The AM solus conversions may push this along. Lismore is on the edge of very congested spectrum (Gympie to Lismore, planned as one, circa 2000), restack may be required to accommodate equivalent specs to the 100.9 service.
Same for Bathurst and Lithgow conversions on the Sydney area.
What local shifts, content and engagement is there in these US or Auckland markets?
The main difference to me is that the community stations with very few listeners are allowed to broadcast at much higher powers in Australian capital cities, taking up frequencies that would otherwise be available to more popular commercial stations.
From my brief observations, Australia seems to have quite a large number of community stations compared to the US, UK or NZ where they are basically limited to low power narrowcast stations or universities/colleges.
Thatās 100% the problem - high power niche community stations.
If youāre talking Auckland then itās all local shifts!
Same in the larger cities in the US. Not so much in the smaller cities but Iām talking about cities like Brisbane and Perth with over 2 million people each. And only 4 commercial FM stations? Itās a joke.
I wouldnāt call that the problem - thereās no doubt stations like 3RRR, 4ZZZ and the like service portions of the community. But I do concede the large number of these stations does contribute to spectrum congestion
In Melbourne there isnāt a high powered station on the dial between 93.1 and 100.3 (excluding the Geelong stations), yet the spectrum is totally packed through there. In Brisbane, thereās nothing south of 93.3 (though this is crowded out by the two coasts) and thereās only 4ZZZ between 98.9 and 103.7. So surely with some smart planning this āspaceā can be sorted out and put to better use
Yes, where 3 stations play the same musicā¦
Whilst on a similar subject, Wollongong is one market with a population of around 300,000, where they have only two commercial radio stations (Wave & i98), yet both pretty much play the same music format. Most other 2-station regional markets that have a smaller population (including neighbouring Nowra) have more variety of music formats than Wollongong. Yes, the Sydney stations can be picked up in many parts of the region, but stillā¦
Hereās a log from both Wollongong stations that took place last month: Radio Stations - Music Logs
Thatās because Wollongong is the only truly competitive 2 stations market in the country. The other 2 stations markets where there are 2 owners are AM/FM combos where the AM station was sold off by SCA (or its predecessors) to meet media control laws.
Yes I do agree that surely they could find some space even with the existing high powered community stations. But the likes of 4EB on 98.1 is a waste. Itās foreign language talk that would be fine on AM. Of course thereās also SBS on 93.3 so TWO foreign language talk stations on FM in Brisbane but no classic hits or smooth? Absurd.
Yes, I knew that fact. 
Good things about the Wollongong radio market.
*Both Wave FM & i98FM air a fair bit of locally originated content (or at least did until fairly recently) unlike radio stations in many other markets of regional Australia.
*Neither station is owned by SCA or SRN/BOG.
That is about where the positives end.
I think thereās one other 2 station competitive market in the country - Gympie. 4GY and Zinc have different owners. Actually I think also Kingaroy with 4SB and Hit too.
Also doesnāt Wollongong really also have all the Sydney stations?
Officially no, although it is to my understanding that many parts of the Wollongong area (especially with a good line of sight North) can get fortuitous reception of the Sydney stations and visa versa.
And I present for you, the Gold Coast community radio landscape. Oldie oldies on 4CRB, oldies on 94.1, Radio Metro - youth, Juice - contemp Christian.
Not to commercial stations, I recall their submissions to the Brisbane LAP in 2000, they were very supportive of community radio conversions to FM to limit the number of new commercial entrants.
I agree, 4EB should have stayed on AM.
Yes, along with the small Qld markets where SCA divested the AM half of each duo : Roma, Emerald, Mt Isa, Atherton.
4GY & Zinc were separated with Bill getting three AM licences in NSW (the former 2CS, 2MC & 2GZ freqs) for the Gympie FM.
What has changed that local content has declined?
Brian - yes, Gong surveys have all Sydney commercial stations included + Sydney ABC. In building signal is often good for Sydney FM + 702. The scarp does shadow out signal in some areas of course. Driving around, RDS resolves for all Sydney stations. 96.1 gets in well too I recall.
Thereās a few in remote Qldā¦
Emerald, Roma, Atherton, Mt Isa and Charters Towers are all markets where (I think) Smart Radio owns the AM stations but SCA operates Hit on FM.
The situation came about because SCA (who once owned both) were forced to divest themselves of one licence to satisfy the āfour voicesā rule.
For the second time in as many days, Fox FM has hijacked the Triple M frequency - obviously equipment problems in South Melbourne
Edit: ārouting problemsā being blamed
I remember back in 1991 seeing a 105.1 FOX car sticker here in Newcastle.
Had me thinking there had been a frequency swap and that Triple M Melbourne had moved to 101.9!
Later found out this 105.1 FOX was a station in Hawaii.