Radio 97

[BearCave]

Anyone got the exact info on Radio 97's expansion?

I know they have been on 104.1 from Tweed Heads for some time now, but
now I'm hearing them
promoting 103.5 as a frequency as well.

Where in Northern NSW is this located?

[Wombat Lover]

ACMA shows us that 103.5 is serving the Mullumbimby area, on 250watts,
Directional Antenna. Callsign is 2MW

[radio97Fan]

Post by Wombat Lover
ACMA shows us that 103.5 is serving the Mullumbimby area, on 250watts,
Directional Antenna. Callsign is 2MW
--

104.1 goes all the way to brisbane (aimed north) and 103.5 is better
in the South

Post by Wombat Lover
From Robert | Wombat Lover | Melbourne | http://www.surfnetvictoria.com

[dk4875]

104.1's licence area 'officially' ends at Broadbeach (it's only 1kw) -
though it can be reliably received throughout most of the Gold Coast.

972 is the Radio Central (nee Radio 97) frequency in the 'heart' of
it's licence area (Tweed Heads - Murwillumbah).

103.5 covers Mullumbimby - which I would have thought should have been
in the 2LM Lismore licence area. Mullumbimby is not far away from the
Mt Nardi transmitter site which is used by 2ZZZ-FM, 94.5
ABC/Prime/NBN/SC Ten Northern Rivers).

Post by radio97Fan
104.1 goes all the way to brisbane (aimed north) and 103.5 is better
in the South

Post by Wombat Lover
From Robert | Wombat Lover | Melbourne | http://www.surfnetvictoria.com

[n***@myisp.net.au]

Was Radio 97 ever issued with a second fm Radio license?

[Wombat Lover]

You mean....Radio 97 having a sister station playing hip hop music on FM?

Doesn't look like it, though it would be interesting to find out why

[Rock in Stereo]

Howdy

Radio 97's sister is really Triple Z Lismore, which gives Caralis a
great reach, covering Lismore to the south, and north to the border
area and inside Brisbane. Of course Triple Z is actually the sister of
900 2LM, but you see my point.

On the related Billy station... Interesting to hear the Toowoomba
service 4AK promoting a new translator on FM in Stanthorpe last week
too. Maybe some people will listen to the music station now it sounds
half decent ie. on FM. Most listeners in Toowoomba/Oakey that I have
had contact with ignore it or laugh at the prospect of tuning in since
that demographic can't grapple with AM.

Has anyone in the Downs or south heard this FM service?

Cheers
Leigh

[dk4875]

The reason why Radio 97 was never granted a Section 39 (supplementary)
FM license was because of 'licence area overlap' issues - where more
than 30% of the population within Radio 97's licence area was shared
with a neighbouring licence area (in this case, either the Gold Coast
or Lismore).

Originally, the AM stations in the Victorian towns of
Hamilton/Warrnambool (adjacent markets) and Traralgon/Warragul (also
adjacent) weren't eligible for a S.39 licence for the same reason.

The ABA (back in 2000) agreed to reduce the official licence areas of
all 4 markets so that they all became eligible for Section 39 licenes.

This didn't happen with Radio 97 though.

[BearCave]

Post by dk4875
The reason why Radio 97 was never granted a Section 39 (supplementary)
FM license was because of 'licence area overlap' issues - where more
than 30% of the population within Radio 97's licence area was shared
with a neighbouring licence area (in this case, either the Gold Coast
or Lismore).
Originally, the AM stations in the Victorian towns of
Hamilton/Warrnambool (adjacent markets) and Traralgon/Warragul (also
adjacent) weren't eligible for a S.39 licence for the same reason.
The ABA (back in 2000) agreed to reduce the official licence areas of
all 4 markets so that they all became eligible for Section 39 licenes.
This didn't happen with Radio 97 though.

When you consider the history, this is a reversal of fortune for Radio
97, the station I once knew to be 2MW (until the mid-80s)

Before the launch of 4GG in the late 1960s, 2MW was the sole commercial
station serving the Tweed and Gold Coasts. Effectively, Surfers
Paradise and the Gold Coast had not originally been a commercial radio
market of its own.

[Zfm.com.au/ Radiotalkback dot net Live (1900 93 6397)]

In the latter days Garth Atthow who later managed color radio 4LM did
the arfternoom program for tyhe Double MW from Southport. On some days
you could just get the murwillumbah 2MW
transmitter on the Southport studip monitor.

