Sounds like it - cuts back on presenters and producers that way.
I wonder if MediaWorks will swap frequencies where the current RadioLive is on FM and Magic is on AM? Auckland comes to mind as one possible market where this could work
3 Likes
Yikesā¦ if thatās not a transitional set up I donāt know what is.
The whole thing will be gone within 12 monthsā¦ sooner if contracts expire
1 Like
So hereās my 2 cents on this situation.
RadioLIVE is a family, and I am part of that family.
Yesterday was a hard day on everyone to have found out they arenāt going to be back for 2019 and the station being gutted to a shell of itself. Many people including myself will miss the callers and hosts with their quirks and habits they have.
A lot of good friends are now out of a job, But MediaWorks has done their best to let staff know in a timely manner (No time is ever the right time to tell someone their jobs is no more) But they have and continue to make accommodations for the staff.
Personally I donāt think this is the right move for MediaWorks, Yes I understand it isnāt always profitable or rates well, but just because maybe it doesnāt do what you want it to do you kill it, I think there should have been more of an effort put into restructuring the station in management, background staff or talent.
I do see where the idea of merging the two stations together they have similar target audiences and for promos they hit the same area, It will be a trial of something new a Hybrid of talk and music (Something I donāt know if it has been done elsewhere yet)
Itās a big change thatās going to affect a lot of people.
9 Likes
I think perhaps BBC Radio 2 might be something of a model for them.
Good talk, good music, good news serviceā¦ problem is that it needs to be well resourced and in a commercial environment where a big audience isnāt immediately apparent there will be a reluctance to commit the money thatās needed to get people listening in the first place.
One of the strengths of NZ radio and its commercial duopoly is the ability of both companies to take risks and to cross subsidise formats that might not normally see the light of dayā¦ so this is disappointing.
As to whether itās a success, it will depend on content of course. I just canāt see hard hitting talk/journalism going hand in hand with easy hits. The talk is likely to be soft, all the more so because itās being run by MediaWorks music not news. (Not a criticism just an observation on where interests and priorities are likely to fall)
But, in this changing media world we need to think outside the box and this could prove to be an interesting and mould breaking experiment.
6 Likes
Indeed, apart from the obvious personal cost to individuals, competitors are good for resources and budgets.
No competition, no need to invest in the stationā¦ at least not as much.
2 Likes
I feel like changes were long overdue for Radio Live but I just canāt see this working.
From what I gather āMagic Talkā will be a music & talk station targeting baby boomers. But Mediaworks are getting rid of Mark Sainsbury and Mitch Harris whose talk would have at least been more likely to resonate with that audience.
So theyāre keeping Ryan Bridge (nothing against him, I think heās a real talent) for Drive who told Live listeners a few weeks ago āwe should slash superannuation because itās becoming too expensiveāā¦
IMO they might as well have gone the whole hog and nuked it completely. The AM Show could have moved to the Newshub studio to strengthen the TV product, where AM has always performed better.
2 Likes
Donāt know if itās already been mentioned but Flynny from The Hits has been poached by Mediaworks for the More FM Drive in 2019.
3 Likes
Flynny, Jase & Jay Jay A very strong line up for More Drive 2019 , would make a very good Breakfast team sometime in the 2020ās.
2 Likes
Wonder what theyāre planning for More FM Breakfast next year - Gary McCormick & Lana Searle - bit down on star power without Simon Barnett?
1 Like
I was thinking if anything, Flynny would be signed to Breakfast. Either way, he will make the team a force to be reckoned with.
1 Like
I was wondering also about more breakfast I wonder if they would put Jason Gunn in the team as jase did 92.1 More Breakfast with James Daniels for a short time back in 1996.
Heās also got the Star factor with around 30 years of broadcasting experience.
Gary McCormack how many more yearās on Breakfast has he got ?
68 he will be in 2019 & if he continues he will be in his 16th year at More.
In Short Simon Barnett has given MediaWorks a yearās notice So they have had plenty of time to plan for post Simon In 2019.
Maybe in the MediaWorkās upfrontās in early December we may here about more radio changes for the better this time.
As I feel MediaWorkās Radio Has the best on Air talent compared to NZME.
But what is lacking is a Soft AC Network which Many Formatās Are Flipping To in the USA Now & After Xmas
Yes the Breeze would be the closest to a soft AC but a fully soft AC Breeze & More FM be more contemporary.
1 Like
Youāve got a point there. Does Flynny live in Auckland? Because Jay-Jay Iām sure would be happy to move back permanently.
Hereās my bet - Jason Gunn moves to MoreFM breakfast alongside Lana and Gary, with Gary phased out after a couple of years. Flynny takes on drive with JJ, allowing her to move back to Auckland from Christchurch.
4 Likes
Having done dayshift the last two months and MoreFM now available in my location I have actually found the the breakfast club quite enjoyable. Lana JMac and Gary and the other few all work really well
1 Like
Mediaworks you have peaked my interest! Magic Talk has me intriguedā¦
1 Like
Iām confiusedā¦ Is the new station going to be broadcast on 2 frequencies in most locations with some common programming and some shows unique to the talk frequency and some unique to music?
2 Likes
Yep. The old Magic is Magic Music, and the old RadioLIVE is Magic Talk. Two stations, but expect some programming to be shared - itās not clear yet as to what thatāll entail
3 Likes
Thanks, interestingā¦: call me a cynic but I reckon this is transitionalā¦ Iād bet thereās a plan to merge the 2 stations completely and free up one set of frequencies for something new.
Having said that a blend of talk and music might just work.
4 Likes