1308 replies to this topic

[Bergoine]

I thought id get the ball rolling. Remember when AM stations payed a hefty price to be on the FM band in 89/90. Stations included B105 5KA (Triple M) and 6PM (92.9)

[dk32]

Yes, Melbourne's 3KZ paid the highest price of them all.. $31 million to move to 104.3 back in 1989.

In the first survey following their FM conversion, as KZFM, they went from 3rd place to 1st, and in the next survey, they dropped to sixth and never really recovered.
It wasn't all that much longer before they were re-launched as Gold104.

2WS and 2UW in Sydney each paid the comparatively small sum of $8 mil to convert, but that was in 1992 when the FM conversions in Melbourne in particular were found to be somewhat less successful than first hoped.

Even 3TT paid only about $11 mil, about 1/3rd of the price KZ paid, also in 1989.
___________

Who remembers AM stereo?

It was supposed to be the saviour of AM music radio back in the mid-80s when legendary rock stations, 2SM, 3XY and Radio 10 were all struggling against their FM counterparts.

AM stereo is still in use in many cases, however, has not been used as a 'marketing tool' since the late 80s. However, there are next to no AM stereo receivers available on the market today.

[NewsWorld]

Yes, Melbourne's 3KZ paid the highest price of them all.. $31 million to move to 104.3 back in 1989.

In the first survey following their FM conversion, as KZFM,  they went from 3rd place to 1st, and in the next survey, they dropped to sixth and never really recovered.
It wasn't all that much longer before they were re-launched as Gold104.

2WS and 2UW in Sydney each paid the comparatively small sum of $8 mil to convert, but that was in 1992 when the FM conversions in Melbourne in particular were found to be somewhat less successful than first hoped.

Even 3TT paid only about $11 mil, about 1/3rd of the price KZ paid, also in 1989.
___________

Who remembers AM stereo?

It was supposed to be the saviour of AM music radio back in the mid-80s when legendary rock stations, 2SM, 3XY and Radio 10 were all struggling against their FM counterparts.

AM stereo is still in use in many cases, however, has not been used as a 'marketing tool' since the late 80s. However, there are next to no AM stereo receivers available on the market today.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I had AM Stereo in my car!!
It was actually quite good... probably not as good as FM stereo but close.
But it was too little too late.

Some stations used to cheat... they'd split their signal delay one channel by the tiniest fraction of a second (not enough for the human ear to detect) to trigger the "red" stereo indicator on receivers.

I guess FM conversion was a neccessary evil.. the AM rockers who stayed on AM have all gone... the ones who coverted are still there.. in one form or another.

[Bergoine]

Only one station in Brisbane converted. Wasn't 4BH meant to convert?

[dk32]

Only one station in Brisbane converted. Wasn't 4BH meant to convert?

Yes, I thought so too... I also heard that 4KQ had an FM conversion lined up before 4BH did, but for some reason, neither of them took it up.

So Brisbane had just the 2 FM commercial stations up until 2000.

[TV_Expert]

Yes, I thought so too... I also heard that 4KQ had an FM conversion lined up before 4BH did, but for some reason, neither of them took it up.

So Brisbane had just the 2 FM commercial stations up until 2000.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It was actually 2001 when 97.3FM went to air.
It was really strange that for many years until 2001, Brisbane had less commercial FM stations than Adelaide, Perth & Newcastle, in which these cities are smaller than Brisbane. Then again, between 1989 & 1994, Melbourne had more commercial FM stations than Sydney, which only had two until 2WS converted to FM in 1993 and 2UW converted into MIX 106.5 in 1994. Even Adelaide, Perth & Newcastle had more commercial FM stations than Sydney before the 2WS/2UW FM conversions took place.

Some summary information below to know what I'm talking about:
Adelaide - 5DN & 5KA converted to FM in 1990. The 5DN licence was given to 5AD in 1994.
Perth - 6PM & 6KY converted to FM in 1990.
Newcastle - 2KO & 2NX converted to FM in 1992. New FM started in 1989.

Today, Sydney & Melbourne each has 5 (soon to be 6) commercial FM stations, while Brisbane, Adelaide & Perth each have 4 commercial FM stations.

Edited by TV_Expert, 16 May 2005 - 09:59 PM.

[Bergoine]

6PM became PMFM on New years day 1990. 6KY converted during 1990 or 91. Did B105 start on New years day?
I

[Mark.]

For anyone with an interest in radio history, take a look at this site:
http://www.waynemac.com/FM25/

It contains profiles of the seven original commercial FM stations that started broadcasting 25 years ago, including call-sign origin, first format, first song, first slogans and on-air people. There are also old newspaper adverts and soundbytes.

Edited by Mark, 14 July 2005 - 06:07 PM.

[Bergoine]

For anyone with an interest in radio history, take a look at this site:
http://www.waynemac.com/FM25/

It contains profiles of the seven original commercial FM stations that started broadcasting 25 years ago, including call-sign origin, first format, first song, first slogans and on-air people. There are also old newspaper adverts and soundbytes. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Interesting that. 96FM is turning 25 on August 8. PMFM started 10 years later followed by KYFM (MIX 94.5) in 1992 and finally Nova in 2002. Will Perth get another station in years to come??

