I suspect there’s not a lot of love between them and Hutchy.
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Given they’re signed up with MSR until the end of next year, on top of the way they were removed by Crocmedia, I doubt theyll be back.
Face it, MSR isn’t going away whether you want it to or not. It’s almost like they’re taking the money to pay for the station out of your pocket or something.
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I am absolutely supportive of any broadcaster that creates local content and IMHO, the overall decline in radio’s fortunes are tied to networking, which makes it easier for Spotify and the like to compete. That aspect of SEN is to be commended and necessary to overcome (particular in Adelaide given the SEN1323 experience) a perception of SEN as a Melbourne-centric broadcaster.
That’s where I beg to differ for off band stations. Think of the punter who sees the ad for SEN1629…they try their radio and it stops at 1602. They try DAB and no cigar. They walk into Kmart or JBHiFi - do you think they can easily get a radio. I am doubtful coz I’ve never seen an off band model (Haven’t really looked hard to be fair). At the same time, the comments on these forums about AM to FM conversions, seem to indicate it costs more to keep the AM transmitters running. So why spend a truckload to buy a bunch of licences with high maintenance costs, that very few can hear. I think World Audio Broadcasting back in 2002 with their Radio 2 off-band network proved the folly of such an approach.
IMHO, you are better off being an internet streaming only option or somehow convincing ACMA that HPON on-band licences can be used for sports broadcasting (or my preferred option of partnering with 2UE and 4BH).
Ultimately, more than happy to be proven wrong - as the more choice for listeners, the better. I just think Hutchy’s approach is naff!
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Jaycar has them, but not many people regularly shop there and multiband radios are more expensive than regular AM/FM radios and cheap FM/DAB+.
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If Pacific Star/Crocmedia don’t eventually make deals with other broadcasters to get at least one SEN service on DAB+ in the capital cities outside of Melbourne, then surely they’ll at least try and get access to the on-band frequencies in Brisbane & Sydney?
If they’re only allowed to use AM frequencies at 1611 and above in the #1 and #3 markets, then I’m fully expecting another Radio 2-like fail.
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They would need to buy a station? Presumably in Sydney 954, 1170 and 1269 are available if enough money is offered on the basis that everything is for sale at the right price, but could Pacific Star afford it?
I was referring more to 1539AM Sydney and 1053AM Brisbane (which were on-band the last I checked), presuming that those two are going to be among those acquired by CrocMedia/Pacific Star from Gumnut Nominees of course.
Can anyone confirm whether or not Vision Radio is still running on 1611AM? Doesn’t seem to be anything on that frequency in my location, even though I’m sure I’ve heard Vision Radio content on there before.
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It’d be a real shame to see 954 or 1269 become SEN - especially if Sydney lost the callsign “2SM”. As rubbish as the station is, it is still nice to have something original remaining.
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When will Hutchy and all those in the past and future learn. The only thing that works is to be on AM or FM. DAB+ only and internet only and now ‘off band’ only stations will never be a profitable business model.
Save your money Hutchy. Greater investment doesn’t always mean greater reward. Especially if you’re only going to pipe down 90% of the same content around the country.
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In their press release Pacific Star stated they were buying “23 narrowband area radio licences”, and narrowband means NON-BSB. As 1539 is within the broadcast band as you say, it is narrowcast not narrowband so it doesn’t fit the description of what Pacific Star said they are buying. It seems whatever they are buying in Sydney is 1611 or above. Unless of course their press release was wrong …
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my 10+ year old clock radio goes up to 1701 kHz but my car radio which I bought less than 10 years ago only goes up to 1602. So it tends to be a bit hit and miss on what tuners go beyond 1602. It’s a tough sell for any broadcaster trying to break into a market with those higher frequencies. Surely SEN realises the battle they have to get people to actually be able to tune in?
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Craig Hutchison confirmed that 1116 SEN had previously reached a mutual agreement with Bartlett and on-air colleague John Rothfield back in May 2019, that their drive show would not return in 2020.
It had been planned that the drive show would run until the AFL Grand Final eve, allowing time for a fitting farewell for Bartlett, but that decision has now been fast-tracked after receiving Bartlett’s resignation.
As much as people like to shitcan Hutchy, it must be said that 4.5% at Breakfast for a sports station is pretty impressive these days.
He is lucky he has a somewhat established product in a sport fanatic city.
Now he just needs to understand that this success may only be half as good in SA and will be a complete failure in other states.
For above 1602 kHz, yes.
Tell us more please.
Thanks for your effort @Rob_Melb_AU
It is likely a grandfathered circumstance such as the 1620 licences issued for Bris, GC, SC, T’ba.
PNW’s media release has a line confirming existing transmission agreements will continue. Whether on the same freq, who knows.
I haven’t worked at that site before (I’ve been inside it before, though), so I’m not sure of the specifics. I’m sure neither Broadcast Australia or Rete Italia/SEN would like me disclosing it anyway. It is commercial in confidence.
No worries, I googled it.
They didn’t have a section 40 licence. As of tomorrow Crocmedia does have a Commercial Radio Broadcasting (Section 40 - NON-BSB) Australia Wide licence having taken over another licence.
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https://web.acma.gov.au/rrl/licence_search.licence_lookup?pLICENCE_NO=1130504/2
The 1629 AM Narrowband license in Hobart (licensed to the 7RPH site) has now been transfered to Crocmedia! It’s the first license in under the ACMA ‘Crocmedia’ client with the S40 license… Perhaps we’ll see Hobart come on first?
John “Dr Turf” Rothfield tweeted this afternoon that he was leaving SEN. Dr Turf owns a stake in SEN and hosted afternoons with Kevin Bartlett, who quit earlier this month.
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With SEN gobbling up all these S40 licenses, perhaps they should stand for Silly Egotistic Numpties?
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