{"id":"F2005B00773","name":"Licence Area Plan - Ballarat (Radio) - August 1997","slug":"licence-area-plan-ballarat-radio-august-1997","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":32205,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2005B00773-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Licence Area Plan - Ballarat (Radio) - August 1997","content":"![](image.001.png)\n\nLICENCE AREA PLAN\n\nBALLARAT\n\n(RADIO)\n\nAUGUST 1997\n\n  \n\nLICENCE AREA PLAN \\- BALLARAT\n\nDETERMINATION\n\nThe Australian Broadcasting Authority hereby makes this plan for broadcasting services in the Ballarat area of Victoria, under subsection 26(1) of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992.\n\nThree national radio broadcasting services, three commercial radio broadcasting services and one open narrowcasting radio broadcasting service are to be available in the Ballarat area described at Attachment 1.1 to this Determination with the use of the broadcasting services bands. The characteristics, including technical specifications, of the services that are to be available in the area described at Attachment 1.1 are set out in the Schedule One and Attachments 1.2 - 1.9 to this Determination.\n\nTwo community radio broadcasting service is to be available in the area described at Attachment 2.1 to this Determination with the use of the broadcasting services bands. The characteristics, including technical specifications, of the services that are to be available in the area described at Attachment 2.1 are set out in Schedule Two and Attachments 2.2 - 2.3 to this Determination.\n\nDetermined by the Australian Broadcasting Authority on 8 August 1997\n\nSCHEDULES\n\nEach of the Schedules sets out:\n\n-   the category of each of the services that are to be available in that area (column one),\n-   the service licence number which has been allocated to the service, if appropriate (column two); N/A = Not Applicable, as the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 only requires service licences for Commercial and Community services.\n-   the number of transmitters required to transmit the service,\n-   the transmitter specification number which has been allocated to each transmitter (column three),\n-   the identifying number of the attachment where the technical specifications for each transmitter are described (column four). (Each set of technical specifications referred to in the Schedules is an attachment to this determination).\n-   the general area served by each transmitter (column five).\n\nSCHEDULE ONE\n\nLicence Area Plan - Ballarat - (Radio) - Final - August 1997\n\nLicence Area : Ballarat RA1\n\n| Category ofService | Service Licence No: | Transmitter Specification No: | TechnicalSpecifications | General Area Served by Transmitter |\n| ------------------ | ------------------- | ----------------------------- | ----------------------- | ---------------------------------- |\n| National           | N/A                 | TS10003795                    | See Attachment 1.2      | Ballarat(Lookout Hill)             |\n| National           | N/A                 | TS10003796                    | See Attachment 1.3      | Ballarat(Lookout Hill)             |\n| National           | N/A                 | TS10003794                    | See Attachment 1.4      | Ballarat(Lookout Hill)             |\n| Commercial         | SL10365             | TS10003792                    | See Attachment 1.5      | Ballarat                           |\n|                    |                     | TS10005966                    | See Attachment 1.6      | Daylesford                         |\n| Commercial         | SL10364             | TS10005653                    | See Attachment 1.7      | Ballarat(Warrenheip)               |\n| Commercial         | SL10284             | TS10005184                    | See Attachment 1.8      | Ballarat(Warrenheip)               |\n\nSCHEDULE TWO\n\nLicence Area Plan - Ballarat - (Radio) - Final - August 1997\n\nLicence Area : Ballarat RA2\n\n| Category ofService | Service Licence No: | Transmitter Specification No: | TechnicalSpecifications | General Area Served by Transmitter |\n| ------------------ | ------------------- | ----------------------------- | ----------------------- | ---------------------------------- |\n| Community          | SL10285             | TS10003798                    | See Attachment 2.2      | Ballarat (Warrenheip)              |\n| Community          | SL1150001           | TS10005655                    | See Attachment 2.3      | Ballarat (Warrenheip)              |\n\n  \nATTACHMENT 1.1\n\nLICENCE AREA FOR SERVICE LICENCE NUMBERS: SL10365, SL10364 and SL10284 COMMERCIAL RADIO BALLARAT VIC\n\nThe licence area, in terms of areas defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics at the Census of 6 September 1991, is:\n\n| Area Description    | Persons |\n| ------------------- | ------- |\n| Ballaarat (C)       | 34530   |\n| Ballan (S)          | 4645    |\n| Ballarat (S)        | 18802   |\n| Bungaree (S)        | 4579    |\n| Buninyong (S)       | 12138   |\n| Creswick (S)        | 4835    |\n| Grenville (S)       | 8111    |\n| Lexton (S)          | 1312    |\n| Ripon (S)           | 3468    |\n| Sebastopol (B)      | 7529    |\n| Talbot & Clunes (S) | 2449    |\n| Vic CD 072303       | 262     |\n| Vic CD 072304       | 798     |\n| Vic CD 072305       | 101     |\n| Vic CD 072307       | 209     |\n| Vic CD 061105       | 380     |\n| Vic CD 061106       | 297     |\n| Vic CD 061107       | 467     |\n| Vic CD 061108       | 472     |\n| Vic CD 061109       | 502     |\n| Vic CD 061110       | 309     |\n| Vic CD 061111       | 487     |\n| Vic CD 061112       | 416     |\n| Vic CD 061113       | 317     |\n| Vic CD 061114       | 382     |\n| Vic CD 060407       | 391     |\n| Vic CD 060408       | 630     |\n| Vic CD 080204       | 348     |\n| Total Persons       | 109166  |\n\nNote: Standard terminology used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics:\n\n(C) \\= City\n\n(CD) \\= Collection District\n\n(S) \\= Shire\n\n  \nAttachment 1.2\n\nLICENCE AREA PLAN : Ballarat\n\nCategory : National\n\nGeneral Area Served : Ballarat (Lookout Hill) (VIC)\n\nService Licence Number : Not applicable\n\nTECHNICAL SPECIFICATION - FM Radio\n\nSpecification Number : TS10003795\n\nTransmitter Site :-\n\nNominal location : NTA Tower LOOKOUT HILL\n\nAustralian Map Grid : Zone Easting Northing\n\nReference 54 699150 5871250\n\nSite Tolerance : Refer to Technical Planning Guidelines\n\nEmission :-\n\nFrequency Band & Mode VHF-FM\n\nCarrier Frequency : 107.9 MHz\n\nPolarisation Mixed\n\nMaximum antenna height 120 m\n\nOutput Radiation Pattern :-\n\n| Bearing or Sector (Clockwise direction) | Maximum ERP |\n| --------------------------------------- | ----------- |\n|                                         |             |\n| 0°T - 110°T                             | 50 kW       |\n| 110°T - 350°T                           | 100 kW      |\n| 350°T - 360°T                           | 50 kW       |\n\n  \nAttachment 1.3\n\nLICENCE AREA PLAN : Ballarat\n\nCategory : National\n\nGeneral Area Served : Ballarat (Lookout Hill) (VIC)\n\nService Licence Number : Not applicable\n\nTECHNICAL SPECIFICATION - FM Radio\n\nSpecification Number : TS10003796\n\nTransmitter Site :-\n\nNominal location : NTA Tower LOOKOUT HILL\n\nAustralian Map Grid : Zone Easting Northing\n\nReference 54 699150 5871250\n\nSite Tolerance : Refer to Technical Planning Guidelines\n\nEmission :-\n\nFrequency Band & Mode VHF-FM\n\nCarrier Frequency : 107.1 MHz\n\nPolarisation Mixed\n\nMaximum antenna height 120 m\n\nOutput Radiation Pattern :-\n\n| Bearing or Sector (Clockwise direction) | Maximum ERP |\n| --------------------------------------- | ----------- |\n|                                         |             |\n| 0°T - 110°T                             | 50 kW       |\n| 110°T - 350°T                           | 100 kW      |\n| 350°T - 360°T                           | 50 kW       |\n\n  \nAttachment 1.4\n\nLICENCE AREA PLAN : Ballarat\n\nCategory : National\n\nGeneral Area Served : Ballarat (Lookout Hill) (VIC)\n\nService Licence Number : Not applicable\n\nTECHNICAL SPECIFICATION - FM Radio\n\nSpecification Number : TS10003794\n\nTransmitter Site :-\n\nNominal location : NTA Tower LOOKOUT HILL\n\nAustralian Map Grid : Zone Easting Northing\n\nReference 54 699150 5871250\n\nSite Tolerance : Refer to Technical Planning Guidelines\n\nEmission :-\n\nFrequency Band & Mode VHF-FM\n\nCarrier Frequency : 105.5 MHz\n\nPolarisation Mixed\n\nMaximum antenna height 120 m\n\nOutput Radiation Pattern :-\n\n| Bearing or Sector (Clockwise direction) | Maximum ERP |\n| --------------------------------------- | ----------- |\n|                                         |             |\n| 0°T - 110°T                             | 50 kW       |\n| 110°T - 350°T                           | 100 kW      |\n| 350°T - 360°T                           | 50 kW       |\n\n  \nAttachment 1.5\n\nLICENCE AREA PLAN : Ballarat\n\nCategory : Commercial\n\nGeneral Area Served : Ballarat (VIC)\n\nService Licence Number : SL10365\n\nTECHNICAL SPECIFICATION - AM Radio\n\nSpecification Number : TS10003792\n\nTransmitter Site :-\n\nNominal location : Ballarat 7.3km WSW of Town\n\nAustralian Map Grid : Zone Easting Northing\n\nReference 54 745101 5841401\n\nSite Tolerance : Refer to Technical Planning Guidelines\n\nEmission :-\n\nFrequency Band & Mode MF-AM\n\nCarrier Frequency : 1314 kHz\n\nOutput Radiation Pattern :-\n\n| Bearing or Sector (Clockwise direction) | Elevation | Maximum CMF |\n| --------------------------------------- | --------- | ----------- |\n|                                         |           |             |\n| 0°T - 60°T                              | 0         | 1.1 kV      |\n| 60°T - 180°T                            | 0         | 560 V       |\n| 63°T                                    | 0         | 100 V       |\n| 103°T                                   | 0         | 530 V       |\n| 180°T - 360°T                           | 0         | 1.1 kV      |\n| 301°T                                   | 0         | 920 V       |\n| 321°T                                   | 0         | 950 V       |\n\n  \nAttachment 1.6\n\nLICENCE AREA PLAN : Ballarat\n\nCategory : Commercial\n\nGeneral Area Served : Daylesford (VIC)\n\nService Licence Number : SL10365\n\nTECHNICAL SPECIFICATION - FM Radio\n\nSpecification Number : TS10005966\n\nTransmitter Site :-\n\nNominal location : Daylesford Town\n\nAustralian Map Grid : Zone Easting Northing\n\nReference 55 247600 5863100\n\nSite Tolerance : Refer to Technical Planning Guidelines\n\nEmission :-\n\nFrequency Band & Mode VHF-FM\n\nCarrier Frequency : 98.7 MHz\n\nPolarisation Mixed\n\nMaximum antenna height 30 m\n\nOutput Radiation Pattern :-\n\n| Bearing or Sector (Clockwise direction) | Maximum ERP |\n| --------------------------------------- | ----------- |\n|                                         |             |\n| At all angles of azimuth                | 100 W       |\n\n  \nAttachment 1.7\n\nLICENCE AREA PLAN : Ballarat\n\nCategory : Commercial\n\nGeneral Area Served : Ballarat (Warrenheip) (VIC)\n\nService Licence Number : SL10364\n\nTECHNICAL SPECIFICATION - FM Radio\n\nSpecification Number : TS10005653\n\nTransmitter Site :-\n\nNominal location : Ballarat Communal Tower MT WARRENHEIP\n\nAustralian Map Grid : Zone Easting Northing\n\nReference 54 761130 5836860\n\nSite Tolerance : Refer to Technical Planning Guidelines\n\nEmission :-\n\nFrequency Band & Mode VHF-FM\n\nCarrier Frequency : 102.3 MHz\n\nPolarisation Mixed\n\nMaximum antenna height 50 m\n\nOutput Radiation Pattern :-\n\n| Bearing or Sector (Clockwise direction) | Maximum ERP |\n| --------------------------------------- | ----------- |\n|                                         |             |\n| 0°T - 100°T                             | 10 kW       |\n| 100°T - 260°T                           | 3 kW        |\n| 260°T - 360°T                           | 20 kW       |\n\n  \nAttachment 1.8\n\nLICENCE AREA PLAN : Ballarat\n\nCategory : Commercial\n\nGeneral Area Served : Ballarat (Warrenheip) (VIC)\n\nService Licence Number : SL10284\n\nTECHNICAL SPECIFICATION - FM Radio\n\nSpecification Number : TS10005184\n\nTransmitter Site :-\n\nNominal location : Ballarat Communal Tower MT WARRENHEIP\n\nAustralian Map Grid : Zone Easting Northing\n\nReference 54 761130 5836860\n\nSite Tolerance : Refer to Technical Planning Guidelines\n\nEmission :-\n\nFrequency Band & Mode VHF-FM\n\nCarrier Frequency : 103.1 MHz\n\nPolarisation Mixed\n\nMaximum antenna height 50 m\n\nOutput Radiation Pattern :-\n\n| Bearing or Sector (Clockwise direction) | Maximum ERP |\n| --------------------------------------- | ----------- |\n|                                         |             |\n| 0°T - 100°T                             | 10 kW       |\n| 100°T - 260°T                           | 3 kW        |\n| 260°T - 