[Mark.]

From jocksjournal.com

96fm - Perth's first FM commercial radio station, celebrates 25 years on air in August 2005. 96fm's Web Manager Benjamin Roberts and 96fm announcer Mark Pascoe have joined forces and taken 96 steps back in time to dig up some of the station's defining moments. The result being a tribute / feature site of the radio station's 25 year history starting in August 1980. The mini site hosts some fantastic airchecks, press ads, television commercials and stories that made Perth news headlines and Australian radio history. For example, the opening of 96fm Stereo by Lord Mayor Fred Chaney, and the day Bob Geldof took over drive and interviewed Paul McCartney. The site also contains material from the 96fm Stereo Skyshow and on-air audio grabs from Bob Stuart, Bill Ali and Gordon O’Byrne to name a few. The ongoing feature site project can be seen at www.96fm.com.au by clicking on 25 years in the main menu. For more information, contact 96fm on (08) 9323 9600.

[Bergoine]

From jocksjournal.com

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Excellent site. 96FM was quality in the 80s and 90s before SCB took them over. New Idol judge Kyle was on Triple M as it was called in about 95-96.

[Mark.]

The 2MMM website http://www.mrock.com...5bday/index.php has some old commercials that can be downloaded... including their oldest commercial and Dr Dan.

I'm very disappointed with 2DayFM though... as far as I'm aware 2DayFM has done nothing to commemorate 25 years on air.

[dk32]

I'm very disappointed with 2DayFM though... as far as I'm aware 2DayFM has done nothing to commemorate 25 years on air.

2Day has changed a lot over the years. Their audience and music format is vastly diferrent, so current 2Day listeners won't identify with the history of that station.

Changes in MMM in the last 25 years are considerably less evident... their 'guitar player with wings' logo for instance (whilst not currently used), has been used a lot over the years and is an icon, not just at MMM, but with radio in general. Many listeners will have stayed with the station for most of those years.

2Day doesn't have the 'tradition' that MMM has.
Current MMM listeners can also generally relate to the original MMM.

[Bergoine]

2Day has changed a lot over the years. Their audience and music format is vastly diferrent, so current 2Day listeners won't identify with the history of that station.

Changes in MMM in the last 25 years are considerably less evident... their 'guitar player with wings' logo for instance (whilst not currently used), has been used a lot over the years and is an icon, not just at MMM, but with radio in general. Many listeners will have stayed with the station for most of those years.

2Day doesn't have the 'tradition' that MMM has.
Current MMM listeners can also generally relate to the original MMM.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Only 96 and 2MMM have done anything really. Mainly because 2MMM was the original and other states followed. SAFM has done didily squat also. Being a pop music station, they would'nt want to live the past, likewise 2DAY

[NewsWorld]

Only 96 and 2MMM have done anything really. Mainly because 2MMM was the original and other states followed. SAFM has done didily squat also. Being a pop music station, they would'nt want to live the past, likewise 2DAY

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

EON FM in Melbourne was first... 2MMM and 2Day started about 2 weeks later.

[Bergoine]

EON FM in Melbourne was first...  2MMM and 2Day started about 2 weeks later.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I meant Sydney was the first Triple M station. Other states got Triple M in the 80s and 90s.

Melbourne-1988-
Brisbane-1989-90-??
Perth 1993-1998
Adelaide-1994-

[NewsWorld]

I meant Sydney was the first Triple M station. Other states got Triple M in the 80s and 90s.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ah OK

[mechsta]

Just going back to the discussion about how much money stations forked out to go to FM. 2KA Katoomba paid just $46,000 to go to FM in 1992. Not bad for a regional radio station that covers a large chunk of the Sydney metro area.
--
Mech

[TV_Expert]

Just going back to the discussion about how much money stations forked out to go to FM.  2KA Katoomba paid just $46,000 to go to FM in 1992.  Not bad for a regional radio station that covers a large chunk of the Sydney metro area.
--
Mech

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But in the process of doing so, 96.1 lost presence of its local news & info to Penrith, Hawkesbury & the Blue Mountains listeners when it was bought out by ARN in 1997. Nowadays, its a small-scale Sydney commercial station.
Apparently, a similar thing happened to 2WS when they were converting to FM. It was orginally a Western Sydney station when it started in 1978 and when they were asked to convert to FM, they had to go for a Sydney-wide licence to do so. They paid $8 million to convert to FM, along with 2UW, which had a similar music format to 2WS at the time, which was Classic Hits.

IMO, I think the ACMA needs to take action for 96.1 to go back to its roots & have local content relevant to people of Penrith, Hawkesbury & the Blue Mountains. We have enough commercial stations in Sydney playing current pop music.

Campbelltown has its own commercial station, so why can't Penrith, Hawkesbury & the Blue Mountains have one?

[TV_Expert]

Campbelltown has its own commercial station,

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Speaking of Campbelltown, C91.3 is celebrating its 4th birthday today!
This morning, Stuart Cranney's Classic 9 @ 9 highlights the songs that was played on that very Classic 9 @ 9, four years ago today (15th August 2001).