. Rather than just publish yearly reports that describe their glacial pace.