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Wheatley earns his Stripe

Submitted by debritz on July 25, 2008 - 16:53.

Glenn Wheatley - former Master's Apprentice member, onetime manager of the Little River Band, FM radio pioneer and current home detainee on tax-evasion charges - is to launch a suite of internet radio stations in Australia. The 40-plus stations, which will play single genres from Christian to hard rock - will be branded Stripe. There's more here. As I've said before, I think online delivery offers consumers a better deal than the current plans for digital radio, which will at most double the number of free-to-air frequencies in Australia's capital city markets and maintain the stranglehold of the current major players.

Brett, The article also

Submitted by Kuttsywood (not verified) on July 26, 2008 - 12:49.

Brett, The article also mentioned that Wheatley's first option was to bring satellite radio to Australia. I wonder if satellite radio would take off in a country as vast as Australia? It would give more choice to outback listeners for instance,but the model is usually subscription based though.

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I have a feeling that the

Submitted by debritz on July 26, 2008 - 13:08.
I have a feeling that the powers-that-be won't authorise satellite radio, even though it would make sense. It's all about defending the huge amounts of money the major players have paid for their licences. The government was greedy, now it has to protect the companies it fleeced through the auctions. Obviously spectrum is limited - although much less so on a digital platform - and it needs to be policed, but the system of regulations has done nothing to ensure diversity on the airwaves. Of course, the internet is another matter. Anybody can start up a radio station. As soon as the hardware catches up, I expect we'll see hundreds of players and, as wireless broadband takes hold, the radio licence holders will lose their government-given advantage.
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