For me, that would be a great format. However the challenge is that a format of new and old music wasn’t hugely successful when 3MMM last tried “Real Music Variety” or “You’ll never know what we’ll play next” (which I think had more variety, but they could be selective memory). Vega91.5 tried the same concept and failed. I think the last successful station was probably 3KZ/KZFM (til it fell off a cliff big time and was reborn as Gold104).
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Greatest hits on digital doesn’t play any current or new music.
Yes it’s ashame. I would just love a comercial station that I could switch on and leave on leave like an iPod. Get my fix of current music without being flogged every 2 hours, variety of music from all era’s and not just flogged stuff. Some good announcers that are passionate about there music. Sounds like a no brainer in theary.
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It’s been tried time and time again and it’s failed every time. The closest is Smooth, Gold or potentially KIIS (depending on what you classify as ‘older’).
Even Hits ‘n’ Old Skool wasn’t particularly popular. Maybe 2DAY FM’s current format. If you’re taking exclusively rock, I just don’t think there’s a market for it - as shown by MMMs failed attempts at it, not to mention that MMM is a niche demo to begin with.
But Modern Digital Does, From Indie to Alternative without the Bubblegum Crap.
Failed every time? I don’t think so! FM104 had that format - broad classic rock and select new music - for the entire 1980s and dominated the ratings for the decade. Think 30%+ at times. Even when B105 took over they dominated for years with an AC/Hot AC format, playing newer music but still including plenty of hits from the previous 10+ years. Even 4KQ topped the ratings as an AM station with Greatest Memories & Latest Hits.
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Bur wasn’t FM104 the only commercial FM station in Brisbane in the 80s? Not exactly a fair comparison. Surely as the number of commercial FM stations has increased (be it Brisbane or Melbourne), the ability to run a Hits & Memories format is harder. More stations = more niche positioning…which means on digital, the hits & memories niche should be viable, but without local news and sport (which is the challenge).
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Classic Rock Radio has more a 70s focus and from my limited listening, a smaller play list. Definitely no new music and no announcers. If it were included in the ratings, I wouldn’t be surprised to see sister station Aussie do better. Aussie is probably the closest to having a greater variety of music - albeit only Australian.
Agree with you there, I suppose the only thing Classic Rock has going for it is its AM signal. Although they do have news during breakfast and drive and I think a fishing shoe on Saturday morning.
The variety on Aussie is something. From Taman Shud, Easybeats, Rouge Traders, You Am I etc, very broad but could include some more recent content. Not much in the easy listening category.
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It’s not the 80s and won’t be ever again. The radio landscape was entirely different in the 80s to what it is now.
Making programming decisions based on what rated and worked over 30 years ago (when it was even possible for an FM station to get a 30+% share!!) should get you fired in 2018. You certainly wouldn’t last long if your contravt was tied to station performance…
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Hot Tomatoe doe it well and rate well on the Gold Coast.
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I remember in the 80s when 2SM played “10 Hot Hits in a Row” at the top of every hour. It was 50 minutes ad-free - sort of like what 2DayFM is offering now.
I also remember 2JJJ offering a top 100 countdown on Australia Day - sort of what 2MMM offers today.
I also remember 2SM using the slogan “More Music” - just like the one 2DayFM used today
And 2UW using the slogan “. Better Music and More Of It” - hello WSFM
The 80s is alive and well on Sydney radio in 2018!
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Oh please. It’s not that different. For example FM104 had as many competing music stations as there are today. Sure they were on AM but what people don’t remember from the 80s is that FM took a few years to take hold in most cities with AM music stations holding their own at least in the first half of the decade. Let’s compare.
Commercial music stations in Brisbane in 1985
Radio 10 - Top 40
4BK - middle of the road/new and older hits
4KQ - classic hits/oldies
4BH - easy listening
FM104 - Classic /new rock/some top 40
Today
Triple M
Hit105
97.3
Nova
4KQ - worth noting this AM station is currently out-rating the once mighty FM104
I actually count the SAME number of commercial music stations as 30 years ago! And literally double the population.
A few extra niche community stations and JJJ but the landscape hasn’t changed much at all.
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True mate…I was hoping Edge FM was going to go with the Hot Tomato path instead of the 97.3 FM/Mix path.
Yep, we can only hope.
Radio landscape does not mean the number of commercial stations in a market.
Audience demographics, generational differences, listener habits and listener numbers, alternatives to radio for not just music but entertainment in general, the fact that FM is no longer ‘new and exciting,’ advancements in technology for car listening etc etc.
It’s entirely different to the 80s. Suggesting it’s basically the same because there’s the same number of stations is why you don’t have a job as a radio programmer.
Personally, I thought Vega was a great station. Australia didn’t.
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Different market with different needs, different demographics, and a narrower appeal.
Just curious on your age bracket amc_556 and if you were in fact around in the 80s?
I just don’t believe it’s as different as you’re making out.
And because I have that opinion you’re saying it’s “why I don’t have a job as a radio programmer”? What a bizarre remark… I take it you are in fact a radio programmer?
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Different demographics? Really? Actually the demographics in the 5 mainland capitals and the 6th largest city in Australia, the Gold Coast, are almost identical. Adelaide skews a bit older but really the differences are only marginal. I think you throw around the word demographics without really understanding it.
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It is very different, just as programming TV is very different to 30 years ago for similar reasons.
Were it the same, there’s no reason Vega shouldn’t have gotten a 30% share of the radio listening market. They didn’t. There’s no reason hits n old skool shouldnt get 30+% share in the survey. They didn’t. You can’t get 30% share as a metro radio station. At a very basic level, listeners are much more discerning and have many more options than 30 years ago. I’m not a radio programmer but I’m not so naive as to think that nothing has changed in 30 years.
Personal Computers and the Internet didn’t exist (really) in the 80s. You seriously trying to tell me a population that is glued to their mobile phones have exactly the same listening and entertainment habits as 30 years ago?
The same will be true for the year 2048. If radio and it’s programming doesn’t adapt it will die. I’m sure in 2048 when cars drive themselves, robots rule the world and radio no longer exists, someone will be arguing with me that it ‘hasn’t changed that much’ since 2018…
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