4GG got to air and remember Barry Ferber moved in ?
. When last heard of
he ended up in Fiji

Bill and Norm ran 2MW. Boy it had full schedules.

It still has. being aquired by Sir bill and the Super Radio network.

2MW must have supplied some of the cashflow needed to expand
the Super Radio Network to the great Broadcaster it is now


Gotta go. Its 4.35am Go Socceroos !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[Dave Brewer]

Post by Zfm.com.au/ Radiotalkback dot net Live (1900 93 6397)
In the latter days Garth Atthow who later managed color radio 4LM did
the arfternoom program for tyhe Double MW from Southport. On some days
you could just get the murwillumbah 2MW
transmitter on the Southport studip monitor.
4GG got to air and remember Barry Ferber moved in ?
. When last heard of
he ended up in Fiji
Bill and Norm ran 2MW. Boy it had full schedules.
It still has. being aquired by Sir bill and the Super Radio network.
2MW must have supplied some of the cashflow needed to expand
the Super Radio Network to the great Broadcaster it is now
Gotta go. Its 4.35am Go Socceroos !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

oh no 2-1

[BearCave]

Post by radio97Fan
104.1 goes all the way to brisbane (aimed north)

It certainly gets to Redland

[The Listener]

Post by BearCave
Anyone got the exact info on Radio 97's expansion?

Happened a while ago Justin. You have radioinfo right? It was on there,
a Bill Caralis press release about it ;)

Post by BearCave
I know they have been on 104.1 from Tweed Heads for some time now, but
now I'm hearing them
promoting 103.5 as a frequency as well.
Where in Northern NSW is this located?

As Robert said regarding the location, you can see the TX site for FM
103.5 as you drive there. The new Chinderah - Yelgun freeway section of
the Pac Hwy also travels right past the eastern boundary of the main AM
972 TX, it's a low, marshy spot (very bad fog at night) but is
surrounded by hills on all sides - unfortunately the worst terrain is
to the North (GC) and West (Murwillumbah).

The FM 103.5 TX is necessary as the 2MW licence area reaches south
including Byron Bay and just north of Bangalow and out eastwards to
just north of Suffolk Park on the coast (follows the 'old' road into
Byron Bay from Bangalow - a highly recommended shortcut I found to get
into Byron Bay when it's busy).

Overlap with the Lismore licence area is just 11.4% or 23 620 people on
2004 figures. Nevertheless, the ZZZ TX is on Mt Nardi, the main TV TX
which covers all of the Gold Coast, so it makes sense with 2LM and 2MW
under common ownership that Radio 97 (2MW) is pitched as a 40+ station.
Practicalities aside, it's also most likely the program feed that Bill
Caralis enjoys when he's on holidays up in the Tweed.

Radio 97 is typical hopeless Caralis station, a close 2nd to 2SM in
rubbishy efforts.
·News is always old and ripped straight out of local newspapers (I
love following along with papers I've bought that morning) - it's read
by an inexperienced sounding young girl. Their last newsman was much
more experienced and in true Billy Goat style, he had to take Caralis
to court for money owed (and won).
·While the news is being read in b'fast, the hopeless news girl is
complimented in the no-talent time that Tweedians wake up to with
announcer Barry Coleman. Barry is an ex Brisbane radio announcer (was
big in the 80's apparently), saw the writing on the wall and has been
Radio 97's long running b'fast bozo. Pity he still sounds like he's
broadcasting in the true 80's style.
·At midday, there's a paltry 3 hours of localism remaining with
another inexperienced sounding young girl doing the announcing.
·The commercials are always the same boring ones, never any change
and therefore, very bad value for those foolish clients.
·Weekends are even worse with the community radio sounding local
sport show that is on Saturday mornings.

With a 68.84% overlap with the GC radio market, at least radio's enemy
#1 - Macbank can't buy 2MW, but Hot Tomato could if Bill ever wished to
ease off his ego trip of radio ownership. It would be great for the
Tweed and GC if a professional operator like Hot Tomato bought the
station - knowledgeable programming and management is needed to bring
in Laws in the morning, Sports Today and Stan Zemanek at night with
quality 2UE news all day - could be the worst enemy Gold FM ever had.

The Listener

[dk4875]

Mt Nardi doesn't cover the Gold Coast (though it CAN be received with
high gain VHF/UHF antennas). Currumbin and Mt Tamborine are the two TX
sites on the Coast.

Not sure that 'Radio Central' (2MW - 972 / 104.1) could ever really
provide stiff competition for Gold FM...

