How boring that market is now.
5 Likes
Indeed. The number of commercial music radio stations in Bunbury has now been reduced from 3 to 2, going back to how it was before 2000, when 621AM first went to air. Itâs similar to what happened in Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour & Orange when Caralis bought the Easy Listening stations from AMI in 2005, although unlike in Bunbury, at least those markets have two commercial FM stations.
At least many parts of Bunbury can get fortuitous reception of The Wave & Coast FM from Mandurah.
5 Likes
Given itâs an actual commercial license, I think itâll be an SEN WA outlet - with a local slot during the day to meet the local content restrictions. Perhaps they could simulcast that into the SEN Track station on breakfast into Perth and still be okay.
Basically, if theyâve got on band narrowcasts they have to use the SEN Track format to be niche enough, while commercial and the off band AM licenses they have can use the main SEN format.
8 Likes
Pacific Star Network resumed trading on ASX yesterday and closed unchanged at 25c.
Herald Sun reports key executive and PSN shareholder Sam Bingley has moved to the North Melbourne Football Club as the chief commercial officer under new boss Ben Amarfio.
1 Like
Disappointed that Grant, Capital or West Coast didnât pick it up and run a music format with some light talkback from 6PR, which has no relay stations in regional WA unlike other metro talkback stations.
Triple M and SEN 621 will both have sport on weekends now, leaving Hit as the only permanent music format on Saturdays and Sundays.
3 Likes
You also have Bunbury Community Radio 103.7FM as another music option on local radio, as well as Collie Community Radio 101.3FM and Donnybrook-Balingup Community Radio 102.1FM/98.5FM.
3 Likes
You make it sound like it was advertised on the open market. SCA would have approached Pacific Star/Crocmedia/SEN to see the if they wanted it. Itâs in SCAâs best interests for it to run a niche format.
8 Likes
The change to SEN may not generate much of a shift in the Bunbury market anyway. Back in 2016, 621 only rated 6.1%. Not included at all in last years survey. With the above mentioned community stations, Mandurah FM, religious narrowcasters and TABradio, 2019s 21% âother stationsâ, including 621, doesnât leave much to claim.
621 is a shit frequency anyway. Maybe a fraction better coverage than Triple M 963 for day time, terrible at night. A bad whistle as soon as you leave Bunbury city, being sandwiched between high powered 612 RN Dalwallinu and 630 ABC Albany not helping. Safe to say, places like Collie and Dunsborough are not adequately covered by 621.
2 Likes
SEN might not be around too much longer with the way itâs being managed. I so used to love this station from when it began in 2004 up until it was taken over by Crocmedia. Maybe they should concentrate on maintaining what they already have before worrying about expansion!
2 Likes
Guessing that unlike 6TZ, 6EL has no repeaters in Collie and Margaret River?
2 Likes
how much is this expansion costing and for how many extra listeners? Is there a big demand for more sport/racing stations in areas already covered by TAB or racing radio?
Seriously how many people are tuning into frequencies like 1629 or whatever?
4 Likes
No, they donât.
They were allocated repeaters for 1548 AM in Collie & 1494 AM in Margaret River, but these didnât went to air.
3 Likes
Is there a big demand for random niche music formats on these frequencies? Probably not either.
Itâs a long term plan by Crocmedia. Iâve said this before that sports and racing are the niche formats that will survive on these HPON/LPON licenses long in to the future. Niche music formats will not.
As much as there is many Media Spy members on here longing for traditional broadcast radio to continue music based formats 24/7, itâs not the future in this age of smart speakers and streaming audio services.
Crocmedia/PSN are not going to acquire stations to run music. They demonstrated this when they ceased 3MP, Aussie and Koool.
2 Likes
And now theyâre doing so well they are begging for money to keep the company alive! PSN was a good and well run little company before Crocmedia.
1 Like
So much so that they diversified into print, then lost a shit tonne of money
3 Likes
I donât get the Crocmedia business model?
Everyone is tightening but Croc have always just been spending money on anything they can think of. Offband licences that no one would listen to, Sporting Clubs, Magazines, Regional AM frequencies etcâŚ
Isnât the horse racing demo who listens to AM getting way older? Why listen, when you can stream the vision live from the Sky Racing website.
They just seem to be spending so much over the last few years, when can they possibly expect a return?
Theyâre in a trading halt after all
4 Likes
Actually, theyâve resumed trading as of last Friday (1st May).
2 Likes
Considering Crocmediaâs core business involves the syndication of sports rights, the Coronavirus causing those sports to be out of action for an extended period was always going to impact them short-term.
4 Likes
The 6PR sports show will be enough for LCLCs Crocmedia will think.
Iâd like to know what Croc will do with the current staff.
Itâs Margaret from Sunburyâs 90th birthday today. There is alot of sweepers on-air today wishing her happy birthday and every weather update includes the current temperature in Sunbury.
Very well done SEN, they are so good to her and a credit to Hutchy for respecting loyal listenerâs like Margaret in this way. Itâs ashame the planned party for her couldnât go ahead due to Covid-19.
4 Likes