Oh I thought it was just an offer.
Well, ACE isn’t a great network, but hopefully it’ll get better use than a SEN+ station. I feel like talk is the way to go for an AM station, I don’t see music ever going anywhere, but if they just import content from their network already, I guess it doesn’t matter.
Although I wonder if they’ll think about talk and then pipe it around the state instead of taking 3AW.
I just hope Capital/Grants buy Ace sometime soon and inherit 3MP.
Then once SEN1170 flops (as we can all safely say it will), then Grants could also buy that and resurrect 2CH or relaunch with a better name.
I think relaunching with a better name rather than resurrecting 2CH (which let’s be honest, doesn’t have that much brand equity these days) would be the most ideal of those two scenarios.
But to bring things back on topic, it’ll be interesting to see what happens with an ACE-owned 3MP. The legacy callsign will probably be resurrected, either way the logo seems almost guaranteed to be in the standard ACE Radio style but other than that?
spotted between Frankston and Karingal this morning; White car, 3MP logo (3MP inside a circle, with "1377 and DAB+ types below). The words “easy music” written across the car. I think I saw a website too.
Bit of a clue?
If the tip is accurate, the new 3MP logo (bold white uppercase “3MP” - not lowercase “3mp” as before - with “1377 and DAB+” in smaller type underneath - is wrapped in a Channel 10-style circular logo that’s orange. The full colour-set used across the car spotted is white, orange and purple.
This is not the ACE radio colour scheme applied to the logos of all its regional radio stations.
This kills any speculation Ace Radio might use 3MP is a means of supplying talk programming to the regional network independent of 3AW (which unlikely makes any economic sense, even before Covid 19 and the recession it’s causing)
More likely it’s the other way around. 3MP, and maybe a younger-skewed DAB+ station aligned with Mixx/TRFM/Edge/Coast, would have program fed to it from the regional centres.
There’s nothing hugely innovative about any of this except the opportunity for Ace to develop new competencies and for 3MP to be given the attention the previous owner couldn’t provide.
3MP has the potential to be a better targeted station than Magic 1278, which has a pretty good music mix but does little else due to being networked nationally.
Similarly, a companion DAB+ station produced out of Ace Radio’s FM network could be better locally targeted than DAB stations like The Edge (piped in from Sydney) and the litany of automated DAB music stations with names like KIIS 90s, Fox Urban and Triple M Classic Rock.
As you point out, this ‘speculation’ never made any sense. Would cost ACE more to hire network talent in mornings, drive and nights than to network from Nine/3AW.
I am getting Hmm. We’re having trouble finding that site when I try to connect to http://easymusic3mp.com.au/
Also I wonder if the new 3mp will use Nine Radio News or will ace use their own news service for it
I would’ve expected that the purchase of 3MP would have included the domains www.3mp.com.au and www.classicrock1377.com.au (along with other registrations such as twitter account @ClassicRock1377) which is currently registered to PNW.
1377 still broadcasts SEN-Track…for now
Yes, I wouldn’t expect the website to be up until the station changes hands and it’s 3MP again.
Such a long URL especially if they want the oldies to visit their website.
I’d go classic hits and not easy music. Not unless they’re sounding like what smooth used to?
I’m hoping that’s their pitch. Easy hits style station. Might work, but AM is a huge mountain to climb.
Can anyone find a copy of this new 3MP logo? And I find it interesting that ACE would already have a vehicle with the new logo even though they haven’t yet officially taken control of the station.
Does anyone know when ACE officially takes over 1377am ?
To me the wording looks influenced by 2CH (mentioning DAB+) and the logo looks like a mixture of Bay93.9 & Apple.
That’s just my opinion.
Still, I can’t believe they’ve already got a branded car. Maybe big things are to come with the new 3MP.
And SURELY SEN would give up 3mp.com.au to the new owners.
The acquisition of 3MP is due to be completed on Wednesday 1 July.
That sits on the logo shelf next to ABC Kids.
Ace, always providing a laugh about radio… in all the wrong ways.
I get the feeling “Easy Music” is as important to the branding as “3MP”.
Consider Smooth FM has taken its focus off being an “easy place to relax”. According to a Radio Today article, dated 14 February 2020:
“If you had to target that one person, it’s a female, she’s 38 and has kids and a busy life".
That’s who Smooth FM belongs to now.
While Magic 1278 has got back in the market, I question how close the station is to what’s already heard on FM. Yet there’s also the problem of how reliable music from earlier than 1970 remains to generate a sizeable audience.
I imagine we might get a broad mix of music on Easy Music 3MP. Perhaps some of the oldies Magic play from 1960 onwards yet a bit of Smooth also - such as Alicia Keys