360°T                           | 20 kW       |\n\n  \nAttachment 1.9\n\nLICENCE AREA PLAN : Ballarat\n\nCategory : Open Narrowcasting\n\nGeneral Area Served : Ballarat (Warrenheip) (VIC)\n\nService Licence Number : Not applicable\n\nTECHNICAL SPECIFICATION - FM Radio\n\nSpecification Number : TS10007001\n\nTransmitter Site :-\n\nNominal location : MT Warrenheip BALLARAT\n\nAustralian Map Grid : Zone Easting Northing\n\nReference 54 761100 5836800\n\nSite Tolerance : Refer to Technical Planning Guidelines\n\nEmission :-\n\nFrequency Band & Mode VHF-FM\n\nCarrier Frequency : 97.5 MHz\n\nPolarisation Vertical\n\nMaximum antenna height 30 m\n\nOutput Radiation Pattern :-\n\n| Bearing or Sector (Clockwise direction) | Maximum ERP |\n| --------------------------------------- | ----------- |\n|                                         |             |\n| 0°T - 85°T                              | 400 W       |\n| 85°T - 95°T                             | 80 W        |\n| 95°T - 360°T                            | 400 W       |\n\n  \nATTACHMENT 2.1\n\nLICENCE AREA FOR SERVICE LICENCE NUMBER: SL10285 AND SL1150001  \nCOMMUNITY RADIO BALLARAT VIC\n\nThe licence area, in terms of areas defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics at the Census of 6 September 1991, is:\n\n| Area Description     | Persons |\n| -------------------- | ------- |\n| Ballarat (C)         | 34530   |\n| Ballarat (S)         | 18802   |\n| Bungaree (S)         | 4579    |\n| Buninyong (S)        | 12138   |\n| Grenville (S) - Pt A | 5713    |\n| Sebastopol (B)       | 7529    |\n| Vic CD 061201        | 364     |\n| Vic CD 061202        | 377     |\n| Vic CD 061203        | 634     |\n| Vic CD 061206        | 1057    |\n| Vic CD 061207        | 524     |\n| Vic CD 061208        | 459     |\n| Vic CD 061209        | 252     |\n| Vic CD 072504        | 391     |\n| Vic CD 072505        | 488     |\n| Vic CD 072506        | 360     |\n| Vic CD 080402        | 252     |\n| Vic CD 080403        | 507     |\n| Vic CD 080404        | 280     |\n| Vic CD 080902        | 575     |\n| Vic CD 080903        | 507     |\n| Vic CD 080904        | 304     |\n| Vic CD 080905        | 486     |\n| Vic CD 080906        | 632     |\n| Vic CD 080907        | 559     |\n| Vic CD 080908        | 572     |\n| Vic CD 080909        | 629     |\n| Vic CD 080910        | 266     |\n| Vic CD 082303        | 671     |\n| Vic CD 082306        | 216     |\n| Total Persons        | 94653   |\n\nNote: Standard terminology used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics:\n\n(C) \\= City\n\n  \nAttachment 2.2\n\nLICENCE AREA PLAN : Ballarat\n\nCategory : Community\n\nGeneral Area Served : Ballarat (Warrenheip) (VIC)\n\nService Licence Number : SL10285\n\nTECHNICAL SPECIFICATION - FM Radio\n\nSpecification Number : TS10003798\n\nTransmitter Site :-\n\nNominal location : Ballarat Communal Tower MT WARRENHEIP\n\nAustralian Map Grid : Zone Easting Northing\n\nReference 54 761130 5836860\n\nSite Tolerance : Refer to Technical Planning Guidelines\n\nEmission :-\n\nFrequency Band & Mode VHF-FM\n\nCarrier Frequency : 103.9 MHz\n\nPolarisation Mixed\n\nMaximum antenna height 50 m\n\nOutput Radiation Pattern :-\n\n| Bearing or Sector (Clockwise direction) | Maximum ERP |\n| --------------------------------------- | ----------- |\n|                                         |             |\n| At all angles of azimuth                | 3 kW        |\n\n  \nAttachment 2.3\n\nLICENCE AREA PLAN : Ballarat\n\nCategory : Community\n\nGeneral Area Served : Ballarat (Warrenheip) (VIC)\n\nService Licence Number : SL1150001\n\nTECHNICAL SPECIFICATION - FM Radio\n\nSpecification Number : TS10005655\n\nTransmitter Site :-\n\nNominal location : Ballarat Communal Tower MT WARRENHEIP\n\nAustralian Map Grid : Zone Easting Northing\n\nReference 54 761130 5836860\n\nSite Tolerance : Refer to Technical Planning Guidelines\n\nEmission :-\n\nFrequency Band & Mode VHF-FM\n\nCarrier Frequency : 99.9 MHz\n\nPolarisation Mixed\n\nMaximum antenna height 50 m\n\nOutput Radiation Pattern :-\n\n| Bearing or Sector (Clockwise direction) | Maximum ERP |\n| --------------------------------------- | ----------- |\n|                                         |             |\n| At all angles of azimuth                | 3 kW        |","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a complete, standalone technical determination made under the Broadcasting Services Act 1992. It represents the original intent of the legislation—to plan broadcasting services for a specific geographic area—and has not expanded beyond that purpose. The document contains all necessary schedules, attachments, and technical specifications required for its implementation."