I agree that the sale of the Bathurst Broadcasters stations is another sad day in the history of local media in regional Australia, but as it’s already been pointed out both 2BS and B-Rock have increasingly been adding networked programing to their lineup in recent years.
If the proposal to convert 2BS from 1503AM to 95.1FM is approved, I think it’d probably make more sense for SCA to take that opportunity to launch Hit 95.1 as “a new station” for the market, with converting B-Rock to Triple M 99.3 being a more seamless change for listeners.
Mind you I’m not sure what that would mean when it comes to the MRN talk shows. But since there are other regional Triple M stations that (from memory) carry Ray Hadley + an Alan Jones highlights show, I guess those could make the transition to 99.3.
Well I lived there from 2003-2005. It had decent local content back then. On the odd occasion I’ve had to visit Bathurst, I have noticed that the local content has reduced.
If ACMA and ACCC had any power, and both parties weren’t so far up SCA’s bunghole, SCA should be barred from buying any further stations until several severe license conditions be imposed. Like 6am-6pm live and local on all stations, restrictions on networking, maybe even the forced dumping of the Triple M and (S)Hit FM branding. in regional areas. Maybe even divesting some of the stations to independent companies.
You know - actually serving the areas that they’re meant to be serving from the area that they’re licensed to. Not from a distant capital city.
I’d have thought Kevin Blyton might be an option given his history with Ron.
But I SCA are probably more willing to pay a higher price to protect their Orange stations.
The Camplins own their share of that licence through their super fund, no Bathurst Broadcasters, so potentially nothing. It would require next to no effort and would product a nice little income stream for retirement. But if they wanted to get out of it, I’d have thought Kevin would buy out their share to get 100%.
That licence is a nice little family tie-up - I believe Grant Broadcasters still own the transmition facilities.
No loss, all SCA AM sites in WA save for Esperance (5kW DA) are 2kW OD sites which don’t reach far.
Yes, everywhere. All the former Hot FM sites in WA are fed with the one program. No station save for Bunbury has ever had local programming. Either from Bunbury or the wider network.
They’re short of clients, that’s what it is. Ads for themselves confirm this.
All of the regional WA network would be underperforming because they don’t provide relevant programming. They’ve pulled out of local footy coverage and so on.
Why advertise on radio when you can advertise on GWN and get a better response?
There’s no attention to detail, it’s set and forget approach. Not enough staff.
Yes, this happens everywhere and the regional WA stations may suffer more from this due to their own technical problems.
That is so true. According to their website from 2004, 2BS was local from 5am to Midnight, except for the 6-7pm hour, when they took Sports Today from 2UE. Now, more than a decade later, even before SCA is set to take ownership of the station, it’s heavily networked, as you can see on this link.
Also, according to this Radioinfo article, in regards to 2BS converting to FM, 2BS is set to become Triple M, whilst B-Rock will become Hit 99.3. I think Triple M Bathurst would take on the Classic Hits format to differentiate itself from Triple M Orange, which takes the Greatest Hits from the 70s to Now format, as both stations can be heard into most of each other’s licence areas quite well.
Naturally Ron wants the highest price, that’s good business.
Hard to believe no offers from Lithgow, Bill, Janet, Kev or Ace? They all know the Camplins very well.
Removing the large scale local content has primed the stations for sale for a future buyer to know that they can make a worthwhile margin.
The sales move to SCA affiliate sales was the big concern and here’s the next step, all conveniently on the same day the ACMA conversion details are published.
Not true. Hit Albany has had local content previously. There was a 9am to 12noon shift coming from Albany
You get a better reach on radio, all of the ads are predominately local whereas on GWN it is a mix of various regions and only 15 seconds each.
SCA has invested well in WA. Both the Albany and Kalgoorlie Triple M studios have been upgraded with new Axia 16 channel consoles. Northam is not too far away from opening its new studio which will be in the previous 6AM Central West Radio building.
I just discovered that 2GO (and I presume other SCA regionals) now has a country music program “The Range” on air. 7-9am Sundays on 2GO. Hosted by Lee Kernagahan.
Yes, same format from David Burton at 4GR Toowoomba who began The Range on HPON there, just now with zero brand value.
The country style they play has a big following in the US, it’s not quite the same as CMC on pay TV but quite similar.
Country is polarising for many but for those within, huge loyalty, great quality to have for leverage. So much diversity too, oldies/modern, different countries and so on. Other stations could pop up on digital and not be chasing the same market like three CHRs in Sydney did.
The poor girl is on a long regional warehousing tour it seems.
What happened to the female on Townsville bfast?
Hamish Carter is a true industry survivor. He has seen off RG Capital, MRRW and now onto SCA, all at the one station since 2000/1, temp mental block when CFM began. He understands how people like Pricey are successful for decades, invests himself in the community, many in Toowoomba would know Hamish. Runs a martial arts school to keep busy after breakfast.
There’s a lot of staff at Bill’s stations and likely Janet’s too come to think of them who are working in regional markets as lifestyle decisions, could work in larger markets but prefer for family, lifestyle or both to keep regional and remain at a station for years. Not as many within SCA, Hamish is one of those exceptions.
As mentioned by @AvidViewer in the “Nova Network” thread, the new co-presenter for Elly Chaney on Hit 96.9 Shepparton breakfast from June 21 will be Josiah Shala:
The photo on Radio Yesterday is quite amusing. How long will Josiah’s male model look last in Shep? Ok for Sydney but certainly will be interesting there.
Elly is a long way from home. With surname of Chaney, very Perth/WA (Fred Chaney was Fraser Govt minister).
Still wonder what happened to Thom and Tommy Casha?
I currently live in the GV and yes no one lasts here, especially on what was Star FM.
Elly is currently going well I don’t mind her as she does talk about interesting topics, like this morning she was talking about migraines and how she got one that made her lose her vision for half an hour?
Tommy Casha left in September last year due to family reasons, so he moved back to Melbourne leaving Jess to do the breakky show for the rest of the year and we know her now on Hit106.9 Breakfast. Thom Lion left at the end of March and I know this from an insider (aka Sales Manager) at Hit and apparently he was forced to resign because he helped a mate win Alphabucks ($1K contest on Rural Hit Breakfasts) and gave him the answers to what I don’t know the reason?
