ABC and Radio Adelaide settle name dispute out of court

The ABC and community radio station Radio Adelaide have settled their name dispute out of court a month before it was to be heard.

On December 1, the ABC announced its plan to rebrand its metro stations to reflect their hometowns; ABC Adelaide 891 was to become ABC Radio Adelaide.

ABC Local Content Manager Graeme Bennett emailed Radio Adelaide management outlining the broadcaster’s plans and concluded, “We don’t anticipate this will cause confusion”.

Following an angry response from its listeners, the community radio station won a temporary injunction in the Federal Court asserting the Government broadcaster was “trampling” on its brand (in place since 2003) and called it a “David and Goliath” battle.

It claimed that the name change would confuse listeners and affect its brand. The ABC was blocked from using the name until a court resolved the issue. It broadcast under the name ABC Adelaide. 

Both stations have come to an agreement which allows ABC Radio Adelaide to be used, effective this week.

Radio Adelaide Chairman Iain Evans said, “Despite the strength of our case, we had to make a commercial decision.

“There was the cost of the case which we could have lost and the additional cost of rebranding, or put the money into growing the station and our brand.”

Radio Adelaide will change its logo and rebrand promotional material to avoid market confusion, but will retain its name. 

It is believed that the ABC paid a “confidential” sum to the community station.

The ABC maintained it had not expected an issue with listeners and emphasised it never wanted Radio Adelaide to change its name.

“Our identity is led by the ABC brand in all locations and on all platforms,” said Louise Alley, Manager of Strategic Communications at ABC Radio.

“Our brand evolution to ABC Radio Adelaide ensures that at all times, ‘ABC’ or the ABC Wave logo will accompany the words ‘Radio Adelaide’ when used descriptively on-air, visually in promotional material or otherwise.

“As such, we do not feel there will be confusion in the marketplace between the two stations.”