Firstly, 104.1's signal is supposed to be sufficient to be heard only
as far north as Broadbeach (reception further north is considered
'fortuitous' by the ACMA).

And as Gold's format is mostly music, if 104.1 were to air Laws, Sports
Today and Zemanek, it is more likely to take listeners from 612 ABC
Brisbane (& 91.7 to a lesser extent) than from Gold.

Post by The Listener

Post by BearCave
Anyone got the exact info on Radio 97's expansion?

Nevertheless, the ZZZ TX is on Mt Nardi, the main TV TX

Post by The Listener
which covers all of the Gold Coast,
With a 68.84% overlap with the GC radio market, at least radio's enemy
#1 - Macbank can't buy 2MW, but Hot Tomato could if Bill ever wished to
ease off his ego trip of radio ownership. It would be great for the
Tweed and GC if a professional operator like Hot Tomato bought the
station - knowledgeable programming and management is needed to bring
in Laws in the morning, Sports Today and Stan Zemanek at night with
quality 2UE news all day - could be the worst enemy Gold FM ever had.
The Listener

[The Listener]

Post by dk4875
Mt Nardi doesn't cover the Gold Coast (though it CAN be received with
high gain VHF/UHF antennas). Currumbin and Mt Tamborine are the two TX
sites on the Coast.

I totally disagree with this. Have you not seen all the 5 or 6 element
VHF yagis on top of GC homes pointing south? If you see a house or
apartment block on the GC older than 15 years, chances are there's one
of those aerials for channels 6 and 8 (ch2 and SC10).

Post by dk4875
Not sure that 'Radio Central' (2MW - 972 / 104.1) could ever really
provide stiff competition for Gold FM...
Firstly, 104.1's signal is supposed to be sufficient to be heard only
as far north as Broadbeach (reception further north is considered
'fortuitous' by the ACMA).

If you've driven around the GC, you'd know the 104.1 signal is
significantly strong for listening inside houses. Still going strong on
the northern GC fringe at Coomera, Hope Island, Runaway Bay and west in
the hills of Nerang.

Post by dk4875
And as Gold's format is mostly music, if 104.1 were to air Laws, Sports
Today and Zemanek, it is more likely to take listeners from 612 ABC
Brisbane (& 91.7 to a lesser extent) than from Gold.

That's an interesting opinion, but more higher quality servicing of the
40+ market would encourage more sampling of other stations.

The Listener

Post by dk4875

Post by The Listener

Post by BearCave
Anyone got the exact info on Radio 97's expansion?

Nevertheless, the ZZZ TX is on Mt Nardi, the main TV TX

Post by The Listener
which covers all of the Gold Coast,
With a 68.84% overlap with the GC radio market, at least radio's enemy
#1 - Macbank can't buy 2MW, but Hot Tomato could if Bill ever wished to
ease off his ego trip of radio ownership. It would be great for the
Tweed and GC if a professional operator like Hot Tomato bought the
station - knowledgeable programming and management is needed to bring
in Laws in the morning, Sports Today and Stan Zemanek at night with
quality 2UE news all day - could be the worst enemy Gold FM ever had.
The Listener

[Rock in Stereo]

The Listener is right in his response, and unusually succint and indeed
fair. But I just arrived home after the devastation of trying to have a
good time while HOPING Australia might well win in a penalty shoot out.


To those folk like myself, those legendary soccer players (like
myself), hell, we tried so damn hard. I love soccer, but this is always
a sad risk.

Really sad.


Leigh
Brisbane (wishing I was in Melbourne so I had a shoulder to cry on)

Waiting for the next FIFA World Cup... It could have achieved so much
for THE GAME in this great country. To be continued I guess...

[Wombat Lover]

This is probably better saved for the "World cup Radio" thread....I'll
continue there

[BearCave]

Post by The Listener
With a 68.84% overlap with the GC radio market, at least radio's enemy
#1 - Macbank can't buy 2MW, but Hot Tomato could if Bill ever wished to
ease off his ego trip of radio ownership. It would be great for the
Tweed and GC if a professional operator like Hot Tomato bought the
station - knowledgeable programming and management is needed to bring
in Laws in the morning, Sports Today and Stan Zemanek at night with
quality 2UE news all day - could be the worst enemy Gold FM ever had.

It is interesting how Radio 97's reception has extended to the FM band,
potentially creating new opportunities in the competitive environment,
yet the format is more firmly aligned with 2SM than ever before.

