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Local Voices, ‘Talkback’ and Commercial Regional FM Radio

Commercial FM stations in Rockhampton, Sea FM and Hot FM, have been operating in the city since late 2000. Previously owned by competing networks (Sea FM by RG Capital Radio and Hot FM by DMG), they are both now owned by Macquarie Regional Radioworks. The push for listeners has always been through the stations’ breakfast programs. Traditionally, commercial FM breakfast slots have been marked by comedy or humour-oriented teams. Interaction with these teams in a metropolitan environment has not been studied academically, but studies of interaction between listeners and presenters of breakfast programs in the Rockhampton and Gladstone region reveal that talkback in a traditional sense has emerged as a vital component of the programs, at times focusing on serious local issues. This paper reveals the results of analysis of interaction between listeners and breakfast presenters on Hot FM and Sea FM. It shows that the commercial FM stations provide an important opportunity for locals to voice their opinions on local issues in a format generally renowned for its light-hearted approach to engaging listeners. Where previously ‘talkback’ has been associated with ABC and commercial AM stations, this paper will consider definitions of talkback in terms of its application in a regional setting, and reveals the popularity of the format for a demographic previously ignored in the Central Queensland media landscape.