3mp website still not updated
I’ve given the new 3MP direction a week to settle in before commenting, and I think my main issue is this:
I’m not sure who this change is actually for.
The old “Easy Music 3MP” positioning instantly told listeners what the station was. Whether you loved or hated the term “easy listening,” it had a very clear identity and had done for decades.
Now we’ve got:
“Melbourne and the Peninsula’s Best Music, With Fewer Interruptions.”
But what does “best music” actually mean? Every station in Melbourne thinks they play the best music. FOX, Gold, Smooth, Magic… it’s such a generic line that it removes the one thing 3MP always had — clarity.
Musically, I can hear what they’re trying to do. The core easy listening playlist is still there, but they’ve added more uptempo 80s tracks around it. The problem is, that’s already well covered elsewhere. If I want upbeat 80s, I can already get that from Gold, Smooth or Magic 1278.
What made 3MP different was that relaxed, easy-to-leave-on feel. It didn’t need to chase energy because its strength was companionship and consistency.
My concern is they may end up scaring off older loyal listeners without really gaining many new ones, because the station is becoming less distinctive, not more.
Ironically, some of the newer easy tracks actually sound great. Easy listening was never tied to one decade — it was tied to a mood. I just think they could modernise the playlist without trying to sound more uptempo and generic at the same time.
Does anyone else think this?
3 Likes
I actually like the sound. I thought 3MP was sounding a bit stale before the change and I think this is an improvement. It does mean it is much closer almost similar to Magic 1278. It does make Magic sound a bit staler as there is a lot of repetition. I think Magic could be more adventurous and play a lot more album tracks from the 70s and 80s and more obscure one hit wonders - not just the same mainstream songs over and over. I have given up on Gold - too many ads and short radio edits of songs. Smooth still has a good sound although once again a bit more variety wouldn’t go astray.
3 Likes
I used to like the old Magic from about 10-15 years ago where they played a lot of Peter, Paul & Mary, Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly. They are now rarely played on commercial radio.
3 Likes
Can I just say, 3MP please keep your weather jingle!! That little electronic thing with the seagull sounds is heavenly 
There’s an opportunity for 3MP to play some different music from that era, not the same 20 tracks that Gold 104.3 have on endless rotation.
5 Likes
Yes, Gold is horribly narrow, even when they are actually playing music.
2 Likes