Sydney’s newest radio station 1170 SEN goes to air

Former Editor & Content Director

1170 SEN Sydney has officially launched today, alongside a new advertising blitz to promote the station.

CEO of parent company Sports Entertainment Network, Craig Hutchison, said despite industry chatter, and past performance, there is indeed room for a sports-based station in the city.

“Now a lot of people have told us that a sports station in Sydney just won’t work – it can’t work. It’s been tried before. Well, not like this it hasn’t. You’re going to see genuine star talent, genuine conversation and a genuine assault on the Sydney sports market. And we’ve got just the team to do it,” he said at a virtual event ahead of the station’s launch.

Hutchison was alluding to Macquarie Media, now owned by Nine and folded into Nine Radio, which tried its hand at a sports radio network with Macquarie Sports Radio.

Last year, Nine paused the sports format after ongoing underwhelming ratings. Before its pause, the station had a 1.1% audience share in Sydney, 0.3% in Melbourne, and 1.5% in Brisbane, according to GfK’s ratings.

Nine Radio has since relaunched the stations and brought back heritage brands Magic, 2UE and 4BH, playing music from the 70s, 80s and 90s.

Host of 1170 SEN Breakfast, Andrew Voss, was keen to point out the difference between the new station and the ghosts of stations past.

“We are going to be informative, entertaining, engaging, and most of all relevant to Sydney,” he said. “And I think that’s where other attempts at a sports network in the state and in this city have failed.”

He said his show would be like reading a newspaper back-to-front, with the primary focus on sport (a newspaper’s back page), but a healthy dose of news and current affairs as well.

It would not, he said, be “shock-jock radio”.

Matt White, Network 10’s former head of sport and long-time host of Sports Tonight on the network, said his post-Breakfast program would be like a newspaper liftout, digging “a little bit deeper to find some of the stories behind the story, to examine the big issues, and not just talk to, but I think also have a great conversation with, the movers and the shakers of sport”.

White added that the launch of SEN in Sydney was a big deal in the city’s radio landscape, and for sports lovers.

“One of the things that I love being a part of this is that Hutchy and the SEN team as we know don’t just dream big, they act big, don’t they?” he said.

As for the future, Voss said SEN Sydney plans “on being around for a long, long time”.

To support today’s launch, SEN has kicked off an advertising blitz which will run across Channel 7, News.com.au, The Daily Telegraph’s website, and SEN’s owned platforms.

Last week, the broadcaster had already launched a campaign to promote hype around the station.

SEN’s chief marketing officer, Mandy Henderson, said the teaser was a taste of things come.

“1170 SEN Sydney promises sport delivered by some of Australia’s most entertaining and irreverent media personalities. Together they’ll bring a unique brand of insight and analysis, mixed with wit and engaging banter,” Henderson said.

“It’ll be more about the humour than the hamstrings with plenty of listener interaction.”

1170 was previously 2CH, a classic hits station, which has now moved solely to DAB+ and streaming.

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Recent comments (13)
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Lisa
22 Oct 2020 - 12:01 pm

I love Vossy on television but he says “um” and “arrr” a lot on radio.

The big question is – can a radio station survive with a 1% share?

Tim Williams
22 Oct 2020 - 12:41 pm

Especially when 2CH, which had a 4.8% market share in the most recent survey, couldn’t survive.
SEN will need to have a massively successful sales team. But then, maybe it will be easier selling a sports format to advertisers, rather than the type of products targeted to an aging audience like that of 2CH.

GRAHAM BARRY
22 Oct 2020 - 12:50 pm

I tried to listen for the first hour, then gave up. Way to many ads and an annoucer that is way to hard to listen to between the ads.
Bring back the old 2CH. It was informative and entertaining. Good luck SEN. If you last 6 mo ths I will be surprised.

Stix Z
22 Oct 2020 - 6:15 pm

Tv promos are great!
The breakfast promo is amatuer.
Would be ‘irreverent & engaging’ if it was 1993

The Wolf.
23 Oct 2020 - 7:06 am

Going to be a Hard Sell for Advertisers to jump on Board. Shop with no Sales Signs is a Shop with no Sales.

Maurice Gelsumini
23 Oct 2020 - 11:58 am

I’m enjoying Celeste Mitsiou reading the news

Mick C
23 Oct 2020 - 12:04 pm

Lisa.

There no way any station talk or other can survive with a 1% share.

Whitey
23 Oct 2020 - 3:04 pm

Vossy Brandy Sticky Gus Fletch Rabs Hindy Freddy Buzz Kenty ! Doesnt anyone have a normal name anymore ?

Steve L
24 Oct 2020 - 12:20 am

I was an avid 2CH listener but when I was told that I had to buy a DAB radio to continue listening, I switched to 2UE which actually plays better music than 2CH did. Wait a minute … 2UE used to be a sports station, wonder why they went back to music

Ken
24 Oct 2020 - 4:09 pm

I’m with Whitey. Sick of all that blokey crap.

John Ennis
27 Oct 2020 - 8:02 am

For the sake of the Grand final commentary Phil Gould has to go. It is not just the bias it is just his miserable lack of enthusiasm unless his favorite is winning. His commentary becomes so dull and boring it ruins the spectacle. Wake up channel nine and move into the future.
Regards
John Ennis

Stephen Evans
28 Oct 2020 - 11:09 pm

We have been listening, whilst trying to turn off from SEN, in order to find more of what now appears to be lost, 1170 2CH.
SEN will never be on our play lists, just more sports and big headed comments!

Helen Ho
1 Jan 2021 - 2:51 pm

My portable radio used to be able to broadcast for 1170, but lately it has no more reception?

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