It’s part of the reason why I hardly listen to 2GO from the Central Coast (or most regional commercial stations for that matter) these days. If you look at the recent Central Coast radio ratings that was released last month, 2GO got massively flogged by Star 104.5 in the overall ratings by 5.6% & was also beaten quite significantly in the targeted 40-54 age group by 6.2%, which was once 2GO’s strongest demographic. However, in Hobart, Triple M improved quite significantly from last year (when it was Heart 107.3), in which they went up 3%, placing themselves less than 1% behind 7HO & won the 40-54 demographic by quite a margin.
As for the change in the music format for its “Greatest Hits from the 70s to Now” stations that you’ve observed, from what I gather on Online Radio Box (comparing the Albury station with Gold FM) & RadioApp, it would appear that they have switched over to the “Greatest Hits from the 80s, 90s & Now” log. The stations that carry the “Classic Hits” format obviously remained unchanged.
With all their “bigger” Triple M / Localworks stations getting smashed in ratings (bar Newcastle), they have started to tinker with the format from what I’ve heard. Gold FM now seems like a carbon copy of what Star FM are doing on the Central Coast, and I guess that is being filtered down to their other stations. Everything from the music, the jingles, the talk breaks and even saying “Feel Good” looks like it’s being replicated.
It’s quite sad really as they are going for a “one size fits all” approach, and while Hobart’s Triple M may work doing X format, 2GO’s ratings will suffer because of their local conditions. They’ll never get them all right.
The problem is my friends, is some of the very narrow minded programmers and researchers that we have in this country. They only think Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast only exist.
Yep, I’m sure that given the opportunity there’s any number of talented individuals in the industry willing and able to program a couple of stations to fit their specific market. But in this era of fully networked media there just seems so little appetite from above for it
Pity really, as it would be listeners in these regional areas that would benefit most if the mindset changed…
Interestingly, I’ve noticed this morning via RadioApp that those stations have returned to the ‘70s-Now’ log, and that the ‘80s, 90s & Now’ log that they were running last week, as well as yesterday, was just temporary. Perhaps the Music Director that takes care of the ‘70s-Now’ log was away up until & including yesterday?
It’s like with KO in Newcastle, in which they normally take its own log, but takes the Gold Coast log when its Music Director is away.
Hot Tomato on the Gold Coast is a good example of how a locally programmed radio station can perform against the capital city same same that is usually dished up in regional areas…
The power of a good local station is hard to beat. In the age of the internet - local is a real point of differencce.
Now back to the music that was chosen a Melbournian and the staton promo that was
written and produced by a Sydneysider.
nothing to see here folks, it was Oztober and everyone was on the Gold Coast 80s to Now for the month. Classic Hits still ran their own from what I understand.
As @nzwarrior51wrote, they could produce logs for their own market. Not many years ago, each market had an MD.
Another Regional Rhys cost cut that hasn’t been addressed by new management.
They format is Mickey and Corey’s answer to what they think will improve Gold’s fortunes at the expense of Hot Tomato. Gold is very much like programming ch 10, the ship has sailed, they bungled their audience. Younger audience is off to Hot Tomato and older audience to 94.1. Both stations picked up respective share of the playlist that Gold discarded over the last two years.
That’s pretty much nearly commercial media in this country. Radio and TV. It’s a poor attitude fuelled only by the desire to squeeze every last drop from a dying industry, killed by its own ineptitude.
A good local station should serve the people that it is licensed to serve to the fullest extent - not being a glorified relay of MMM or 2Day or Fox. If not, they should be made to turn over the license. The spectrum can be used for other services and to be honest, there will come a time when their relevance and reason for existing will be questioned. And if that means SCA has to die off, so be it.
I like the SCA stations from a content and production point of view. Whether is Orange or the Gold Coast is sounds and feels professional, not half baked like Ace or Grant.
SCA has a major problem with not giving stations enough breathing room to seriously cater for their respective markets. The fact that Newcastle can’t take a higher ratio of rock is hurting KO, The sane as not being able to cater individually for Hobart.
But the music is repetitive and boring, I hear more new stuff on KO than 80’s.
The music should be locally logged from an I diviual playlist, those who like the Gold Coast log can stay with it if they wish.
October garage session last night, did anyone go? I know AJ, Bridge & Spida and Tanya & Steve we’re there so I wonder who hosted the event.
And are they broadcasting from Honeysuckle this morning?
And they do sound fine. I quite like Oldskool as a digital station. I can’t tell any difference between Ace, Grant or other stations to be honest. But there are areas where they are lacking.
Music should be left up to each station to work out what works for their particular audience, maybe with some national guidance, but largely left up to that station.
The branding is also sort of suss, as mentioned earlier. Local programming needs to be beefed up too, but it isn’t a SCA-only issue to be fair (see Super Radio Network).
I won’t be shedding any tears when SCA is sold off, broken up or closed down. I want my radio to reflect where I live - not where the management lives. I live in Sydney - when I go to Newcastle or Scone, I don’t want to be reminded of that. Sydney is a shit hole with rather shitty stations (along with other shitty things). At least Grant has done something different with 2NM.
