SEN (Radio)

What are your general thought’s on SEN? I think its a brilliant station for sports fans. Covers a heap of commentary. Anyone listen to the NZ version (SENZ)?

Hey Craig! Welcome to MS!

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I am a once a year listener for the Super Bowl coverage when I am at work, other then that I don’t listen like most people.

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I like the live sports commentaries, don’t like how they can be hit and miss though.

Couple of good examples, Big Bash not being covered much during the Australian Open tennis, also reckon SEN Fanatic is underutilised (for example, EPL games on weekday mornings around 7am should be on SEN Fanatic instead of another simulcast of the normal morning programs.

They might only have online rights to the EPL (cheaper)?

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Think they’ve got complete rights, there’s no online only restriction as overnight games on weekends are on AM/DAB as well.

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I like the live sports commentaries, don’t like how they can be hit and miss though.

Yeah I agree, whilst many think Sydney/Brisbane shouldn’t have a full-time sports station, it has so much potential but it feels a little half baked. I know the staff are probably working hard. Just the whole 801 issue, 1170 AM sound quality is also a bit half baked with fairly regular outages. Maybe the amount of income coming isn’t enough to add the polish. MSR was similar it was a bit half baked. Probably the market isn’t there. When I listen there are too many ads to make it a really great listen. Like Sports Today was on 2UE for example. It isn’t about the people working there. They probably work very hard.

For positive side , happy with the international cricket coverage. I like Andrew Voss but I confess I don’t listen too often, I am a SWR fan for breakfast. Busco cover sports, great variety music (Busco shares his wide knowledge of the music he plays), local issues etc. My type of breakfast show.

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the popular motorsport podcast “The Driver’s Seat” with Steve Johnson & Matthew MacKelden, which is also one of the network’s most highly-downloaded apps.

huh?

Motorsport enthusiasts can now experience every heart-pumping moment

So it is full commentary.

They already have a Motorsport podcast with an accompanying app.

That’s literally the point of their press release.

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Yes and I was clarifying an earlier question which asked whether it was or not.

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Although I suspect that only the major races will be on the main AM network - it helps that Bathurst is out of footy season and the Sandown 500 won’t clash with finals, certainly not AFL ones - and the rest will be bumped to Fanatic or the app.

After footy season though, that’s certainly better than simulcasting SEN Track on a Sunday (and some Saturdays with the 2x250 km races like Gold Coast or Adelaide… although I guess Spring Carnival horsing may make that uncertain). :man_shrugging:

And as said, fits in well with the coverage already provided by The Driver’s Seat on a Wednesday evening (and yes, via podcast and app), and its SENZ sibling too in Race Control.

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I believe this has ceased.

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Aaah boo, that’s probably why they didn’t mention it. Can see why they’d maybe want to cut costs given how SENZ is going, although having an NZ voice in Greg Murphy with their own show at least sounded like a good idea in theory.

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SEN had a technical glitch towards the end of the Villa v Arsenal EPL commentary last night. The last 5 mins of the game were cut off for ads and promos, which ruined the game as 2 goals scored by Arsenal in injury time were missed.

This affected both SEN 1170 and SEN Mel on DAB, in Sydney. SEN Fan had dead air.

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SEN Track 801 Gosford is off air again, probably from the storm last night, didn’t last long, I’ll talk to the tech again tomorrow if it isn’t back.

Being a narrowcast licence, I wonder how often & how long it has to be off for the use it or lose it licence condition to kick in?

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SEN Track Gosford seems to be back on air, but sounds very weak in Newcastle, the normal contract tech that I speak to hasn’t fixed it, he’s currently in Margaret River commissioning some new AM transmitters (I don’t know who for?). I’m guessing it suffered some damage in last Saturday’s storm & is on low power just to be on air, until it can be repaired, which I don’t know how long will take as I don’t know what’s been damaged & how badly?

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Presumably SEN?

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The ACMA’s definition (aside from the initial “must use within 6 months”) is “with reasonable regularity”: https://www.acma.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-10/LPON-Use-it-or-lose-it-conditions_October-2020.pdf - and that’s practically defined by AAT caselaw - which so far is mostly drawn from cancellations due to the (lack of) use of the 88FM LPON licences in western Sydney in the past (little surprise there :melting_face:).

I doubt 801am falls in the same category as those - though I guess they actually have to try and fix it, otherwise it’s not exactly providing a service :slight_smile:

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According to The Sunday Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield, SEN 1170 will not broadcast the 3pm NRL game on Saturdays this year. Instead, it will broadcast a new show called Let It Ride, to be hosted by Joel Caine, Scott Sattler and Stephen O’Keefe. It will air at 2pm-5pm covering all sports.

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