So they could only operate stations in rural/regional areas, and only some in SEQ as a base station to network from, Makes sense now.
Also possibly since the Brisbane FM spectrum is choc-a-bloc, and couldn’t support much more without overlap.
Most Brisbane stations can also be picked up as far north as Noosa, with Sunshine Coast stations picked up as far north as Chatswood (North Gympie) from personal experience. By that point, Rebel106.7 and The Breeze102.5 Wide Bay can be picked up by then, both dropping out a few km’s out of Gin Gin. They are also the only commercial radio in places like Childers and various towns in Central QLD, Maranoa, etc.
Yep I’ve found on recent drives up to Hervey Bay that Breeze 102.5 and Rebel 106.7 are both well received in the car at least to the northern outskirts of Gympie. Surprisingly, both are better than Triple M/Hit from Maryborough towards Gympie.
The Guardian is reporting that Triple J are launching a new radio station next week called: Triple J Hottest, playing all the hottest 100 tracks from the last 30 years.
Not sure if this will be on DAB or if it will just be permanent or a temporary station.
Childers was never well served by commercial radio. 4BU and 4MB were the ‘local’ stations. It got slightly better when 4BU moved to 5kw but 4MB never did. Many locals listened to out of are stations especially at night. I recall visiting relatives who listened to 4KQ (when it was located at St Helena).
When the FM LAPs were drawn neither of them included Childers which seemed bad at the time. But of course that allowed Breeze and Rebel to set up there now so they are possibly better off than many towns of a similar size.
Yes they are better off now for sure. I grew up in the area and 4BU was ok during the day in Childers back in the 80s but not at night. 4MB was ok in the car during the day. Interestingly the FM stations from Bundaberg get into Childers better than 4BU ever did. But now they’re spoilt for choice with Breeze and Rebel as well. They really should have amalgamated Maryborough and Bundaberg LAPs and had 4 commercial stations similar to Central Queensland. Wide Bay has always been a single TV market like Rockhampton/Gladstone so I never understood why they didn’t. They probably wouldn’t have even needed repeaters for the FM stations as high-powered FM covers Wide Bay from Mt Goonanamen. If things had been different it would probably have ended up with Triple M and Hit on FM and 4BU and 4MB remaining on AM similar to 4RO/4CC.
But, you’re forgetting that there are about 70 stations on DAB in Sydney and Melb, with Brisbane having about 60. Two-thirds of these stations are commercial.
I see. The Gold Coast would come close with 5 local on FM and another half dozen easily picked up in the car or at home (plus another 10 DAB stations).
That’s why I keep saying that a 3rd commercial multiplex needs to be built in the metro areas, to give more opportunity for independents to lease spectrum from the incumbents, as there’s simply not enough of it to go around.
Considering Triple J, Double J and Unearthed are all using 72 kbs, they could just allocate 16 kbs from each, which will give 48 kbs for Hottest, which is more than enough.