Editing Broadcast Operations Group

{{short description|Australian media company}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox company
| name             = Broadcast Operations Group
| logo             = 
| type             = Private company
| foundation       = <!-- {{start date|2008}} -->
| location_city    = 
| location_country = Australia
| key_people       = Bill Caralis
| num_employees    = 
| parent           = 
| industry         = [[Broadcast radio]]
| products         = 
| revenue          = <!-- {{profit}} $ million [[AUD]] (2006) -->
| net_income       = <!-- {{profit}} $ million [[AUD]] (2006) -->
| homepage         ={{url|srnradio.com.au/}}
}}

'''Broadcast Operations Group''' is an Australian media company, operating radio stations across various centres across regional [[New South Wales]] and [[Queensland, Australia]]. Branded as the '''Super Radio Network''', stations carry one of two formats – a [[news talk]] and [[classic hits]] format based at [[2SM]] Sydney; and a [[hot adult contemporary]] format based at [[New FM]] [[Newcastle, New South Wales|Newcastle]].

In June 2019, the Group acquired [[2BS 95.1 FM|2BS]] and [[B-Rock 99.3FM|B-Rock FM]] in [[Bathurst, New South Wales|Bathurst]] from local proprietors Ron and Stephanie Camplin. 2BS immediately replaced its broadcast of ''The [[Ray Hadley]] Morning Show'' with ''The [[John Laws]] Show'', syndicated from 2SM.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiotoday.com.au/bill-caralis-buys-2bs/|title=Sold: Bill Caralis buys 2BS Bathurst and B-Rock|last=Wilson|first=Zanda|date=3 June 2019|website=Radio Today|access-date=3 June 2019}}</ref>

On 19 July 2024, founder and owner Bill Caralis died as a result of a heart attack at the age of 81.<ref>{{Cite web |date= 22 July 2024 |title=Vale Bill Caralis |url=https://radioinfo.com.au/news/vale-bill-caralis/ |access-date=22 July 2024}}</ref> 

In December 2024, the company expanded again, taking over the stations of Coastal Broadcasters in Far North Queensland. <ref>{{Cite web |date=7 December 2024 |title=The Super Radio Network takes control of Coastal Broadcasters |url=https://radioinfo.com.au/news/the-super-radio-network-takes-control-of-coastal-broadcasters/ |access-date=7 December 2024}}</ref> 

==Radio stations==
As of {{Date}}, Broadcast Operations Group operates 50 radio stations. 22 of these stations form their AM network, mostly broadcast on [[AM radio]] and featuring local news, music and syndicated [[Talk radio|talkback]] programming.
* [[2AD]] 1134 Armidale
* [[2BH]] 567 Broken Hill
* [[2BS 95.1 FM|2BS]] 95.1 Bathurst
* [[2DU]] 1251 Dubbo, 972 Cobar
* [[2EL]] 1089 Orange
* [[2GF]] 89.5 Grafton
* 2HC 639 Coffs Harbour (also on 100.5 FM)
* [[2HD]] 1143 Newcastle, 97.5 FM Port Stephens, 90.5 FM Lake Macquarie
* [[2LF]] 1350 Young, 105.3 Cootamundra, 100.7 Cowra, 100.7 Grenfell, 104.9 Temora
* [[2LM]] 900 Lismore, 104.3 Kyogle
* [[2MG]] 97.1 Mudgee, 101.5 Kandos
* [[2MO]] 1080 Gunnedah, 103.3 Coonabarabran
* [[2NZ]] 1188 Inverell
* [[2PK]] 1404 Parkes
* [[2RE]] 88.9 Taree
* [[2SM]] 1269 Sydney
* [[2TM]] 1287 Tamworth
* [[2VM]] 1530 Moree/Narrabri, 89.5 Goondiwindi, 92.9 Lightning Ridge, 103.5 Collarenebri, 106.7 Walgett, 105.5 Mungindi 
* [[4GY]] 558 Gympie, 107.1 Noosa
* [[4AK]] 1242 Oakey/Toowoomba, 99.5 Stanthorpe
* [[2PM (AM)|Cruze FM]] 531 Kempsey, 93.5 Port Macquarie
* [[Radio 97]] 972 Murwillumbah, 103.5 Mullumbimby, 104.1 Currumbin/Gold Coast

