Partners Fight Over Local Programming On MTR 1377/Melbourne

Less Local?

A legal squabble between PACIFIC STAR BROADCASTING and MACQUARIE RADIO NETWORK over the fate of Talk 3MP (MTR 1377)/MELBOURNE is threatening the station's future with locally-originated programming. 

The MELBOURNE HERALD-SUN reports that a judge refused to grant PACIFIC STAR an injunction barring MACQUARIE from using MTR to simulcast programming from its Talk 2GB/SYDNEY.  Judge DAVID HABERSBERGER ruled that an injunction would not be the proper remedy for PACIFIC STAR and that the company can sue for damages if it thinks MACQUARIE breached its contract.  

MACQUARIE's attorney WILL HOUGHTON told the court that the station is "losing money hand over fist" but that "there is no plan to close the station"; he said that MACQUARIE's HARBOR RADIO employs MTR's local hosts, STEVE PRICE and STEVE VIZARD, but added that the company believes it is not required under the agreement with PACIFIC STAR to employ any particular host or to maintain local staff.

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