I’d say Triple M brekkie was saved given the markets already lost localism when they lost their heritage station IDs.
Losing local talent on regional M’s would be the final nail in the coffin.
In saying that, it doesn’t mean the same won’t happen for the M’s in the coming months.
Sadly, it looks like everybody at SCA has a target on their back.
Thanks for the info. It’s a bit farcical really in that case. Why bother having that rule at all?
Some good points there. I like your idea that the Albury show should have gone to Wagga and Griffith etc. Expanding the local area would have been a better option in some cases.
Similarly in Qld it would have been better to have a North Queensland breakfast for Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, My Isa. They could have gotten away with that and had it still seem local enough. North Queensland is a fairly cohesive region.
In Southern Queensland a show based out of Toowoomba, Maryborough or even Rockhampton would work in a similar way.
Agree that localism in the traditional sense is probably not as important on the Hit network and the younger audience do think broader but I think an expanded regional view would have been a good compromise.
The Triple M rebadging of 3SEA Warragul makes even more sense now.
Very good point. I’d actually thought that when preparing my response but neglected to included it.
I’d expect that would be the case.
No support staff/producers for the shows that have been cut.
Probably not. Triple M has local mornings in most of these markets too. The studios are already there. SCA even installed 2 studios in Bundy so they’d still keep 2 studios even if they were supporting one stations.
Except they’ve already announced the teams that will be continuing on. If anything I’d expect that those teams might pick up a producer now.
For what it’s worth I think you’re otherwise on the money. I have a hunch that they’re shooting themselves in the foot here - either in the short or long term.
On one hand, if audiences are indeed parochial then there’ll be an immediate drop-off. Most markets are an SCA duopoly, so they won’t immediately lose out of this: others have some competition, either from Grants, Ace or Caralis but the demos barely (if at all) align. It makes perfect sense, then, that there aren’t any changes in Townsville, Newcastle or on the Gold and Central Coasts.
Cairns and Mackay will be markets to watch - Grants could indeed run the local angle hard now. Perhaps their proximity to Townsville might be enough to get away with as ‘locally relevant’? Outside of those markets, it’s a free kick to any well-run community station to pick up the slack.
On the other hand, if the research is saying audiences aren’t turning to radio for locally relevant content, radio ceases to have any meaning. Without the market changing I can see Triple M following suit in 12-18 months time, but that then begs the question: why not network from the capital cities?
If it works for SCA in the short term, then commercial radio especially will lose out to Spotify (or whatever else comes along) within the next 10-15 years.
The shit split of the local markets represents exactly what is wrong with SCA.
Couldn’t we argue that we are already seeing this with what SCA have announced today?
Sad day for regional radio and regional media in general, after today’s news that The Border Watch newspaper in Mount Gambier is closing after 159 years.
Good point. Victorian breakfast needs to be produced and broadcast from Victoria.
Did I read right that HIT104.7 breakfast was also impacted by these changes? Or are Ned & Josh safe?
They’re safe
Shame. The idea of a local radio station is to the serve the area to which they are licensed. Not act as a relay for another station.
The sooner SCA dies in the arse the better. i know other media outlets are up shit creek, but SCA have done this for way too long, even before COVID.
Stations should be live and local 6am-6pm weekdays and 6-9am weekends (or combinations thereof, allowing to take shows like Hadley and Mitchell) as a bare minimum. If you can’t be bothered to do that, fuck off. Give the spectrum back.
I fully agree. And love your way with words 
Some really salient and interesting reader comments to the Radio Today article.
I agree, most of them are worth a read
While I was partly expecting this to happen, it’s good that Hit 104.7 will retain a local breakfast show despite the cutbacks being made elsewhere.
Elsewhere within 104.7?
It’s a JV, so not in the same sphere of consequences.
Heard Pat Benetar’s “Love Is A Battlefield” (1983) on regional Hit today.
Must be just about the oldest song on their playlist?
Obviously due to the regional Triple Ms going for a rock playlist.
now i have read on here somewhere the idea that when the new breakfast show on Regional HIT stations give a call out to ring, over the next few weeks just ask for the local breaky team back. Might not do anything to change their minds, but it might be a pain enough for them to at least know that most regional people are not happy with the idea of losing local radio people. Its just a a thought for a small protest. Keep it nice and politely ask for the old show.