1980 was a different time…
Yes, I wonder why The Heat failed to get to air in Hervey Bay?
And a hot one too with all that heat 
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I think a couple of things. He bid high for the licence at about 700K which was more than the nearby Bundaberg licence. So there may have been some issues there. I also heard he was trying to change the specs and location for the transmitter to get 103.5 to be broadcast from Mt Goonanamen - which would give coverage over the whole Wide Bay. That was never going to be approved.
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Thanks, ah yes, I do remember something about Mt Goonaneman being a factor now that you mention it.
Correct. It would’ve required a null in the design that would need to be removed in a few years time.
So the regulator and DMG swapped the order of the freqs issued in the ‘new’ LAP.
By the time 91.5 was auctioned, ABNT-3 had converted.
7NT now broadcasts very close to the same audio carrier that ABNT-3 transmitted on. Pity nothing similar in Newy or Spencer Gulf. I miss the TV on radio.
Bill and Pam have a long association with Ray Gamble and the other families involved. They once owned stations together, it was a good swap, 3 AM for a strategic FM. Set them up well for sale. A good exit to Prime who paid well over market value.
One of the more creative deals to do a swap.
Correct. This was the basis of many submissions to parli committees and complaints/submissions to the regulator.
The feed was from Sky (2UE) or 2CH, it began from one and went to the other perhaps? How time flies.
Very. What amuses within a station or agency doesn’t translate well. Unsure why they’d bother. No connection outside the ‘in’ joke.
Bill delayed and delayed post auction ($700 000 from memory). He wanted the TX on Mt Goonaneman, the TV site and therefore coverage over the whole Wide Bay region. ABA would not agree. The Hummock site for Bundy is the biggest disappointment, low in power and coverage.
At the time, the network branding was ‘The Heat’, sounded strange on 100.9 ZZZ where the network feed originated from. 24 hr staffed at the time. Do you remember The Heat branding?
It would’ve been a great combo, plenty of opportunity to share programming between the two markets and opportunity to drive a wedge for what was then RG Capital. Pity Bill had no interest in the full string along there of the auctioned licence of 93.1. Perhaps he did bid?
I should’ve read the entire thread, it’s an interesting part of radio history.
The Heat would suit the BOG regional FM feed. They should’ve kept it. Heat vs. Hit would’ve caused confusion in a good way for BOG.
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Yes I remember The Heat. It was a great station. I’m not sure if he bid on 93.1 Bundaberg but I’m pretty sure they bid on 91.1 Sunshine Coast.
Imagine the Heat across 91.1, 96.1, 103.5 and 93.1. Having the entire Sunshine Coast, Cooloola and Wide Bay covered.
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Bill didn’t bid on 91.1 according to this article: https://www.radioinfo.com.au/news/surprise-winners-gold-coast-and-nambour-licences
Even if he did, he wouldn’t have been allowed to own it due to a huge overlap (nearly 60%) between Gympie & Sunshine Coast licence areas, in which he already owned The Heat & 4GY.
On a somewhat related note, considering the article I’ve just linked above, the 91.1 licence was originally bought by onestore.com.au Pty Ltd, but was later bought out by DMG, triggering the sale of 4BH to Southern Cross Broadcasting, who owned 4BC at the time. Grant Broadcasters, the future owner of the station from 2013 onwards, was the 2nd highest bidder for the licence.
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Yes, it would’ve been a formidable and valuable broadcast combo.
Correct. Bill was present at the auction and a company that appeared to be registered to BOG did bid. The list should still be available online on a previous version of the ACMA website (ABA).
Correct. Mike Norris was the successful bidder (turned around 4BH and bought the Ipswich licence, moving it to 94.9 with Rural Press as partner). Unfortunately for Mike, that old trick of inter company loans got the better of him (as it does) and brought down his whole investments, lost his home, his marriage and much more.
It wasn’t their time back in 2002. Janet’s company was vastly different then. Fast forward to now and much improved cashflow from a larger, more diverse investment and by Christmas, they should have ownership in both markets.
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Today marks 40 years since 2WS in Sydney first went to air, which coincided with the switch from 10kHz to 9kHz AM frequency spacing. It went to air at 12:24am on November 23, 1978, with “Blacktown Boogie” by Dragon being the first song played, clearly emphasising the fact that the station broadcasted out of Western Sydney at Seven Hills, unlike other commercial stations which had their studios in or closer to the CBD.
In 1984, it shared the #1 position with 2UE in the Sydney radio ratings. On June 1, 1993, it converted to FM & in 2001, became WSFM, moving out of Western Sydney to North Ryde soon after in early 2002.
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…and just incase you’re wondering, WSFM has acknowledged the milestone with a posting on their website, nothing here we haven’t seen before though:
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I have a soft spot for 2WS… Their jingles and news bulletin music from the early to mid 80s are among my all time favs.
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That’s an interesting tidbit!
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Always wondered the exact date of retuning. Was there any advertising campaigns for this back in 1978?
Probably not as in most cases most stations were only shifting 2 or 3 kHz up the dial and the actual retune for listeners would have been only slight on old manual dials.
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Makes sense. Thank you!
In Melbourne the biggest shift was 3AR which moved 11 kHz from 610 to 621
From the other stations:
3LO 770 to 774
3CR 840 to 837
3UZ 930 to 927
3DB 1030 to 1026
3EA 1120 to 1116 (later to 1224)
3KZ 1180 to 1179
3AW 1280 to 1278
3MP 1380 to 1377
3XY 1420 to 1422
3AK 1500 to 1503
The Age had this editorial about the change, making mention that very little fanfare has been made about the changes but some listeners, particularly those of ABC stations where some of the changes have been more significant, may notice a need to move the dial slightly:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=s_pUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fZIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2294%2C3546678
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Just a note; that move caused trouble for 4AK as it was being heard in Melbourne and subsequently had to move to the 1240.
I’m unaware why 3EA had to move from 1116 to 1224, though. Would 1116 have caused issues with 4BC on the same frequency?