There were smiles all round at this morning’s launch of the latest addition to the DMG Radio Network, Star FM on the NSW Central Coast.
radioinfo was among the handpicked crowd invited to the freshly painted Erina boardroom for the revelation of the ‘red bus’.
General Manager, Tony Nielsen directed all eyes out the window, subsequently revealing the all-new bold, crisp image for what will become DMG Radio Australia’s 64th station – 104.5 Star FM.
“We will demonstrate the importance of locality, by not being networked from the other DMG stations.
“Having researched the local area over the past 12 months, it is evident that there is room for another station. People feel disenfranchised and want new variety. When we are officially ‘on-air’ I expect the radio landscape to change in this marketplace,” said Nielsen.
Although the bus had the phrases, “Your New Local” and “Better Listen” repeated along the top from end to end, Nielsen denied that either was a major positioning statement that the station would use on-air.
radioinfo boarded the ‘red bus’ with the 27 young, energetic faces who will focus their efforts on 100% local programming. Chief engineer, Matt Powell had the honour of pressing the button to bring the incredibly tall 94m transmitter to life.
Central Coast listeners can expect to hear a wide range of music and noises on the 104.5 FM frequency over the next few weeks. “It’s all part of our engineers testing the equipment, blowing any cobwebs out, and ensuring that our listeners will hear us loud and clear. Please don’t assume that what you’re hearing gives any indication as to our eventual format,” said Neilsen.
There was also evidence that the opposition had also been hard at work. In the time honoured tradition of radio rivalry, freshly painted 2GO-FM and Sea-FM billboards had materialised over the weekend, directly across the street from the newcomer’s headquarters.
This new Star represents a further $20 million dollar investment, into the Australian market by dmg’s UK parent, bringing the total to more than $500 million. With ambitions to purchase the new licenses that will be auctioned in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane later this year, a further $200 million could easily be spent. Still, according to an article in the SMH, which can be read in our Paper Clips section, the long term future looks good.
