Macquarie Regional RadioWorks is an Australian company, owned by Macquarie Bank. The company owns several regional radio stations, as a result of takeovers of stations fomerly owned by DMG Radio Australia and RG Capital Radio Network.
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Brands
The format of each station is defined by one of two common formats:
- Hit Music Network - a popular music format targeted at 18-39 year olds, using the Star FM, Hot FM and Sea FM brands.
- Local Works - talkback and adult contemporary music format target at over 35s, mainly on the AM and hertiage FM stations, as well as Gold FM and Mix FM and RadioWest in Western Australia.
Agreements were reached with Macquarie, DMG and Prime Television to ensure that existing brand names owned by DMG Radio could continue to be used by both Macquarie and Prime.
Programming
Macquarie Regional RadioWorks produces its own networked programming across both brands, which include:
- Charles Wooley Across Australia, a talk show dedicated to issues in regional Australia, presented by 60 Minutes reporter Charles Wooley.
- The Big K's Work Day, afternoon program
- The Benchwarmers with Ant and Becks, afternoon program
- The List with Matty and Renee, a Top 30 program
- Red Eye Radio, overnight program
- The Night Mix, nighttime programming
- Health Matters with Dr. John D'Arcy, health issues with Dr. John D'Arcy
- Money Matters, personal finance issues
- Sunday Groovies, Seventies and Eighties music and trivia
- Truck Radio with Nic, overnight program
- Talking Back the Night, overnight program with Kym Ferguson
- The Grind, weekdays '10 in a row' with Brendo
Some of its stations picked up the Continuous Call Team when Broadcast Operations Group could not resolve broadcast rights issues with 2GB and the National Rugby League. The most notable was KOFM in Newcastle, who also picked up rights to cover games of the Newcastle Knights.
Criticisms
One major criticism of stations owned by Macquarie is its reliance on networking programs outside of breakfast from one of four networking centres:
- Gold Coast (national and regional centre)
- Townsville (regional centre)
- Albury (regional centre)
- Bunbury (regional centre)
Often the same song can be heard on two different stations owned by MRR at the same time, with the only difference being pre-recorded local identification tracks. While this criticism can also be leveled at other networks, this practice has long been in effect on the former DMG-owned stations. DMG decimated the local radio industry, drastically reducing announcer positions due to networking.[neutrality disputed] MRR has continued with this trend. It also received some criticism when it replaced the John Laws morning program from 2UE with its own Charles Wooley Across Australia program, including a rival of John Laws, 2GB's Ray Hadley.
Stations owned by Macquarie Regional RadioWorks
Queensland
- Cairns
- Hot FM 103.5
- Sea FM 99.5
- Mareeba
- Hot FM 97.9
- 4AM AM 1422
- Townsville
- Hot FM 103.1
- 4TO FM 102.3
- Mackay
- Hot FM 100.3
- Sea FM 98.7
- Emerald
- Hot FM 94.7
- 4HI AM 1143
- Charters Towers
- Hot FM 95.9
- 4GC AM 828
- Mt Isa
- Hot FM 102.5
- 4LM AM 666
- Rockhampton/Gladstone
- Hot FM 107.9
- Sea FM 101.5
- Maryborough
- Sea FM 101.9
- Mix FM 103.5
- Bundaberg
- Sea FM 93.1
- Darling Downs
- Kingaroy
- CFM 89.1
- 1071 AM 1071
- Roma
- Hot FM 95.1
- 4ZR AM 1476
- Sunshine Coast
- Sea FM 91.9
- Mix FM 92.7
- Gold Coast
- Sea FM 90.9
- Gold FM 92.5
New South Wales
- Coffs Harbour
- 2CS FM 106.3
- Star FM 105.5
- Port Macquarie
- 2MC FM 100.7
- Star FM 105.1
- Newcastle¹
- Central Coast
- 101.3 Sea FM
- 2GO FM 107.7
- Dubbo
- Star FM 93.5
- Orange
- Star FM 105.1
- 2GZ FM 105.9
- Griffith
- Star FM 99.7
- 2RG AM 963
- Wagga Wagga
- Star FM 93.1
- 2WG AM 1152
- Albury
- The River 105.7
- Star FM 104.9
- Young
- Star FM 93.9
- 2LF AM 1350
¹ = Owned by a 50-50 joint venture between Austereo and Macquarie Regional RadioWorks. NXFM is considered an Today Network station, while KOFM is programmed in accordance with MRR practice.
Victoria
- Bendigo
- Star FM 91.9
- 3BO FM 93.5
- Mildura
- Star FM 99.5
- 3MA FM 97.9
- Gippsland
- Star FM 94.3 & 97.9
- 3GG AM 531
- Shepparton
- 3SR FM 95.3
- Star FM 96.9
Tasmania
- Hobart
- Heart 107.3 107.3
- Sea FM 100.9
- Burnie
- Sea FM 101.7
- 7BU AM 558
- Launceston
- 7LA AM 1098
- Scottsdale
- Sea FM 99.7
- 7SD AM 540
- Devonport
- Sea FM 107.7
- 7AD AM 900
South Australia
- Mount Gambier
- Star FM 96.1
- 5SE AM 963
Western Australia
- Bunbury
- Hot FM 95.7
- 6TZ AM 963/756/1134 Collie
- Albany
- Hot FM 106.5
- 6VA AM 783
- Esperance
- Hot FM 102.3
- 6SE AM 747
- Kalgoorlie
- Hot FM 97.9
- 6KG AM 981
- Northam
- Hot FM 96.5
- 6AM 864
- Narrogin
- Hot FM 100.5
- 6NA AM 918
- Katanning
- Hot FM 94.9
- 6WB AM 1071
- Merredin
- Hot FM 105.1
- 6MD AM 1098
- Bridgetown
- Hot FM 100.5
- 6BY AM 900
Former Owned and Operated Stations
Due to conditions placed upon the takeover, Macquarie had to sell these stations to other parties during 2005. These stations in Queensland were sold to Prime Television:
- 4CA, Cairns
- SeaFM and MixFM, Townsville
- 4MK, Mackay
- 4RO, Rockhampton
- 4CC, Rockhampton/Gladstone
This station on the NSW/VIC border was sold to Ace Radio:
- 2AY, Albury-Wodonga
See also
References
External links
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| Infrastructure/Diversified: | Macquarie Airports • Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group • Macquarie Infrastructure Group • Macquarie Infrastructure Company • Macquarie Media Group • Macquarie Regional RadioWorks |
| Property: | Macquarie Countrywide Trust • Macquarie DDR Trust • Macquarie Direct Property • Macquarie Goodman Group • Macquarie Leisure Trust • Macquarie Office Trust • Macquarie Pacific Star • Macquarie Prologis Trust |
| Corporate Directors: | David Clarke (Chairman) • Mark R.G. Johnson • Allan Moss (CEO) • John Allpass • Laurence Cox • Peter Kirby • Catherine Livingtone • Barrie Marton • Kevin McCann • John Niland • Helen Nugent |
Annual Revenue: $4.393 billion AUD ( 17% FY 2006) · Employees: 10,000 · Stock Symbol: ASX: MBL · Website: www.macquarie.com.au |
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