Wollongong Radio

And if SCA do the deal with WIN, I think i98 will be rebranded to Hit98 or maybe Hit98.1

I can’t see it becoming 98.1 Triple M.

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I’d laugh if they rebranded it Hit 98.1 Sea FM - just to piss Wave off

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An interesting recent comment about Wave FM was made under the Radio Today article about last year’s Wollongong radio ratings (and before anyone asks, no, it’s not written by me ;)):

Wave FM is a Garbage station, the music they play would not be appealing to 40 to 65 year olds. Those people who filled out the survey books in that age bracket obviously have not been to Specsavers. Or they are senile.
Wave FM got 18% which in real terms means that 82% of Wollongong is NOT listening to them.
If I owned a business and 82% were not shopping at my store I would close down and go home.
If I was at School and got a mark of 18 out of 100 I would be a failure and have to repeat the year. Wave FM fire your P.D. That’s a real failure and play some good music, try 70s and 80s and make a real difference. Wollongong needs it! The only Radio station in Wollongong that plays 60s, 70s, 80s and SOME 90s is VOX FM.

This is entirely stupid. If i98 was rating at 82%, then fair call - but since it isn’t, you might as well apply this logic to other markets:
Fox FM got 10.6% which in real terms means 89.4% of Melbourne is NOT listening to them. Should SCA close up shop?

Catchy positioner. At least this commenter’s loyalties are blatantly disclosed.

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I’m pretty sure VOX would have got a LOT less then 18% of the listeners… probably 1.8% if they are lucky. Terrible station.

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Surely there are heaps of very successful businesses not being frequented by 82% of their market population

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It’s like when I went in a shoe store last week - absolutely no cakes for sale at all, amateurs. Never getting my business again, they just don’t understand the market.

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Most businesses would be very pleased if they had 18% of their market as customers.

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That depends on the market and who you are.

18% wouldn’t be good if you were Telstra, Optus or Vodafone.

As mentioned in the “Southern Cross Austereo (Company)” thread, it would appear that SCA would not be acquiring i98 after they have withdrawn from discussions with WIN over an asset swap deal.

It’s probably not the most disappointing news, as that would mean i98 would remain being a very local sounding station, something that would be diminished under SCA.

My eyes may be playing tricks but while down at Port Kembla the other day looking up to Knights Hill, it appears the old Win analog tower (the North most one) has gone. This means there’s now the 2 very tall guyed masts and the broadcast Australia free standing tower. Last time I was up there (2014ish) the free standing win tower had the commerical fm arrays on it. I’m guessing they would have been relocated to the guyed mast at some stage. I know over at the BA site, pretty much everything had already been moved to the guyed mast as the free standing tower was pretty bare. At the time I’m pretty sure I posted up some pics on the old MS forum.

On another note, as usual while down there i98 was on everywhere. Was only down there for a few hours and heard it on in three different places (office, worksite and lunchshop)

When I was last time down in the Illawarra in late January for a few days holiday, the old WIN analog tower at Knights Hill was still standing.

It was taken down a few weeks ago

i98FM breakfast presenter Marty Haynes celebrates 15 years with the station. He was previously breakfast presenter on FM104.7 (now Hit 104.7) in Canberra before arriving at i98FM in 2002, when it was losing to Wave FM in the overall ratings for 2 consecutive surveys in late 2002/early 2003.

I wouldn’t have thought a 15 year anniversary would be all that newsworthy?

Sounds like an excuse for WIN to give i98 a plug on its 6pm news, since they own i98.

I’m sure they wouldn’t be covering it if Marty Haynes had been on WAVE for 15 years.

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Exactly. It’s a cross promo within a supposed news program.

But it’s WIN. Old Bruce is getting even more old. His TV affiliation is with a metro supplier who delivers appalling numbers both on the screen and to the bank and his share in 10 is fast heading to point where he must decide to invest more money or do his dough and withdraw. I guess they felt like a ‘treat’ whilst on the downhill.

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Yesterday was Fairlie Hamilton’s last day at i98, in which she’s leaving the station after 9 years.

Source: i98FM Facebook

As a result of the above development, Lachy will now do the 10am-3pm workday shift, whilst The Backseat with Maje starts at 3pm. Justin’s evening program is now known as “Hits and Old School Anthems”, airing at 7-10pm weeknights.

Someone wants that SCA affiliation after all

According to Radioinfo, Fairlie Hamilton is joining ABC Illawarra as a producer for the station’s morning program (8:30-11am), which is presented by Nick Rheinberger.

Embarrassing for the team at WaveFM, or should I simply say, “Wave”.

Their latest TVC points to www.wave.com.au and not www.wavefm.com.au.

It has already been airing across Nine Illawarra.

Who wants to break the news to the guys there? They might be wondering why nobody has entered yet.

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