I can only assume that the Caralis group takes a homogenised view of
the markets it operates in and simply caters to one single market
segment across the network, regardless of "regional differences" (with
exceptions made for 2HD and New FM in Newcastle).

Yet even if they adjusted their product mix in favour of 2UE
programming, I wonder if the Tweed listener profile is all that
different to South-East Queensland listening.

Here in Melbourne, many low-rating stations feeling the ratings squeeze
are music oriented - Mix 101.1, 3MP and Vega come to mind. Part of
their
Problem is that Talk formats dominate the airwaves in Sydney and
Melbourne.

Yet in South-East Queensland, Music dominates the ratings. 4BC has
only 4TAB and 612ABC to compete against in the talk market, but its
biggest growth problem is that Queenslanders seem more interested in
music.

Even 91.7 ABC Coast FM is a music/talk hybrid (a very good one IMHO).

[Wombat Lover]

"BearCave" wrote in message

Post by BearCave
Even 91.7 ABC Coast FM is a music/talk hybrid (a very good one IMHO).

Something that could be used in Geelong, if 94.7 ever gets assigned to the
ABC.

What do you reckon Justin?

[dk4875]

From: The Listener - view profile
Date: Tues, Jun 27 2006 12:34 am
Email: "The Listener" <***@tpg.com.au>
Groups: aus.radio.broadcast
Rating: (1 user)
show options

Post by dk4875
Mt Nardi doesn't cover the Gold Coast (though it CAN be received with
high gain VHF/UHF antennas). Currumbin and Mt Tamborine are the two TX
sites on the Coast.

I totally disagree with this. Have you not seen all the 5 or 6 element
VHF yagis on top of GC homes pointing south? If you see a house or
apartment block on the GC older than 15 years, chances are there's one
of those aerials for channels 6 and 8 (ch2 and SC10).

- - - - - - -

As I said in my earlier post, there ARE high gain VHF antennas
installed at houses/apartment blocks on the Gold Coast which can
receive either Brisbane or Lismore TV (and some people have 2 separate
antennas to get both).

But Mt Nardi was NEVER designed as a TX site primarily for the Gold
Coast area - that's what I meant.

And the other side of 104.1's potential 'servicing' of the Gold Coast
is that, in doing so, it may attract the same unwanted attention that
ACMA paid to River949's promotion of its' service in the Brisbane area,
which resulted in licence conditions being imposed on River949. As
mentioned, 104.1 is not licensed to serve north of the Broadbeach area.

[Rock in Stereo]

That's true, but I haven't heard them promoting themselves as a GC
station, which is where River got into trouble.(Mind you, I was
disgusted about that, as I think most were, but of course, not
surprised.)

Leigh

Post by dk4875
And the other side of 104.1's potential 'servicing' of the Gold Coast
is that, in doing so, it may attract the same unwanted attention that
ACMA paid to River949's promotion of its' service in the Brisbane area,
which resulted in licence conditions being imposed on River949. As
mentioned, 104.1 is not licensed to serve north of the Broadbeach area.

[BearCave]

Post by Wombat Lover
Something that could be used in Geelong, if 94.7 ever gets assigned to the
ABC.
What do you reckon Justin?

It's interesting how two community licences on the Gold Coast (105.7
and 107.3) were put in between high-power Brisbane frequencies, yet
similar hasn't been done in Geelong.

Geelong probably should have been granted The Pulse, a local ABC and a
third commercial station (given K-Rock is programmed a bit like Dubbo's
Zoo FM, there's probably room for a Star FM in Geelong.,......in theory
:)

The reality is that Victoria's larger and more compact population
probably results in an under-supply of available frequencies.

I think it is appropriate for the ACMA to grant the 94.7 frequency to
The Pulse, given 774ABC has a very strong reach into regional Victoria
anyway.

It would be good if ABC extended its Coast FM concept, but I suspect it
is an exceptional format granted only to the Gold and Sunshine Coasts.


The music on Coast FM is easy, yet contemporary. Not many stations
around the country have captured that sound.

The station networks with ABC Local Radio Queensland after 7pm. Steve
Austin's program very good. Interesting guests, one last week included
a founding member of the Family First political party.

As I'm working at the moment to understand all phases of Marketing
(rather than just the narrow bits I've concentrated on in my newsgroup
writing) the focus of my note-taking for this interview became quoted
Management terms such as "embryonic stage, values, performance
measurement, environment, task-orientation, motivating people, due
diligence and strategic planning".

These concepts relate to the "implementing a plan" phase of
Marketing Management.