Even considering only our cities, commercial FM didn’t come in until 1980 and even so, 1442 3XY, for example, held on to respectable numbers until about 1986, so your “born before 1960” would seem to apply more to a WABC or KHJ listener than an Australian one.
It’s not just AM. It’s DAB which is rising. They need to look at AM as a transitional step to DAB and Online.
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Melbourne is a tough market due to its AFL-obsession but Sydney and Brisbane are different and having a classic hits and an easy listening station , along with extra DAB capacity, in each market, would be a boon for ACE and provide some competition to the big 3 on FM.
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Yes it wasn’t that long ago that the combined ratings of 4KQ and 4BH in Brisbane were 13% or higher, when they were both music. Just before the Macquarie Sports Radio fiasco.
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It’s really incredible to think how much the AM music stations have fallen in the capitals after both Macquarie Radio Network and SEN meddled with the formats.
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Magic 1278 final survey before it was blown up 6.0%
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2CH 1170 final survey before it was blown up 5.0%
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4KQ final survey before it was blown up (somewhere around 8-9%)
It will take time for new owners to win back these listeners, which most have probably gone to Smooth and Gold/WS FM and in Brisbane’s case 4BH and MMM, but it’s not impossible.
2UE is doing reasonably well on 3-4% but still below the 5% 2CH achieved in its final survey.
4BH seems to have gained most of the 4KQ audience but still below where 4KQ once was (10-11% at one stage).
SEN really should have kept the formats of 2CH and 4KQ, and put the sports on DAB. They wouldn’t have been in the mess they now find themselves in with asterisks in certain day parts and the reduction of advertising revenue that would come with less than 1% audience share in Sydney and Brisbane.
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H-Sun reporting that Hutchy is cutting some production staff at SEN.
I’ve got a few friends that work there, and if I were them, I’d just have the resume and airchecks up-to-date…
Could you please paste the story? I don’t click on those paywall links.
No, he can’t.
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Craig Hutchison cuts staff from SEN radio amid Super Bowl broadcast
Craig Hutchison’s embattled sports media empire has cut jobs at its flagship radio station SEN in the same week it broadcast from the Super Bowl in Las Vegas.
Radio producers were made redundant this week at SEN’s Melbourne studio as the company cuts cost to manage its $28.7 million debt with the Commonwealth Bank.
A small number of staff have left the company but on-air programming was not part of the cuts.
Mod edit: Don’t post full paywalled articles. It’s against our rules.
But they are still advertising for staff. Fool of a Man.
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I know they are doing this line as just comparing “oh look at this frivolous expense” - but I get the sense it’s just part of Whateley’s package to send him over to it, he’d probably call it “free” just to go, or was going regardless.
Hutchy loves the Super Bowl too. It’s when he gets to play grown up and shoulders with other sports broadcasters from around the world.
I think its all part of Ball Park Entertainment and selling the packages probably brings in a fair amount of money compared to their other operations.
Whatley gets to play host for the week. I think it’s misleading to suggest they are blowing money on the Superbowl and sacking people to pay for it.
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Well, a big brown 
to you 
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Enough of the attitude, champ.
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You didn’t see it was written as a joke? @OnAir
Apologies - didn’t take it that way but it was super early 
Sorry!
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How many staff?
Radio and TV commentary are different kettle of fishes though so I tend to agree. As an Australian watching the TV commentary you probably are happy with the US TV coverage. Especially the half time ads and the full American experience.
But listening to play-by-play radio commentary (audio only) then the Australian SEN call by Gerard Whateley is great as it’s good for the casual NFL consumer who might not be overly familiar with the sport.
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