The ABA has imposed a new licence condition on Ipswich’s River 94.9, owned by the Star Broadcasting Network. The new condition curtails the station’s activities in the Brisbane market, focussing it more on its official service area.

This significant move by the ABA will have implications for other stations close to capital city markets.

The licence condition reads:

The licencee must ensure the service remains a broadcasting service for the Ipswich licence area by:

1. marketing and promoting the service as a radio service for the Ipswich licence area;

2. regularly referring to Ipswich in its on-air promotions and service;

2. not marketing or promoting the service, either on-air or in publicity or sales material as a service targeting an area, city, town, suburb or other location, unless that area, city, town, suburb or other location is wholly within the Ipswich service area.