Nova Network

No, but the designers of Nova’s 2021 TVC might very well be fans of Nikki Webster.

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When Nova Boy first appeared in 2001, I thought he was the kinda guy that would be able to tell you where you could find a pill in a nightclub.

Now he’s an annoying toy whose batteries you hope go flat.

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Funny, that’s only 5 years off the demographic that Vega was aiming for

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If they had chosen a new hit which has been added to the playlist it could have been Black Hole by Griff. The lyrics are completely suitable to describe Nova in 2021.

There’s a big black hole where my heart used to be.
And I’ve tried my best to fill it up with things I don’t need.

Very Nova 2021. :stuck_out_tongue:

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Who knew Nova Boy’s name was Joel!

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Given all the comments on Nova…here’s a ratings history for Nova 100. For those enjoy the ABC v Murdoch war, there is a clear change in ratings from when Lachlan Murdoch bought in, the format was changed and the never more than 2 ads approach dropped…

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Interesting to note PJ mentioned Brisbane saw Nova have some of its best ever numbers last year:

In terms of share, gosh it’s tight. The last five, six surveys we’ve probably delivered some of our best ever numbers and we’ve been consistently number one with the breakfast in ten plus. But having said that, a lot of good shows and competition, we take nothing for granted and you know it’s going to be tight

Not sure what numbers he is referring to as Nova 106.9 was rating in the 17s and 18s back in 2006-08 when the music was vastly different to what it is today.

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Nova during its Sounds Different days were perfect. I even remember what was playing weeks leading up to that first song… bird sounds!

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Nova 106.9 ad

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Turn Up the Feel Good Nova or you can just listen to Smooth Your Feel Good Station or Get That Feeling with 2Day FM. It’s all about the feels.

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Apparently listeners need to be talked off the bridge everyday, I would too if I listened to commercial radio.

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Irony is that I’m pretty sure playing the same music over and over has been used as a form of torture before, so also a reason to be on the bridge.

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And some great and really creative marketing back then too.

(below is a redubbed version of an original campaign)

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I remember when I was growing up Nova was the cool station in Sydney. Now it’s not only not cool, it’s daggy.

Here’s a out there suggestion for Nova. Over the past few days I’ve been listening a bit to Hit Dance and Triple M 90’s. Now I know they are two very different formats but I think they’d be onto a winner if they could combine the two to an extent.

They could still play some of the newer songs in this format but outside of that you’d have a whole playlist of songs you never hear on the Radio these days. Be risky and actually Sound Different instead of the same boring safe choices all the day.

I don’t see the point in copying 2DAY as 2DAY’s playlist is nowhere near as narrow as Novas anyway. Be bold and and make a statement.

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The problem is their playlist is mostly gutless.

They didn’t add Peaches by Justin Bieber until a week after it hit number one in Australia and around the world. Were they being sensitive about the lyrics? They’ve played worse before. It’s a safe radio edit they’re playing now anyway.

In contrast, the safer (more mumsy) station 2Day was playing Astronaut in the Ocean by Masked Wolf. :open_mouth: An Australian who is top 5 in Australia and top 20 around the world.

To be fair though. I just heard Montero Call Me By Your Name bi Lil Nas X on Nova this afternoon. It has been number one around the world and is number two on the chart here so they too their time.

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There’s certainly room to play a wider variety of throwbacks than the same old stuff you’d find on a generic 90s compilation. I heard Smooth FM play “Return Of The Mack” the other day. Surely that would be more suited to Nova…

I think they should revisit their playlists from when they started and incorporate some of those tracks.

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I really don’t think 00s, 90s or older is the answer to the problem. They are already playing too much of that now.

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Could it be that maybe the MD needs to go? Sounds like they just refuse to listen to the listeners (and the on air talent who even make fun of the music)

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It’s really ironic when you consider Nova had the better playlist and better targeted the under 40s when it launched in the early 2000s and back then it was the competition that was stale and boring. Now it’s the opposite. Having said that, they are targeting a different audience and Smooth FM is doing very well, so together they are both a strong proposition to advertisers. This is why I don’t think they will make significant changes to its music offering at Nova.

Meanwhile the digital offerings from SCA have great playlists: Dance, Urban, Oldskool, MMM90s, Classic Rock, Easy 80s, are playing some great songs. Likewise ARN with their 90s and 80s offerings. In fairness Nova Noughties and Throwbacks are are not bad stations in terms of their playlist and Smooth Relax and Coles radio play some great music and are very good stations.

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I think there in lies the problem, as you’ve just listed, that’s 10 radio stations with better playlists, more than half of which are DAB / online stations.

Nova, the flagship brand, is weaker on the music front - and that’s why people are so frustrated.

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