2453 replies to this topic

[TV_Expert]

Has anyone heard the rumours Fairfax is going to buy 2GB?

If that rumour is true, then 2UE would have to re-format themselves, as it would be quite pointless for Fairfax to own two talk stations in the one city. I could see 2UE adopting "The Best Songs Of All Time" format, like what they currently do with Magic in Melbourne & 4BH in Brisbane.

The key point-of-difference that 2UE would have, is that their music format would be a bit more modern than 2CH (Sydney's easy listening station owned by John Singleton's Macquarie Radio Network, who (at the moment at least) also owns 2GB).

What would it mean for regional commercial radio stations that currently takes some of 2UE's talk programming? They would be taking talk programming from 2GB instead.

2GB's re-vamped line-up, under Fairfax, would look something like this (this is only hypothetical):

Weekdays

12-5:30am - New Day Australia with Jim Ball
5:30-9am - Breakfast with Alan Jones & Mike Carlton
9am-12pm - Mornings with Ray Hadley
12-3pm - Afternoons with Chris Smith
3-6pm - Drive with Steve Price (Philip Clark would be dumped from the station, as he's not performing that well in the ratings compared to 702's Richard Glover & 2DAY's Hamish & Andy)
6-8pm - Sports Today with John Gibbs & Greg Alexander
8pm-12am - Nightline with Brian Whilshire & Stuart Bocking

Saturdays

12-6am - New Day Australia with John Kerr
6-8am - Burke's Backyard with Don Burke
8am-12pm - George Moore & Paul B. Kidd
12-8pm - The Continuous Call Team
8pm-12am - Clive Robertson

Sundays

12-6am - New Day Australia with John Kerr
6-8am - Burke's Backyard with Don Burke
8am-12pm - George Moore & Paul B. Kidd
12-6pm - The Continuous Call Team
6-7pm - Sportszone with Andrew Moore
7pm-12am - Sharina's Psychic Encounters

As for Ian McCrae's "Saturday Night Live", that can stay on 2UE under its proposed music format, as it's sort of a music program. 2ST Nowra & 2CC Canberra can still take the program rather than carry Clive Robertson's talk program from 2GB.

[Mark]

5:30-9am - Breakfast with Alan Jones & Mike Carlton

ROFL... You are KIDDING... they hate each others guts.

The simple thing is Singleton is looking to get out of radio, Fairfax is a buyer. Jones will likely retire.

[TelevisionAU]

ROFL... You are KIDDING... they hate each others guts.

The simple thing is Singleton is looking to get out of radio, Fairfax is a buyer. Jones will likely retire.

that puts 2CH up for grabs too?

[PZ.]

that puts 2CH up for grabs too?

Only if the rules were changed (unless i'm mistaken) only 2 stations per city, unless of course 2CH was relocated to Wentworth Falls

[TelevisionAU]

Only if the rules were changed (unless i'm mistaken) only 2 stations per city, unless of course 2CH was relocated to Wentworth Falls

i didn't mean Fairfax to buy 2CH, but just asking if it was also up for sale if the rumours are true

[Big Dan]

Fairfax buying 2GB - interesting one.

Who would be interested in buying 2CH though? I don't think the NSW Council of Churches would want to buy it back....or would they?

[M Man]

Faifax will not be buying 2GB as long as Jones and Hadley wish to work there (and own MRN shares). Why o why would they let it happen when they moved to 2GB to get away from the execs they didn't like at SCB?

[Big Dan]

Faifax will not be buying 2GB as long as Jones and Hadley wish to work there (and own MRN shares). Why o why would they let it happen when they moved to 2GB to get away from the execs they didn't like at SCB?

Maybe the idea of screwing over the old execs is enticing? Especially if the deal was done right in their favour.

Who knows? Personally, while I think it's an interesting rumour, I think it's little more than a rumour.

[Mark]

Faifax will not be buying 2GB as long as Jones and Hadley wish to work there (and own MRN shares). Why o why would they let it happen when they moved to 2GB to get away from the execs they didn't like at SCB?

the story is that Jones is getting tired and facing more health issues, and he knows Singleton is wanting to get out of the radio business. The rumours have Jones leaving end of year and thus freeing up the station's profitability with him off the books.