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple cross-referenced attachments (9 attachments for Schedule One, 3 for Schedule Two) requiring navigation between schedules and technical specifications","Technical terminology requiring domain knowledge (ERP - Effective Radiated Power, CMF - Carrier Modulation Factor, AMG references, azimuth bearings)","Nested tabular data with conditional radiation patterns varying by compass bearing (e.g., '110°T - 350°T: 100 kW')","Dual licence area definitions using 1991 Australian Bureau of Statistics Census Collection Districts with population counts","Distinction between service licence requirements (Commercial and Community require licences; National and Narrowcasting marked 'N/A')","Mixed frequency bands (VHF-FM and MF-AM) with different technical parameter sets"],"plain_english_summary":"This document is a **Licence Area Plan** made by the Australian Broadcasting Authority (now the Australian Communications and Media Authority) in August 1997. It sets out the technical rules for radio broadcasting in the Ballarat region of Victoria.\n\n**What it does:**\n- **Plans the radio dial:** It decides how many radio stations can operate in Ballarat and what type they can be (national, commercial, community, or narrowcasting).\n- **Allocates frequencies:** It assigns specific radio frequencies (like 107.9 FM or 1314 AM) to each service to prevent interference between stations.\n- **Sets technical limits:** It specifies exactly where transmitters must be located (e.g., Lookout Hill, Mount Warrenheip), how powerful they can be, and which direction their signal can broadcast.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- **Radio broadcasters:** Any company or group wanting to run a radio station in Ballarat must comply with these technical specifications.\n- **Listeners:** It determines which radio services are available in Ballarat and how well they can be received in different areas.\n- **Local councils:** The plan defines coverage areas using 1991 Census boundaries, affecting which suburbs and shires receive particular services.\n\n**Key details:**\n- **National services:** 3 stations (ABC networks) broadcasting from Lookout Hill on FM frequencies.\n- **Commercial services:** 3 stations with specific licence numbers (SL10365, SL10364, SL10284), including one AM station and several FM stations, some with transmitters in Daylesford and Warrenheip.\n- **Community services:** 2 stations (SL10285, SL1150001) operating from Mount Warrenheip.\n- **Open narrowcasting:** 1 service (specialised programming like racing or religious content) on 97.5 FM.\n\n**Why it matters:**\nWithout this plan, radio stations could broadcast on overlapping frequencies, causing interference and making it impossible to listen clearly. It ensures orderly use of the airwaves and guarantees a mix of public (national), commercial, and community voices on the Ballarat radio dial."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument stays within its original, narrow purpose: allocating radio services and specifying transmitter technical parameters for the Ballarat licence areas. It does not expand regulatory scope beyond assigning services, frequencies, transmitter locations and technical limits, nor does it introduce additional regulatory obligations or policy functions beyond those mechanics."