“This is the most significant change since Nova (969) launched on April 1, 2001,” says dmg’s Group Program Director, Dean Buchanan of his flagship station’s new breakfast team comprising Scott Dooley and Ricki-Lee Coulter alongside the original member, Merrick Watts. “The new breakfast show,” according to Buchanan “will spearhead a complete regeneration for Nova.” Big call! Like many programming decisions of late at dmg, this one will immediately reap dividends by putting dollars back on the bottom line as the talent bill for the new show will no doubt be less than for the one it replaces. Does that mean that dmg is being cheap, clever or just realistic?
Let’s face it, dmg has not had a good trot with high profile and high cost talent, particularly on the vega brand. Wendy Harmer, Angela Catterns, Mikey Robins, Dicko have all failed to translate the popularity earned from other stations and other media into ticks in vega boxes in Nielsen diaries.
Austereo too has had its share of failures in this regard. Notably, the big name Roy & HG franchise has so far delivered only small ratings to Triple M. The jury is still out on arguably their biggest name signing this year inEddie MacGuire.
Without hearing the Nova’s new show (and assuming it will be good) is dmg’s strategy the right one? For years conventional radio wisdom suggested that it was better to buy in talent that was already well know by listeners than risk testing the unknown. Are times now a changin’?
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I think you'd find that most people under 30 know Dools from the J's wouldn't they? And everyone knows Ricki-Lee. I don't think it's a 'cheap' programming decision at all, it's just on demo and on brand, it's good.
DMG have got to do everything possible to make "cheap" radio. one PD now for both sydney and melb Vegas, no breakfast show in syd and the same in melb as soon as Dicko's contract expires next year. Compare Austereo's $41.4 million profit with DMG's $7 mill. somethings not working for them somewhere. They're both playing the same game right?
It's hard to condemn a show like this before its started. Sure it's a
shock to see for the first time, but when you dig a little deeper, it
makes perfect sense. Merrick is the anchor of the whole show, and you
don't want to add another career comedian because that would
completely throw off his timing and jokes.
Nova and Triple J target
the same demo (different markets I understand), so stealing an
announcer from them is not a total surprise. Dools is an extremely
popular DJ with a moderate background - makes sense to use him to try
and steal JJJ listeners...try being the operative word. And I think
Ricki-Lee has stepped out of the reality TV shadow to establish
herself as a personality in her own right. She has definitely improved
her hosting skills over the last few years, and what a great way for
her to bump up her middle-of-the-road recording career.
When you take
a second look at this line-up, it's actually a power stable. I just
hope it all comes together for them when they turn the mikes on.
A quick glance around the blogosphere and you will see nothing but horrified comments from Dools fans to M&R fans all saying the same thing: They can't believe their beloved stars have been paired with Ricky-Lee. The responses are pretty harsh and most predict the demise of the show within weeks, which to be fair would be premature I would imagine it would be after a disastrous first ratings result, or if there is no up-tick by the second ratings period.
The majority of complaints are that Ricky-Lee's 15 minutes of fame have well and truly expired. There is also the usual JJJ backlash over a presenter “selling out” to go to commercial.
My biggest problem is that Nova claims to sound different, how exactly do they plan to do this when they keep hiring ex-reality show contestants – it’s not exactly a “fresh” idea. It is in fact regional radio where ex-television people go to continue their careers, not Australia’s biggest radio market.
An collection of the reaction thus far -
From Twitter:
@mlelempsis - New Nova 96.9 breakfast show been officially ruined! Ricky-Lee is joining with Merrick & Scott Dooley! Couldn't they find anyone else!
1 day ago from web
@annalissee - Wow okay, Dools to Nova. With Ricky Lee. Not tuning in. Sorry.
From Mumbrella:
Paul (Comment #7) - Sounds like Dools is having the same effect Angela Catterns did when she left ABC702 to go to Vega. Listeners called in and said they were going to miss her – this should ring potential alarm bells at DMG. If listeners are stating they are going to miss someone, then it’s a sure fire sign that they won’t follow them to their new station. Couple this with the break up of a strong breakfast team, Nova Sydney could be in for a struggle for the first 6-9 months of next year."
If the alarm bells were not ringing they should be now.
From Daily Telegraph:
“Always listened to Nova in the mornings and thought that I would listen to Merrick next year. But Ricki-Lee! I doubt it. Having witnessed boorish behaviour by her previously I think Nova have scraped the bottom of the barrel. One way to save money I suppose. Simply cannot listen to them anymore. Still I'm only one person and they're not gonna care if I listen or not.”