It’s another week, so the countdown of the “State of the States’ LAPs” continues…
In my opinion, Tasmania actually has the right number of commercial licences – just not in the right places, so this review is like a rubics cube of relocation. Not one LAP has growth exceeding the Australian average of 13% over the last fifteen years, which adds to the challenge. I am not sure Grant Broadcasters will like all my thoughts - see what you think!
BURNIE:
Burnie is a low growth area with the Devonport LAP overlap area growing at a faster rate of 8%. With Burnie and Devonport less than 50km from each other, not unsurprisingly there is significant networking between the Burnie and Devonport areas. (In fact, 7AD commenced as 7UV Ulverstone in the overlap area). Even the local AFL competition covers both towns (NWFL). Accordingly, I am proposing that the Burnie and Devonport licence areas be merged to form a new North West LAP with the 7AD licence transferred to the Launceston LAP. This would result in both the Launceston and North West areas each having 2 FM and 1 AM licence – meaning more choice for listeners. The incumbent owners, Grant Broadcasters should be given 12 months to sell one station in each licence area. I suspect that 7DDD would be relaunched as Chilli with 7BU sold. The 7BU transmitter may need a power increase to cover the full North West LAP.
DEVONPORT:
Refer Burnie comments with one additional change – that portion of the Devonport licence area east of the Tamar River would be transferred to the Scottsdale licence area, given this is a more natural break of licence areas (as well as providing some critical mass to Scottsdale). This should result in an overall licence area for North West of circa 104,000 with an overlap of 2,000 with Launceston.
HOBART:
Although Launceston and Hobart both had 2 licences each from 1940 -1990, given the population differences, it is unlikely to be acceptable politically that Launceston receiving an extra service is not matched by an extra service in Hobart. Furthermore similar to Darwin, as a capital city there is probably a greater capacity for advertising per capita. Accordingly, one extra licence is required (even though just short of the 250,000 population criteria I set for four licences). The unused AM licence from Queenstown should be transferred on the following conditions:
- The 7XS licensee must continue to operate the Queenstown 7AUS FM licence with existing hours and local content;
- 7XS will only receive a Hobart DAB allocation, whilst it is connected to 7AUS and based in Hobart;
- a supplementary licence will not be issued for 7AUS, however 7XS could be returned; and
- 7XS and 7AUS must always be sold together with any purchaser subject to the same conditions.
The Hobart licence area should be modified slightly by adding the Southern Midlands through to Oatlands (currently unserved by commercial radio) and transferring Bicheno through Coles Bay to the Scottsdale LAP.
LAUNCESTON:
Quite clearly, the 7AD licence is proposed to be transferred to the Launceston LAP. Similar to the North West LAP, the incumbents would have 12 months to sell a licence. Two obvious strategies for Grant Broadcasters in preparing for sale (assuming they sell the AM:
- Similar to 2AY in Albury-Wodonga, reverse migrate LAFM to the old 7LA frequency (leaving 900AM vacant, potentially for Hobart use) with LAFM becoming SeaFM; and
- Relaunch 7AD as say Tamar Radio 7TR
QUEENSTOWN:
With a declining population and less than 5,000 people it is no surprise that ACMA turns a blind eye to the fact that the AM licence is effectively non-operational (and to be honest, who could blame the operators with this size market for almost closing shop). To ensure viability, it is proposed that the AM licence be transferred to Hobart LAP effectively meaning the “cost” of a “free” new Hobart licence is the ongoing maintenance of the Queenstown licence (call it a loss leader – Coles seem to do this often with Coke!). Given the current size (and relative isolation) of the existing Queenstown LAP, there would seem very limited scope to expand the current licence area. (Derwent Bridge just outside the current LAP has a pub with standard fare and basic accommodation along with a population of 23 per the ABS…ok the pub bit is when I last was travelling through).
SCOTTSDALE:
Another tough area to service, however the proposed answer involves expanding the licence area in two directions:
- Transfer of George Town from the Devonport LAP, even though it will in part continue to overlap with the Launceston LAP (est population 6,800); and
- Transfer of Bicheno through Coles Bay portion of the Hobart LAP to Scottsdale LAP (est population 1,200) along with the inclusion of all villages from Bicheno through to St Mary’s. This is consistent with ABC Radio including Bicheno in the North Tasmania local radio area.
This would probably require relocating St Helens retransmitters to St Mary’s. If I was Grant Broadcasters, I would probably follow the lead of their Bega sister station and relaunch 7SD as East Coast Radio 7EC.