},"complexity_factors":["Two licence areas (RA1 and RA2) with separate Schedules and different service mixes","Nine transmitter technical attachments (Attachments 1.2–1.9) plus three community attachments (2.1–2.3) — multiple documents to consult for a complete picture","Multiple service categories (national, commercial, community, open narrowcasting) with different regulatory treatment (e.g. service licences only required for commercial and community services)","Per‑transmitter sectorised ERP tables (different maximum ERP by azimuth sectors) rather than a single uniform power limit","Cross‑references to external Technical Planning Guidelines for site tolerances and detailed engineering interpretation","Use of ABS census areas and many collection districts to define licence area geography (detailed geographic lists in Attachments 1.1 and 2.1)","Multiple unique identifiers to track provisions: service licence numbers (e.g. SL10365) and transmitter specification numbers (e.g. TS10003795)","Mixed emission modes (AM and FM) and differing site characteristics (antenna heights, polarisation) requiring distinct engineering compliance for each transmitter"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this instrument does (mechanically)\n\n- This is a licence area plan for radio broadcasting in the Ballarat area (August 1997).  It specifies which radio services are to be made available in two licence areas (labelled RA1 and RA2) and sets the technical parameters for each transmitter that will serve those areas.  The Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) made the determination and the document is organised in Schedules and Attachments that list service categories, allocated service‑licence numbers (where applicable), transmitter specification numbers, frequencies, transmitter sites, antenna heights, maximum effective radiated power (ERP) by bearing/sector and the geographic census areas served.\n\n- SCHEDULE ONE (RA1) lists: three national services (no service licences required), three commercial services (service licence numbers SL10365, SL10364, SL10284) and one open narrowcasting service.  SCHEDULE TWO (RA2) lists two community services (SL10285 and SL1150001).  The Attachments (1.2–1.9 and 2.2–2.3) give the technical specifications for each transmitter: carrier frequency (e.g. 107.9 MHz, 105.5 MHz, 103.1 MHz, 103.9 MHz, 99.9 MHz, 97.5 MHz), transmitter locations (Lookout Hill / NTA Tower, Mt Warrenheip communal tower, Daylesford town, etc.), maximum antenna heights and permitted ERP in different azimuth sectors.\n\n**Who is affected\n\n- Licence‑holders and applicants: commercial and community broadcasters awarded the listed service licences must operate on the named frequencies and within the specified transmitter parameters (see Schedule One; Attachments 1.2–1.9; Schedule Two; Attachments 2.2–2.3). National and open‑narrowcasting services are similarly allocated frequencies and technical specs.\n- Potential entrants: the plan reserves those frequencies/technical envelopes and the geographic licence areas defined by Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) census units, so those resources are not generally available for other applicants without a change to the plan.\n- Equipment and engineering providers: must meet the listed transmitter siting, antenna height and ERP pattern requirements.\n- Listeners and advertisers: the plan determines which services will be receivable in the listed census areas and therefore shapes local audio choice and advertising markets.\n\n**Why it matters (official purpose and practical effects)\n\n- Officially, the plan allocates radio spectrum and defines transmitter parameters to ensure services are available in the Ballarat area while managing interference (see Determination and Attachments).  Practically, it establishes which frequencies are reserved for national, commercial, community and narrowcasting services in Ballarat and what technical limits those services must obey.\n\n**Who pays, who decides, and what behaviour changes\n\n- Who decides: the ABA (the instrument’s issuer) determined the plan; the plan references the Authority’s Technical Planning Guidelines for tolerances and further technical detail (see each Attachment's \"Site Tolerance\" and the Determination).  Today the functions sit with the agency that succeeded the ABA, but this instrument was made by the ABA (Determination date in header).\n- Who pays: licence‑holders pay the costs of building, operating and maintaining transmitters (site access, towers, antennas, transmitters, ongoing power, engineering) and any licence fees or administrative costs required by the regulator.  They also bear compliance costs to operate within the specified ERP, antenna heights and sector patterns.\n- Behaviour changes required: broadcasters must operate only on the allocated carrier frequency and at or below the specified antenna height and ERP in the specified azimuth sectors; they must locate transmitters at or within the tolerated site positions and follow technical planning guidelines to avoid harmful interference.  