Given that most everything else happens within the house of Ronald*, I don’t see why knots can’t be tied.
*A mostly teenage workforce, mixed company, and a whole lot of boredom. You connect the dots!
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This year’s ACRA nominations on among the two Wollongong stations, as announced overnight.
- Best Newcomer On-Air (Provincial): Christie Hayes (i98FM)
- Best Documentary (Non Metro): Troll Free Day Radio Special (Mel Greig, Wave FM) (she’s no longer with the station)
- Best Achievement in Production (Provincial): Cei Saunders (Wave FM)
- Best Community Service Project (Provincial): i98FM’s Illawarra Convoy (i98FM)
Deano Kesby does it again.
Well done @Deano.
This is classic hard work, big pay off work.
Reminiscent of what Deano grew up with at 104/2DAY/B105 but which to their detriment, fail to replicate today.
One tactic does not make a station and it’s a long road to climb over the dominance of the TV/radio combo in the market, however Wave are on the right track.
i98 has won all two of their ACRA nominations.
This is the 10th time that the i98FM Illawarra Convoy has won an ACRA for “Best Community Service Project (Provincial)”.
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With Wave FM continuing to struggle way behind i98 in the latest radio ratings, in which the gap between the two stations has continually been increasing since 2014 to 12.9%, they should look to their sister station in Geelong, Bay 93.9, for inspiration: Free online radio stations – listen for free at OnlineRadioBox.com
Whilst Grant having 2 stations instead of just 1 in the market helps, Bay 93.9 has a more adult music format, whilst the CHR/Top 40 market is covered by sister station K Rock. Geelong & Wollongong markets are similar in which both are in the footsteps of a metropolitan market.
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Today marks 60 years since ABC Illawarra went to air as 2WN.
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Appears that i98FM have dropped their local nights show, with Carrie & Tommy now airing in the 7-9pm slot.
Why would they do that?
Pointless.
Just play automated music. The majority of C&T fans would’ve already heard them at 3pm.
i98 please don’t become like SeaFM. Be like Star104.5.
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Also, i98 now has Red V Radio at 8am Saturday mornings, which focuses on the news & views on NRL, particularly on the St George Illawarra Dragons, which is a half-local team in the region. It is presented by Anthony Maroon (former one-half of the popular Maroon & Milly breakfast show in the 90s) & Shaun Timmins.
Meanwhile, Wave FM’s breakfast line-up has changed again, this time to Jade, Straney & Trav, with Chris Lee having moved to afternoons. With i98 now airing Carrie & Tommy in evenings, Wave is now probably the only commercial station in the region that is local (albeit automated) during that timeslot.
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No conflict of interest with Maroon’s SCA contract?
Not a conflict of interest because they’re two separate markets. Then again, SCA might be angling to make a move on the station 
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Well, SCA did try to buy i98 from WIN two years ago as part of an asset swap that eventually saw WIN buy NRN from SCA, but pulled out.
At the moment, i98 is being represented by SCA for sales purposes.
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Wonder if they’d make a second go of it.
C91.3 would be off the cards because of overspill, right? If WIN wanted out of radio it’d fit well into the Grants portfolio
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Correct. SCA wouldn’t be allowed to purchase C91.3 due to its licence area having an 86% overlap with Sydney RA1 licence area, which would effectively breach the 2-station rule.
And yes, I agree with you on which if WIN were to sell off C91.3, they would be bought by Grant. I would imagine that if that were to happen, I wouldn’t be surprised if Wave FM were to provide the music log for C91.3, much like what Grant does with most of their other stations in regards to centralising music logs.
Or sell C91.3 to EON.
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Or Capital Radio, perhaps? With the impending conversion of 2GN and 2XL, they could achieve FM coverage for most of the way between Sydney and the Snowies. But this is wishful thinking, I know.
I suppose “Forever Classic C 91.3” would sound a little awkward. “Campelltown’s Forever Classic 91.3” would have to do.
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Forever Classic M91.3 (M for Macarthur) would sound good, but SCA would probably have something to say about that.
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Lachlan “Lachy” Kitchen is leaving i98 after 15 years with the station, where he has been doing mornings.
Source: https://www.radioinfo.com.au/news/lachlan-kitchen-leaves-i98fm
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Is there a reason why the Wollongong radio market has only two commercial radio stations whilst some much smaller markets have three? Is it because of the overspill from Sydney and Nowra? Have there ever been discussions for a third commercial station for Wollongong?
Comparison:
- Wollongong (294,000) - 2
- Albury (149,000) - 3
- Kempsey (130,000) - 3
- Coffs Harbour (85,635) - 3
- Orange (80,500) - 3
- Dubbo (73,400) - 3
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