I think Easy Music is too close to the classic hits as a format. As 2UE do play some upbeat pop and isn’t as easy as 2CH was. I think Ace could consider replicating the Rebel format. I know Classic Rock was tried before, but Rebel really has taken it to the next level rather than what “Vega” did where the classic rock was almost just like WSFM/Triple M. Rebel is really different and the old rockers may just the format and it can really different compared to “easy” music with some pop music (essentially like 2UE not sure they share the same playlist as 3MP) . I know its on the AM Band but these days there is DAB and online.
Yes agree. 3MP and Magic are too close when there is only a limited audience pool that’s mostly shared between the two. They kind of need to merge the easy music/classic hits like they’ve done on 4BH and run that on 4BH/2CH/3MP and do something more adventurous with Magic like a Rebel format. That could attract listeners from Triple M and Gold rather than canibalise the 3MP audience.
Hmm not sure I agree. They’ve copied elements of 4KQ but it’s definitely not a carbon copy. The overall sound of the station is quite different. A bit softer, like 4BH has always been.
Or Else, join the Heritage AM Network across Regional Victoria, Imagine Magic networking in the Afternoons with 3YB, 3CS, 3HA, 3WM, Gold 1242, 3SH, 2AY, 3NE & 2QN???
It’s a shame Magic 1278 isn’t rating better. The music is good and the station is pleasant to listen to. I suppose there is no accounting for taste good or bad as the large audience for Channels 7 and 9 News every night proves.
Absolutely agree! The brand is probably turning potential listeners away because of what it was, rather than what it is now. They should have gone with something like The Sound or just Classic Hits 1278
I don’t think it’s the music that is the problem, it is that the personalities aren’t cutting through in a highly-competitive market. They need to rejig their line-up and promote the station as much possible. Yes, it will cost money, but Sydney and Melbourne are up there with the most competitive radio markets in the world. Grubby and Dee Dee, or Bridg and Lehmo in breakfast, may help them. Or another high-profile breakfast team.
Melbourne is also one of the hardest markets due to the AFL obsession of the city.
Smooth have shown that getting the line-up right with well-known presenters, with good music, can work, and if Magic follows this formula, it too can gain listeners and market share. They’ve got the music right, it’s just the line-up and marketing/promotions that they need to work on. 3MP also has good music, however the AM signal is poor throughout most of Melbourne, despite it being on DAB, which doesn’t help.
Yea, I also don’t think they’ve just carbon copied 4KQ. While 4BH is pretty good (certainly sounds better than when 9 Radio were operating it), there’s still some things that 4KQ had like the daily themed segments (e.g. Classic 9@9) that made it sound a little more ‘alive’ and with a ‘cheeky personality’ (hard to pick the right words to describe what I’m trying to say).
The 4KQ announcers were probably also on air a touch more than the current 4BH announcers are and had a little more to say (although I’ll give credit that at least when I listen, I’ve noticed that even the interstate announcers on 4BH at least pronounce the suburbs right when referencing them, so that level of detail has been done well).
With the increased ratings for 4BH, that hopefully should bring in increased advertising and therefore increased dollars, so maybe in the future they’ll be able to invest in more purely local announcers who can be live and staff to work on some of those more time consuming to put together type of music segments like the Classic 9@9 was etc. (if they want to). The recent ratings news has got to be the start (or maybe a continuation) of a positive feedback loop I’d think.
Yes I agree with all that. The thing with 4KQ and the announcers there was always a bit of a sense of the unexpected in what they would say or play. That’s a bit lacking with 4BH at this stage and it does feel a little less ‘alive’.
