THE
John Singleton-controlled Macquarie Radio Network – owner of Sydney’s
top-rating radio station, 2GB – says it is keen to buy radio networks
with a prominent regional presence, such as Bill Caralis’s 2SM
Supernetwork, as it looks to maximise the value it gets out of its
multi-million-dollar salary bill for on-air staff.
Macquarie
Radio chief executive Angela Clark told The Australian yesterday she
was looking for a broader audience outside of Sydney for the company’s
content, through measures such as moving into regional radio and
launching a national expansion of the company’s new website,
Livenews.com.au.
“What I’m saying is that regional radio stations teamed with metro
has some logic,” Ms Clark said. “We have from time to time looked at
the possibilities of a regional network combined with a Sydney network.
I think there are still some compelling arguments as to why that would
be, you know, a good idea.”
Ms Clark has become the second radio boss in less than a week to
admit to looking for new regional radio acquisitions. Prime Television
CEO Warwick Syphers last week said he was looking to challenge
Macquarie Media’s regional radio dominance through radio purchases on
the eastern seaboard, including the 2SM Supernetwork, after recently
building a network of rural stations in Queensland.
Ms Clark said she did not think key regional radio assets were
currently on the market. “As far as I know, none of the regionals are
for sale, but if they were, then, yes, we’d be interested,” she said.
Regional radio purchases could build a broader platform for talent
at the listed Macquarie radio, including its major on-air star, Alan
Jones, she said — providing he does not win the role of national coach
for the Australian Wallabies rugby union team.
Some Macquarie Radio employees and shareholders have told The
Australian they are worried that if Jones wins the role — for which he
is currently second-favourite — it could bring 2GB back to the chasing
Sydney radio pack. Mr Singleton himself is concerned, saying earlier
this month that any move by Jones to the coaching role would “cost me
millions”.
Ms Clark yesterday declined to speculate about what Jones might do
or how it would affect the company: “There’s no point speculating on
something that may or may not happen.”
Expansion in regional radio is only one of the ambitions outlined by
Ms Clark. She is also looking at major expansion for the company’s new
website, Livenews.com.au, as she seeks to gain maximum value from
expensive content required to fulfil the requirements of Macquarie’s
broadcast licence.
“If you think about talk radio in Sydney having a very high cost of
content, other people out there are not getting that content in their
areas, because there’s no broadcast licence providing that to them,”
she said.
Ms Clark plans to extend the reach of Macquarie Radio’s resources by
attempting to attract a national audience for Livenews.com.au: “I think
we’ll be successful in having a national audience in particular niches.”
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2 Responses to “Macquarie hunts for regional radio”
Why don’t MacQuarie Radio Network meet with Bill Carralis and sign a deal to buy his Regional Radio station so as to allowing more people to hear all 2GB Programs?
ACCORDING TO http://www.radioinfo.com.au & http://www.jocksjournal.com MACQUARIE RADIO NETWORK WILL BE EXPANDING INTO OTHER MARKETS i AND MRN HAVE APPOINTED A DIRECTOR RESPONSIBLE FPR NATIONAL SINDICATED NETWORKS MR SUMMERILL JS HIS NAME AND THIS WILL MEAN THAT MRN WILL HAVE METROPOLITIAN AND REGIONAL RADIO STATION THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA LIKE THEY DID OVER 20 YEARS AGO!