That might explain why The Rock NZ is in Australia if the two are tying up partnerships
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I actually think Nova would be the more interesting outcome. Theyâre an audio-first company, so thereâs a lot more potential than just âbusiness as usualâ under Stuff ownership.
There are some cool trans-Tasman opportunities too. Like The Rock launching on DAB+ in Brisbane - I reckon it will find an audience pretty quickly and could eventually rollout nationwide. George FM could also have a niche.
Itâd also be interesting if this finally gave DAB+ in NZ a bit of momentum. Itâs been talked about for years, but itâs always been a chicken and egg problem. Broadcasters donât want to fund a rollout without enough receivers in the market, and manufacturers wonât push receivers because thereâs no permanent service.
MediaWorks also has a broader portfolio of music stations to take advantage of extra digital capacity than NZME, which has focused more on streaming through iHeartRadio (an awful app IMO). A Nova-owned MediaWorks might finally be the catalyst that gets everyone around the table, because Nova already knows how to make DAB+ work in Australia.
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Yes fingers crossed its not SEG
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I dunno, given two sports stations have now become one, and even thatâs kinda struggling, maybe they donât see enough of an audience to justify it?
Wasnât there a DAB trial here some years ago? From memory didnât it get shut down in 2018? What was the reason for that - was it low uptake? I donât remember hearing a lot about it (no advertising or anything)âŚbut it could be interesting if they tried it again. Having said that, the media market has changed a lot in the last 10 years or so.
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Nova Ent. is already in a collaboration with Media Works with The Rock. If it works out financially, itâs not hard to see The Sound being the next NZ station to launch in Australia on DAB in Adelaide or Brisbane and on the Nova Player and Radio Apps. Possibly even Channel X could follow but probably a long term option.
With this collaboration and itâs proven success in Australia, NE would be in the prime position to buy MW.
DAB in NZ is a pipe dream. If it was going to happen there, it would need agreement and collaboration between the NZ Govt, Radio NZ, NZME and MediaWorks and this is unlikely due to the high costs involved and flat advertising market there, and FM coverage being more than adequate complemented by streaming on mobile devices, smart speakers and in cars. DAB is a good complement to FM and AM in Australia and the UK but NZ has likely missed the boat on this one. It has worked well in Australia due to it being rolled out from 2009 with support from car manufacturers, government legislation, promotion by the networks, and reception issues being fixed but it is not being rolled out into regional centres, and relies on the large populations of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to make it viable. It wouldnât be viable in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, with a much lower population, the high costs involved and flat advertising market in NZ.
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Yes, there was a trial. Pretty sure it was just Auckland and Wellington.
In other news, radio buffs might have to buy a newspaper this monday. Below ad seen in Gânuiâs Chronicle this morning:
: RNZ Saturday Morning will have a single host as staff being reduced.
An historic milestone. A century on.
Newstalk ZB turns 100 today.
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Zb have been an institution for many years
Going back in merv smith days to current lineup
Celebrating 100 years of ZB
Today, Sunday August 9 marks the 100th anniversary of NZME owned Newstalk ZB which began its life as 1ZB 1070AM in Auckland in 1926. The station and the Mike Hosking Breakfast show is No 1 in New Zealand.
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