-
5DN’s disastrous switch from AM to FM. Dumping a top-rating talk format in favour of a dismal rating music format. Even given that an FM licence was seen as ratings gold everywhere else, “Radio 102FM” loitered around the bottom of the ratings ladder… and handed the talkback audience on a platter to 5AA. A re-launch of Radio 102FM as “X102” wasn’t much better. AFAIK things didn’t really pick up until 5AD bought the station and converted 5AD to FM 102.3 and launched a new station on its former 1323 spot.
-
3AK’s numerous format relaunches after the disastrous format changes of 1986. There were easy listening formats with a little talk, easy listening formats with a lot of talk. Then the Italians took it over but still had to honour 3AK’s AFL football broadcasts on weekends, even though the rest of the station was in Italian. Then Southern Cross Broadcasting bought it and re-launched it as a revival of Beautiful Music. Also a disaster. Then the failed lifestyle/talk/music formats that followed with management and line-ups that changed with the weather. Then it moved up the dial and tried to take on 3AW with “Talk 1116 3AK” which was a good listen IMO even though keeping up with the constantly changing line-up was a challenge. Then SEN came along and it’s been SEN ever since.
-
3EE’s launch in 1992 as “The Breeze” as the replacement for 3XY. A jazz and easy listening format with talkback and AFL thrown in. Launching at 693 AM it tried to be like 3LO with ads, 3MP with talk, or 3AW with music. It failed to sway listeners from any of those stations. Ratings sat at zeros and ones until Wesgo bought it out and turned it into a simulcast of 3MP. Then the ABA stepped in and dictated that 693 be split off to be a separate program to 3MP, and Magic 693 was born. which ultimately cannibalised 3MP’s ratings!
4 Likes