3MP identifying with the Mornington Peninusla as much as they are now is the first time they’ve done this since those final “Bay City Radio” jingles in the mid-80s.
Everything right now seems focused on reminding listeners what 3MP has meant before and that’s it’s back.
Will it be enough?
The music playlist sounds a bit out of time - Smooth and latest version of Magic (which seems to be shifting this weekend towards a “greatest hits” positioner) have evolved, whereas it sounds like Ace have recycled the circa 1995 3MP playlist and copied and pasted it into the playout system.
To be fair, Ace may well have started 2020 not expecting 3MP would fall into their hands, this on top of not expecting a pandemic that’s impacting everyone and everything. They’re doing this at short notice and in adverse times.
It’s also a positive that Magic and 3MP emerge with distinct tempos and playlists. The difference between the two has more often than not been too narrow in their previous incarnations. Both in turn sound different to Smooth which is now more firmly fixated on competing with Gold, albiet being the softer version of an 80s centred playlist.
I also get the impression 3MP is going to be very tightly operated. To be expected as ACE only recently trimmed back local programming on its regional stations.
It’s through a quirk of circumstances (including SEN’s investment in narrowcasting licences that enabled SEN Track to change frequency to 1593 AM same day as 3MP returned) that this radio station keeps getting revived, whether anyone still wants it or not.
Even if it doesn’t achieve much, Ace have a Melbourne-wide licence (and it sounds like the improvement in reception that was really intended for defunct MTR remains a likelihood).
Whenever in the future they are ready for it, 3MP will become something more substantial, including the possibility of one or two companion DAB+ stations.
Less than a day on air and 3MP is at the centre of a statewide radio network. That’s the really big change here.
There’s a few things that Zetta either doesn’t do, or does remarkably different to NexGen. I believe this is to also cater for those still on Maestro (incredible…) or the other playout system that I can’t quite think of at the moment. Overall though, Zetta is a beaut. The only time I run into problems with Zetta was simply a case of operator error (also perhaps a lack of training by the station/upper management…) but overall a brilliantly innovative system.
I’ve never actually used Station Playlist, but from all reports it is a brilliantly stable system too, and wonderfully flexible.
How are ACE usually in terms of managing their transmitter network - saw the comments earlier talking about the poor sound quality on Gold FM, and their general cost cutting approach - are they likely to be putting cash into reception upgrades for 1377?
I wonder what’s going on with the Digital side of things - 3MP sounds less than ideal and only currently are using 64kbps.
Still - I’m very glad to see 1377 have a real radio station on it again, not a simulcast or a narrowcast program like it has had recently. Sounds so much more professional than the automated music it had before SEN fully killed Classic Rock Radio/MyMP the last time.
I doubted Ace would bring 3MP back as they have, that is evident in my previous posts. Ace have clearly looked at the angle of connecting to the Mornington Peninsula community with the launch of 3MP. Ace gets a 7 out of 10 for that, you might get an extra point depending on what Jon and Julie do next week. As for the music, it is a genre that has been missing from Melbourne radio for quite a while. The music is exactly what it says easy music, songs that we grew up with. As I nudge into my 50’s it is something I welcome. This is the most complete 1377 has sounded since that fateful Sunday when it closed to become MTR. No offence to Eddie Olek and John Tamb’s effort when it emerged as MyMp. Well done so far Ace, it sounds like a radio station as much as I have tried to listen to Nines Spinning Jukebox, ooops Magic 1278. Magic lacks heart and Soul, where as 3MP is showing all the opposite signs. Welcome back old girl!
ACE are probably waiting for some new equipment. Each station/network requires their own encoding equipment which puts together their own ensemble of stations, which is then sent to the shared MUX for transmission. (The requirement to have this equipment is why SCA took a while to utilize their bandwidth on the second multiplex). This equipment would have to be imported so could take a while to get here. For the moment, I’d guess that they’re running a tieline or similar to Pacific Star who are still managing all their DAB+ operations.
Sorry I can’t agree fully with your comments. It is very pleasing to see 3MP back as a proper radio station and I agree it sounds like it has plenty of “heart” but to me the music is souless and downright dreary. I am also not a fan of the strong connection to the Mornington Penisula. I live on the other side of Melbourne and think a Melbourne radio station should be for all of Melbourne not a specific area. MP dropped the regional identity many years ago.
By the way I really liked MyMp and loved Classic Rock! As for Magic I prefer their selection of music and less ads but agree it’s a bit heartless but I do prefer their “Spinning Jukebox” to their attempts at announcers from the Nine stable.
I am MUCH older than you but I prefer my music a bit rockier. My preference is MMM Classic Rock or MMM Greatest Hits but cannot put up with all the ads. But like you I love radio and have done since my early days in Northern Ireland listening to pirate radio and am interested on what happens on most (music) stations.
listening to 3MP via DAB+ now and there are technical glitches, songs not played in full, cut off, dead air for a few seconds, then an announcement, ident or another song.
disargee with that MP dropped the regional identity years ago comment. I know of business in the south east and the peninsula who were still keen on advertising with 3mp afterthey moved from Frankston to Richmond(which was 2002, i thought was earlier than that) however sales reps did not treat the business well and moved the advertisers dollar in droves
I don’t mind it as it remind me of listening to old 3mp in my grandparents kitchen when on school holidays in Rye but jazz it up a bit.
Yeah i’ve heard issues in the last half hour. Sounds like the audio was sped up at one point. Is the playout in Melbourne or from somewhere in regional Victoria?
I haven’t used it personally but I have heard this from others.
Yes very stable. Whenever we’ve had to restart our machines it’s been the fault of anything but StationPlaylist. I’ve heard a lot of people say it’s flexible but I disagree. Certainly very friendly to newbie’s and those that are not very technically gifted, but still not too scaled-back for a seasoned broadcaster. However it lacks some key features like a segue editor or timing to the hour (it works in hourly blocks and will simply drop the rest of the hour and move to the next when it is time to do so) therefore you can’t really time out to take, say, Nine News at exactly the TOH. You also can’t guarantee which songs/ads/voicetracks will be played towards the end of the hour.