[tod]

If that rumour is true, then 2UE would have to re-format themselves, as it would be quite pointless for Fairfax to own two talk stations in the one city. I could see 2UE adopting "The Best Songs Of All Time" format, like what they currently do with Magic in Melbourne & 4BH in Brisbane.

I think it's more likely that 2GB would be relaunched as a low-budget music station (Magic 873???) and Ray Hadley would move across to lead 2UE's lineup. I can't see Fairfax wanting to retain Chris Smith or Phillip Clark as neither are proven ratings performers.

[Mike]

(Magic 873???)

Magic 1278, 3AW 693

[TV_Expert]

(Magic 873???)

Magic 1278, 3AW 693

What 'tod' was referring to is that, if the rumours are true that Fairfax is buying 2GB & are therefore would be owned by the same company that also owns 2UE, then 2GB would re-format themselves as a music station based on Melbourne's Magic 1278, hence the 'Magic 873' comment.

Here's my revised line-up of 2UE, after a number of above comments. This is for weekdays only:

5:30-9am - Mike Carlton
9am-12pm - Ray Hadley
12-3pm - John Stanley
3-6pm - Steve Price
6-8pm - Sports Today
8pm-12am - Nightline with Brian Whilshire & Stuart Bocking
12-5:30am - New Day Australia with Jim Ball

[TelevisionAU]

What 'tod' was referring to is that, if the rumours are true that Fairfax is buying 2GB & are therefore would be owned by the same company that also owns 2UE, then 2GB would re-format themselves as a music station based on Melbourne's Magic 1278, hence the 'Magic 873' comment.

or seeing as 2GB is the more dominant of the two stations, keep 2GB as talk and turn 2UE into Magic 954

[Mike]

What 'tod' was referring to is that, if the rumours are true that Fairfax is buying 2GB & are therefore would be owned by the same company that also owns 2UE, then 2GB would re-format themselves as a music station based on Melbourne's Magic 1278, hence the 'Magic 873' comment.

Oh, I have no idea about Sydney stations let alone their frequencies

[Cop This]

Mmmm yes, keep Mike Carlton on breakfast... because he's been such a huge success

[PZ.]

I don't see any of this happening but it's good for conversation.

In major cities the Radio Industry is a cut throat cruel "money-money-money" business these days. So it's very unlikely that the remaining talk station would start pairing people up when the mantle of no1 in Sydney would be a forgone conclusion thanks to eliminating the competition.
They'll just pick who they want. The remainder "miss-outs" will be given Bill Caralis' phone number.

Might be a good time for VEGA to have another go as well.

[Mark]

Mmmm yes, keep Mike Carlton on breakfast... because he's been such a huge success

yes and Hadley would LOVE to follow....

Hadley will do breakfast the day Jones retires.

[M Man]

Discussion about 4BH/KQ TX site got me thinking, the 4BC site is on the wrong side of the city!

Long situated at Fig Tree Pocket, the site was moved to Nudgee before the 2000 olympics perhaps.

With Melbourne SW of Brisbane, when you draw the arc for the null towards 1116 Melbourne, you wipe out S to SW sections of Brisbane.

The ABA did advise 4BC that they would experience difficulties with the site and advised against it to no avail.

4BC's signal is woeful in some parts and is a reason.

(another reason why DRB needs to OD to avoid even local problems)

[tamago_otoko]

Discussion about 4BH/KQ TX site got me thinking, the 4BC site is on the wrong side of the city!

Long situated at Fig Tree Pocket, the site was moved to Nudgee before the 2000 olympics perhaps.

With Melbourne SW of Brisbane, when you draw the arc for the null towards 1116 Melbourne, you wipe out S to SW sections of Brisbane.

The ABA did advise 4BC that they would experience difficulties with the site and advised against it to no avail.

4BC's signal is woeful in some parts and is a reason.

(another reason why DRB needs to OD to avoid even local problems)

Why did they move it?

[TGIF]

Fig Tree Pocket (down the river from my old stomping ground) is a newish residential area..presumably since it wasn't particularly nice to look at and selling the land for more housing would have made a tidy profit at the time.