Has anyone listened to the tourist radio (usually around 88.0FM)?
I’ve only seen it occasionally in NSW but haven’t bothered to listen in to it.
What is the content like?
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The vast majority of the tourist info LPONs have gone; their heyday was in the 90s, pre Internet. Nowadays most folk rely on their smartphones for tourist information, perhaps using a tourist information office to book activities.
There are a few stations still on air such as in the Shoalhaven and Southern Highlands. I think Western Visitor Radio (Dubbo, Parkes) is also still going.
The content on most stations was just short information pieces on various tourist attractions in a continuous loop.
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The signs are still there on entry to many towns (a relic from decades gone by no doubt), but when you tune in the frequencies have often been hijacked by religious nutters or the like and you soon tune out again. In some places the blue highway signs actually direct you to tune into the local community station (the sign entering Narrandera sends you to 91.1 for instance) which is a nice touch although not strictly adhering to the ‘tourist radio’ brief
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Following the Spirit (if not the letter) of the law.
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Something intriguing I’ve found whilst reading the consultation paper for the AM-FM conversion of 2ST Nowra, which you can read here.
The paper also made mention on page 9 that ACMA has received a request for a 3rd commercial station for the Nowra RA1 licence area, which would most likely transmit from Cambewarra Mountain (as per 2ST’s proposed main FM service), with a translator at Ulladulla & possibly Kiama. If it’s to go ahead, it will be allocated by a price-based allocation, so we could see the likes of SCA, BOG or WIN expand into the Shoalhaven region.
It would be an ironic situation to see the Shoalhaven having more commercial stations serving the region than the higher-populated Illawarra region, which will be stuck with just 2 (barring overspill/overlap of 2ST & Power FM) that compete with one another.
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Read that and I don’t think it will happen; as the ACMA noted there’s not enough spectrum in the Southern Highlands to make it work. A third commercial service would have to have coverage equivalence, and to grant one in Nowra instead of Wollongong would frankly be absurd.
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Could they do the FM conversion and then auction the AM frequency?
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In which case, welcome to Radio 999 relaying 2SM 21 hours/weekday
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They would probably call it 2NO.
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The Local You NO
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Who actually (in the past) made up new names for new radio stations? Is it the govt?
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Surely the stations themselves would choose them.
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Official call-signs (that are still used for licensing) are made by ACMA or it’s predecessors, but stations can ask for a particular call-sign if they want.
What stations call themselves on air, etc are made up by the stations themselves.
It never used to be, but as most now ID as something other than the official licence call-sign, it’s now also noted on the licences what the station ID’s as On Air.
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I remember reading that when 2UW was marketed as Magic 11 McNair Anderson refused to allow the station to be called Magic 11 in the survey book. People who listened to Magic 11 needed to tick 2UW in their diaries. I am sure this would have cost the station a few ratings points.
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I heard on ad for a Gosford/Wyong car dealership on Sydney radio (WSFM) last night.
Whilst it’s not uncommon to hear “out of area” advertising, in my experience this usually only occurred on regional stations.
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Given the amount of commuting between the Central Car Coast and Sydney, that’s not surprising.
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Though most of the commuting is TO Sydney, I can’t see how advertising on Sydney radio would make a difference to car sales on the Central Coast. Other than to try and stop locals buying cars in Sydney and having them serviced there.
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Some of these commuters would be tuned to Sydney radio on the way down though? And if they happen to break down…
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They got a bargain. Bookings are dire all over the band this month and last.
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Here’s an interesting article, although US:
Perhaps broadcasting for such long periods during their bushfires exacerbated her addiction?
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