A further 16 stations form the FM network, broadcast mainly on [[FM radio]] with [[adult contemporary]] music and syndicated programming:
* [[4WK]] 963 Warwick, 95.5 Toowoomba, 91.5 Stanthorpe, 95.9 Dalby
* [[B-Rock 99.3FM|B-Rock 99.3]] Bathurst
* [[2TTT|FM92.9]] Tamworth
* [[2NEB|FM100.3]] Armidale
* [[2CLR|FM104.7]] Grafton
* [[2GEM|Gem FM 95.1]] Inverell
* [[Hill FM 96.5]] Broken Hill
* [[Max 107.3|Max FM 107.3]] Taree
* [[New FM|New FM 105.3]] Newcastle
* [[2NOW|Now FM 98.3]] Moree/Narrabri, 88.7 Goondiwindi, 91.3 Lightning Ridge, 101.9 Collarenebri, 105.1 Walgett, 101.7 Mungindi
* [[2GEE|Real FM 93.1]] Mudgee
* [[Roccy FM 93.9]] Young
* [[2ROK|The Rok 95.5]] Parkes
* [[2GGG|Triple G 97.5]] Gunnedah
* [[2ZOO|Zoo FM 92.7]] Dubbo
* [[100.9 ZZZ FM|ZZZ FM 100.9]] Lismore

In addition, the Group broadcasts four stations on [[DAB+]] [[digital radio in Australia|digital radio]] in Sydney, alongside simulcasting 2SM:
* Fun Super Digi, playing [[classic hits]] music
* Dance Super Digi, playing 1990s and 2000s dance music
* Gorilla Radio, playing [[electronic dance music]]
* Zoo Super Digi, playing [[adult contemporary]] music

Finally, the Group owns 8 stations in [[Alice Springs]] and [[Far North Queensland]], which have not yet been placed in to either Super Radio Network feed.

* [[8HA]] 900 Alice Springs, 100.5 Yulara, running mostly [[adult contemporary]], while taking overnight talk from the AM Network.
* [[Sun 969|Sun FM]] 96.9 Alice Springs, running a [[Contemporary hit radio]] format.
* Tourist Gold 98.7 Alice Springs, running a mixture of tourist information and [[classic hits]].
* 4KZ 531 Innisfail, 94.7 Cardwell, 90.3 Tully, 102.5 North Innisfail, 1611 Gulf of Carpentaria, running a [[Full-service radio|full service]] format.
* Kool FM 98.3 Innisfail, 94.9 Babinda, 94.9 Bramston Beach, 91.9 Cardwell, running [[hot adult contemporary]]
* 4AY 873 Innisfail, running [[country music]]
* [[4AM (AM)|4AM]] 558 Mareeba, 1422 Port Douglas, 91.3 Ravenshoe, running a [[Full-service radio|full service]] format.
* Kik FM 88.7 Mareeba, 87.6 Ravenshoe, 88.0 Normanton, 88.0 Croydon, running [[country music]]

==Controversy==
===Senate Inquiry===
The BOG was cited in several instances during a Senate Inquiry into Regional Radio. There had been concerns raised as to loss of localism due to networking of radio stations. Bill Caralis was asked to appear several times at various hearings around the country, but never attended.[http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/cita/regional_radio/radioreport.html]

===Local Content===
In October 2009, Broadcast Operations Group was named by the ABC's [[Media Watch (TV program)|Media Watch]] program for failing to provide sufficient local content as stipulated by ACMA licence conditions. Media Watch identified three stations; [[2HC]] Coffs Harbour, [[2EL]] Orange and [[2PM|Radio 531]] Port Macquarie, which all took the Grant Goldman breakfast show feed out of 2SM in Sydney and failed to meet local content conditions. In response to enquiries by Media Watch, Caralis stated that he believed local news, weather and community announcements played during the Grant Goldman program was sufficient to meet ACMA's licence conditions. As a result, ACMA launched an investigation into the matter. As of November 2009, this investigation was ongoing, however, as of 30 November 2009, the three aforementioned stations commenced broadcasting a three-hour locally produced program from 12&nbsp;pm weekdays.<ref>{{cite web|title=Regional Dis-Content|url=http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2724641.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091029172327/http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2724641.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 October 2009|publisher=ABC TV|access-date=16 April 2014|date=26 October 2009}}</ref>

===Underpayment of staff===
Broadcast Operations Group has often been accused of a reluctance to pay experienced staff to cut operating costs.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wilson|first=Craig|title=Caralis now sacking staff before they start|url=http://www.mediahunter.com.au/caralis-now-sacking-staff-before-they-start/|work=Media Hunter|access-date=16 April 2014|date=18 February 2009}}</ref>

In September 2009, Broadcast Operations Group was found to have underpaid a journalist and has been ordered to make a $10,000 back payment. The journalist, who was studying communications at a Gold Coast university, worked part-time over a two-year period in the newsroom for Tweed Heads radio station [[2MW|Radio 97]] was graded as a cadet. The [[Fair Work Ombudsman]] found that the Journalist was performing tasks that would normally be given to a Grade 1, Band 1 journalist under the Commercial Radio Journalists Award.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Broadcast Operations Group}}
{{National radio networks in Australia}}

[[Category:Broadcast Operations Group| ]]
[[Category:Australian radio networks]]