Just thought I’d post a timeline of the changes on Drive at Nova since 2009.
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According to news.com.au, the announcement of Kate Ritchie joining the Fitzy & Wippa show will be tomorrow.
Drive done, and only Breakfast to go.
I guess
Young show no way, Nova is more interested in skewing older as their core audience is now 25-54 year old women. They are no longer a station that targets 18-39 year olds. Cada and Triple J target those demographics.
Whether the show continues past 2023 also will depend on how long Fitzy & Wippa are contracted to the network, and who decides to end the show, that is my guess… Also does Nova have someone to replace them or will they be forced to network Ben & Liam from Melbourne into Sydney.
The ratings surveys this year will make interesting reading,
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Has the Chrissie Swan show attracted an audience
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Will there be a backlash of Sarah leaving F&W and if so what impact that will have on the ratings
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Changes of Breakfast shows in Adelaide and Melbourne
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Rickie Lee replacing Kate Ritchie in drive.
All of this will play out in survey 1 on Thursday March 16, and Survey 2 on Thursday 20th April.
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Even though I suppose this news has been known for a while, I still think Kate is a big loss from the Drive program. Her infectious personality and banter with her co-hosts will be sorely missed and hopefully she’ll fit in seamlessly with Fitzy and Wippa. I suppose the most important question is, will Quick Draw follow her to breakfast? 
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Well, no. They have been playing it every week since she left six months ago. In fact, they played it today: Ricki-Lee vs guest star Adam Lambert.
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That was done in 2018 according to the article, I did hear them mentioning contract renegotiations on air towards the end of last year.
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I assume Chrissie’s show was seeing out a contract, Kate’s may be as well and who knows about F&W. I am suspect about how long Nova want to keep Chrissie and Kate around for.
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I’d love to see Kate anchoring a 7pm panel/public affairs show on 7, with Dr Chris Brown, when he moves across to 7.
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Nova is about the make their “Big Announcement “
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Now Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie.
Joining the show permanently from 8am this morning.
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That would be a fantastic idea; a good title would be “Seven at 7” or something. Can’t see the “Today Tonight” brand being revived.
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So both the rumors are true. Kate joining the Lads for Breakfast and Ricki Lee joining the larrikins fof the drive show.
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Tuning into F&W for the first time. Quite a long time listener of Kate, Tim & Joel - but wow the Sydney Breakfast show is dull.
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Already lots of negative comments on their Facebook page.
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Belle Jackson was in the studio audience for The Project last night.
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I find it odd that Nova96.9 chooses to make these changes at this time of the year.
Why not start the year fresh with a new line-up & “hit the ground running”.
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Yeah very odd. Thought those two will start next week starting from Monday.
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Aren’t the ratings due out soon? Maybe all the publicity might give them a boost for Survey 1.
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Thursday 16th March is when survey 1 comes out.
Survey 2 will be the full impact.
Read the comments on the Fitzy & Wippa Facebook page, very negative.
I think this will be the opposite and will hurt them badly in upcoming surveys.
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