Yeah, I somehow doubt the target demographic on 9Honey would listen to a station on AM radio!
Besides, wasn’t a similar concept already tried out a couple of years ago with Talking Lifestyle? Apart from Sydney where it only worked somewhat because ex-2UE programs survived the transition (but were axed before the relaunch to Macquarie Sports Radio), a total failure. Never again.
Even according to their corporate website MSR is nowhere to be seen.
Nine has announced a move to a music format playing the best of the 70s, 80s and 90s across its stations in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, along with digital radio in Perth.
The move will see the return to the airwaves of heritage radio brands 2UE 954AM, Magic 1278AM and 4BH 882AM, with each station also featuring live local news, sport and weather. In Perth the station will be branded Magic DAB+ Perth.
“We’re very proud to be bringing back great radio brands like 2UE, Magic and 4BH with a music format that we know will resonate with audiences in each city,”
said Tom Malone, Nine’s Managing Director – Radio.
“Until recently Magic and 4BH were successful music stations and our research clearly shows there is a gap in the market for this music format, built around the best of the 70s, 80s and 90s.”
The new stations will have a soft launch on February 2 and will be available in digital quality via online, apps, smart speakers and DAB+.
Penny Kaleta, Nine’s Director of Sales – Radio, said: “For our clients we believe this move to a music format is highly complementary to our existing talk-radio formats and gives the brands who work with us a strong audience combination in terms of what we can offer.”
2UE, Magic, 4BH and Magic DAB+ Perth will replace Macquarie Sports Radio. The stations will continue to honour their existing sports rights contracts with the AFL, NRL and Cricket Australia.
That’s a big rebuke to former management which dumped the Magic, 2UE and 4BH brands in the first place.
Great move. Glad to see Nine see the potential in these heritage brands.
That’s a huge back peddle - and also using a different brand in each market goes against what every other network is doing.
I wonder who the presenters will be - most of the former staff from these stations have moved onto other things and could be difficult to lure back.
Nine will need to spend some coin advertising these - while there’s probably a market for these station, their former audience is well aware that these stations had gone and are unlikely to tune back without being told it’s back.
And where will this leave 2CH currently occupying space within 2GB………Out the door I would suspect!
The GREATEST move IMO from 9Radio.
Outstanding work.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they run with local breakfast & voice-tracked workdays (localised to each market).
Being music & not talkback, I wonder if this’ll lure the likes of George Moore back to 9Radio. He can’t defame if he’s just playing music.
And what does this mean for Tim Webster? Will he backflip and return to 9Radio?
It’ll be rather awkward in the Pyrmont studios now having two head-to-head competing stations in the same building. But I suppose this new network will skew a little younger than Classic Hits 2CH. Maybe it’ll force 2CH to go even more Classic?
And does this mean Marko & Ox will be sacked for a second time within 6mths by 9Radio?
Moot point as isn’t Nova and Smooth also in the same building?
All this for a group of stations that’ll barely rate above 3%, but a sensible move nonetheless.
Can only gather that sport calls will continue until contracts lapse, then it’s 100% music from then on in
Surely that’s got to be a record, sacked twice by the same employer within 6 months!
Tim Webster would have fitted in very nicely doing the breakfast show on 2UE.
Sadly while no doubt it will rate higher than MSR I cant see 2UE making much ground on WSFM or 2CH for that matter. I’d like to be wrong but.
Yes, but they are in a completely different office aren’t head to head with each other. 2CH uses Macquarie/Nine’s studios and office space (except for their sales/admin team which are off site).
Voice tracks still have to done by announcers. Running without any announcers is a sure way to make unengaging radio that won’t rate. Voice tracking is almost a certainty given they’ll need to cover as much time as possible with as few staff as possible.
Will they promote 13 12 83 as 131 2UE?
No need for phone calls if it’s all voicetracked
Roxette, Fleetwood Mac, Cold Chisel, ABBA, Blondie, Elton John, INXS, Robbie Williams and Van Morrison?
Sounds like WSFM, 2CH, Triple M and smooth have had a love child.
Yes, 2GB, Nova and Smooth are all in the same building.
Between this announcement (showing the new (old) logos), and last week’s announcement about 9Radio, is anyone else’s OCD being triggered by 2GB’s logo looking different to all the rest of them?
Except the Odd One Out on the AM Band will have Competition than ever Before.
