I was having a yarn to a mate over the weekend about the exactly same thing.
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It’d be a bit weird in Melbourne - both Magic and 3MP are very “easy listening” brands to me, 3MP probably even more so - so I wouldn’t flip the stations around in Melbourne. 2UE seems to be on track and growing - so risky to reformat it.
I’d think it would be far better for 4BH to have some live shifts, even if just for a brief period of time around the death of 4KQ. Live and local would be amazing, but I dunno if they have access to Nine’s studios up there?
I really hope ACE doesn’t frig with 2UE and go Classic Hits. Big mistake if they do imho. The market gap in Sydney is Easy Music. We already have WS and CH for classic hits.
To me when I listen to 2ch it is on par or “more easy” than 2ue, WSFM isn’t classic hits anymore. 60 and 70s have in the main been dropped from the normal rotation for some time now. It is very different from 4kq. One could argue we also have easy covered under the Smooth banner. Although it has changed too, becoming more mainstream & safe. A 4kq style of Classic Hits I see is a bigger gap in Sydney than the current format. Although it isn’t a huge gap between what they play today to a classic hits format . It’s not like 4bh or 4kq is playing punk metal from the 70s.
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I noticed on 3MP’s Facebook page that the Coodabeens use the old Magic 1278 studios, complete with plenty of 3MP branding. I’m not sure how the arrangement works, but I’m sure it means they could get access to studios at Nine Radio and Brisbane and Sydney if they wanted to.
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I completely agree. I wouldn’t call 2CH or WS classic hits in the way 4KQ is. As you say 2CH is more skewed to easy listening and WS is more AC gold.
To be honest the current 4BH classic hits sound is still on the easy side so if 2UE and 3MP went the same way it would be a fairly minimal change.
It wouldn’t be hard to arrange I wouldn’t think. 4BH used to broadcast from the 4BC studio at Cannon Hill.
To be honest, I think that playing a bit of punk metal from the 70s could be a winner for the 50 plus age group
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You have no arguments against that from me, there are so many songs classic hits stations don’t play. Community radio in general fill that gap.
4KQ does play “punk” - if it made the top 1,000 1960-89 it was played every time they had a countdown - Iggy Pop, The Clash, Devo, Talking Heads - not sure if they is “punk metal”.
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I agree too. I think with the big networks having DAB spectrum they like to play it more safe with their AM/FM’s for the advertiser. They can go a little deeper with some songs on the DAB.
I think my terminology might be out, perhaps”hardcore punk” is a better term. Maybe a band like the sex pistols? Motor Ace , I am not sure they are punk or heavy rock is about band 4kq prob won’t play. I am not an expert on music genres.
To your point @TV.Cynic that is why 4kq is great, the majority of the music is mainstream safe but they do throw in some surprises. Although there would be music Double J in the late 70s would have played that 4kq won’t play today.
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That’s exactly the key to their success. The majority of the classic hits are broad but mainstream, and then they play something from the likes of Railroad Gin or something more obscure from Kiss.
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not for much longer!
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Yes, I think with 2CH disappearing it increases the likelihood of 2UE adopting a classic hits branding, even if the music doesn’t move too much. I still think 3MP, 2UE and 4BH will end up the classic hits stations and Magic the easy listening network (on AM/DAB in Melbourne and DAB in Sydney and Brisbane). I don’t think it’s a radical change for 2UE. The current 4BH playlist is still much softer and less edgy than 4KQ.
They can roll out the same lines as they did for “4BH, Brisbane’s new home of classic hits” for 2UE 
It’s worth remember 2CH was pretty successful in their last AM incarnation and the current 4BH playlist is pretty similar to what 2CH was playing on 1170.
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We forgot FUN Superdigi Classic Hits.
Easy to forget…
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Well even BOG forget about their digital stations quite often
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Magic 1278 has thrown off the gods waiting room shackles with its latest format. I actually can’t see ACE doing a back flip on it, if anything they will more than likely start adding 90’s hits. ACE need to target their market with calculated marketing, that is the challenge.
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Or Magic 1278 may join the Heritage AM Network across Victoria.
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Not a chance of it.