Potential entrants must seek different spectrum or wait for reallocation if they wish to serve the same areas.\n\n**Costs, incentives, trade‑offs and implementation issues (mechanical, not political)\n\n- Concentrated benefits: the named licence‑holders and the national services obtain exclusive access to the specified frequencies and technical protection from other users in the licensed area (see service licence numbers and transmitter specs in Schedules and Attachments).  That exclusivity has value (coverage and audience reach) concentrated in those holders.\n- Diffuse costs and opportunity cost: reserving particular frequencies and technical envelopes for specific services prevents other potential entrants from using them without a change to the plan.  Spectrum reserved but not fully utilised (e.g. low‑power narrowcasting sectors) represents an opportunity cost compared with other possible uses of the spectrum.\n- Competition effects: by allocating a finite number of commercial and community licences in the area, the plan limits immediate entry and shapes local market structure (see count of commercial/community services in Schedules One and Two).  This affects the set of competitors in the local radio advertising and listener markets.\n- Interference management vs coverage: the plan uses sectorised ERP limits (different maximum ERP by bearing) and antenna height limits to manage interference and shape coverage.  That technical approach trades a simple uniform power limit for a more complex protection/coverage pattern (see Attachments 1.2–1.9 and 2.2–2.3 for sector tables).\n- Compliance burden and regulatory discretion: licensees must comply with the specified technical parameters and the referenced Technical Planning Guidelines; the regulator retains discretion to interpret tolerances and handle interference disputes or variations to the plan.\n- Implementation risk and obsolescence: technical parameters, population distribution and technology have changed since 1997.  Rigid technical allocations become less optimal over time if not reviewed, and changes (e.g. new digital services) may require plan revision.\n\n**Concrete mechanisms that produce effects (what causes what)\n\n- Exclusive allocations: listing a service‑licence number together with transmitter frequency and parameters means the named licence holder is entitled to operate that service at those parameters; other parties cannot lawfully operate on that frequency within the specified area without regulatory change.\n- Technical constraints: per‑bearing ERP limits and antenna heights directly constrain transmitter design and coverage footprints, which in turn determine audience reach and commercial viability.\n- Geographic scope: the use of ABS census areas (Attachments 1.1 and 2.1) fixes the licensed population area; coverage obligations and audience size are therefore directly tied to those enumerated areas.\n\n**Where to look in the instrument for specifics\n\n- Which services and licence numbers: Schedules One and Two.  Transmitter‑by‑transmitter technical details (frequency, ERP by sector, antenna height, site) are in Attachments 1.2–1.9 and 2.2–2.3.  Licence area population and list of ABS units are in Attachments 1.1 and 2.1.\n\n(Analyst note: this summary describes the plan’s mechanical operation and who bears costs and constraints. It treats claimed purposes (spectrum allocation and interference management) as the plan states them, and highlights concrete trade‑offs — exclusivity vs entry, technical protection vs flexibility — arising directly from the specified transmitter and licence allocations.)"},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/licence-area-plan-ballarat-radio-august-1997","history":"/api/acts/licence-area-plan-ballarat-radio-august-1997/history","analysis":"/api/acts/licence-area-plan-ballarat-radio-august-1997/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/licence-area-plan-ballarat-radio-august-1997/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/licence-area-plan-ballarat-radio-august-1997/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/licence-area-plan-ballarat-radio-august-1997/documents"}}