I’ve heard her on Coles Radio also
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Along with some of the ACE regional stations. Pretty sure have heard on 2QN afternoons
I have to agree. Smooth FM is a shadow of its former self. It still sounds good but it’s so much less original and adventurous these days.
It’s a shame they decided to evolve it from a proper Soft AC station. Soft AC stations in the US don’t seem to have suffered the same fate and have remained as they were for the most part - I’m thinking Lite FM in Chicago and Easy 93 in Miami. Both still playing a lot of softer songs from Air Supply and Bonnie Rait (eg I Can’t Make You Love Me) along with the more up tempo 80s. Even the odd softer Beatles track. But Smooth has abandoned most of these type of songs. It’s a pity.
CHFI in Toronto has gone the same way though over the years and has gradually transitioned from Soft AC to AC to almost Hot AC.
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That’s exactly why smooth changed. They don’t want those stations to do better.
Karen lives in Beechworth and works remotely on a contract basis. She’s worked with 3NE/2QN since before ACE bought them. She also used to (still might?) write the script for Cameron Daddo’s show and of course being a regular fill in on Smooth and Coles Radio.
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Exactly why I detest Smooth ‘writing the script for Cameron Daddo’s show’. Seriously makes my skin crawl listening to the announcers on Smooth and their fake dialogue.
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I agree. I really like Smooth, its my station of choice, but the announces and the ‘fakeness’ of it is way too much.
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I agree. I don’t know why they feel the need to make it sound so fake and scripted. They might as well not bother with announcers if they are that robotic.
Smooth in the UK doesn’t sound that bad. They may use voice tracking for some shifts too but it doesn’t sound as bad and cringey.
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I also strongly agree and have commented around this theme before. To me, Smooth are mostly devoid of any real feeling or emotion. Its muzak interspersed mostly by Ai announcing bots … a bit like “Hal” the computer who took over in that classic movie 2001 A Space Odyssey. Anyway in Sydney my little battler Easy Music 2UE keeps nibbling away and building…
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Hearing the localised traffic, news and weather for Perth this morning. Assume started yesterday. No ‘breakfast announcer’ yet.
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They start Monday
And if you turn up smoothfm’s Feel Good, you end up listening to sister station Nova.
Then after a while, you’ll get THAT Hit feeling.
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Yes same in Brisbane this morning.
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I read somewhere that the local breakfast shows start Monday.
That’s Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
Saw some pics on Instagram of Nick Michaels and Melissa Doyle at the Brisbane launch…not seen anything from Adelaide or Perth…yet…
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I’m hearing this today too. Also Melissa Doyle and Richard Wilkins sounding local. Looks like the programmers at Nova Entertainment have done this right. Who is programming Smooth FM now?
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A lot of changes since PJ left.
smooth more local and Nova’s playlist expanding.
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When they have local news is it with the same reader as Nova?
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One thing they should remove is the pre-roll ads or at least have them less frequently. They are the most annoying ads they have. Especially when you tune in to listen to the news and miss the start. There is no need for such ads it’s just pure greed.
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They are sought after ads - because the listener is highly engaged as they’ve just activated the stream. Not sure about no need, when they are now a pretty pivotal revenue stream for stations.
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Not to mention they’re an opportunity to hit you with localised ad content too
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If Smooth is going to a Feel Good positioner, then Nova need to change their positioner to something like Non Stop Hit Music.
I still think they are continuing to following the PJ programming playbook for both stations.
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