Radio station 2CH gets a new owner

The owners of Melbourne’s sports radio station SEN has acquired Sydney’s 2CH. The easy listening station bears the call sign “CH” established by the NSW Council of Churches and carries christian commentary and a Sunday Night christian news programme.

Sunday Night has been hosted by well known Christians – with Kel Richards (ex ABC), then Aaron Wright (now with Hope Media) – and Karl Faase the newest host.

“2CH was last sold in 2017 to a consortium of Oceania Capital Partners, in a deal worth about $5.5 million, orchestrated by Glenn Wheatley and John Williams, ” Radio Today reports 

During that deal, continuing the Christian content was a condition of the NSW Council of Churches essentially leasing the station license. Given that, the Christian programming will continue.

“It will remain business as usual on 2CH for the foreseeable future”, the SEN announcement. says. Some radio insiders predict change. 

SEN’s Crocmedia  has rights to broadcast AFL. This could be good news for Sydney followers of that code.

The current owners of 2CH will receive shares in SEN. “The purchase of 2CH and three narrowcast licences  will set Pacific Star back by around $11.2 million cash” Radio Today also reports. This means that 2CH’s owners doubled their money.

2CH broadcasts on 1170 on the AM band. SEN is planning to acquire a second Sydney frequency, 1538 AM, for it’s SENtrack racing station. This will join 1575 AM Wollongong and 801 AM Gosford as NSW’s third SENtrack station.

In another significant announcement, SEN says SENtrack will commence broadcasting on September 7 in Brisbane on 1053AM. The Christian radio station Vision broadcasting has been broadcasting on the middle of the dial – and hence highly prized – frequency. (It is possible that Vision was renting that frequency as Rete Italia who were broadcasting on it prior to Vision Vision are reported as selling frequencies to SEN.)

Vision moved into a new headquarters and  “media hub” last month.