I have long argued that Newcastle radio suffers from the commercial duopoly of NXFM / KOFM (one parent), and 2HD / NEWFM (one parent). To make matters worse half of the duopoly is totally ineffective and barely competes for audience or advertising share.

The result is NXFM and KOFM run away with the ratings and the bulk of the money and can afford to charge high advertising rates, while 2HD / NEWFM take what they can get.

Even worse, listeners really are left with very little quality to choose from. Lack of competition results in lack of innovation, little talent development and a general laziness. Its the same in any industry.

Steve and Kim on NXFM have been doing basically the same show for over a decade. David and Tanya have been working together for 20 years now and have done the breakfast shift on KOFM for over a decade. They’re all good people, but that is hardly an environment for innovation and excitement. Honestly, its a credit to them that they can continue to wake up early and put a show on after so long with so little competition.

Meanwhile the playlists between NEWFM & KOFM are interchangeable and half of NXFM’s music fits well with those two as well. How much 80′s rewind can we withstand?

I fear the problem is only getting worse after seeing the latest radio ratings for Newcastle. NXFM (20.8 share) has leapt out to a massive lead over stablemate KOFM (17.1), while 2HD has hit new lows (11.9) and NEWFM has dropped back down again (7.6). The disparity is alarming and bad for Newcastle.

The real problem is the lack of competitiveness by Sandgate stablemates NEWFM / 2HD. Why do KOFM / NXFM have to try any harder when they are leading by so far?

Guy Ashford was appointed by Bill Caralis as dual station manager of NEWFM / 2HD in mid 2008. At the time he announced they were about to build a new state-of-the-art radio facility. Three years later they are yet to break ground on the new studios.

In July 2008, after a modest ratings lift by NEWFM, Mr Ashford told the Newcastle Herald that NEWFM was about to “offer NXFM some serious competition” and that “within 24 months they’d be on a level playing field with NXFM.” Its now 3 years since those bold statements and NEWFM is basically in the same place it was then, whilst 2HD has dropped from 15.6 share to 11.5.

The NEWFM breakfast show is led by station program director Steve St John. He’s had a series of sidekicks on the show over the last 3 years and seems to have finally settle on Sarah Levett. The problem is that the show just doesn’t rate. Everyone in radio knows that Breakfast sets up the rest of the day and currently NEWFM Breakfast is the lowest rating show on the station. It makes it hard for the rest of the team to succeed when they are handed such a low audience from 9am.

The 2HD story is also grim. Breakfast has plummeted to new lows of just 10.6 with JJJ threatening to overtake soon. The John Laws program is the only shift left propping up any semblance of ratings. The cumulative audience has dropped to 85,000 for the week with more than half that audience over 55 years, 35,000 over 65 years.

In three years the gap has only widened and there seems to be no plan to fix the problems. Unfortunately its Newcastle radio listeners and advertisers who suffer.

If 2HD / NEWFM owner Bill Caralis cares at all about the quality of radio in Newcastle it time for him to do something. Please give the stations the resources and talent they need to perform or sell them to someone who will.

Survey #2 2011

Overall Share / Breakfast / Cumulative

2HD          11.5 / 10.6 / 85000

KOFM      17.1 / 16.8 / 148000

NEWFM  7.6 / 5.6 / 86000

NXFM      20.8 / 21.8 / 185000

ABC1233  12.4 / 15.2 / 93000

2JJJ          9.9 / 9.6 / 79000

Brand Newcastle was unveiled yesterday and now, just a day later, the usual sniping and cynicism has surfaced.

A read through The Herald comments today would not be a fun experience for the team who created the new logo at Peach Advertising or the civic leaders who commissioned the branding. But perhaps everyone should take a breath and look at the bigger picture here.

Branding is a very subjective exercise, everyone has an opinion (after its done) and rarely do you see a rush of positive feedback on a new logo. A few weeks ago Virgin Australia launched its new branding by one of the leading Australian designer Hans Hulsbosch. Immediately the advertising and design industry dissected the work with similar bitchiness to what we’re seeing today for Brand Newcastle. I remember Qantas receiving the same treatment for their recent brand revamp.

The point is that a design team is always on a hiding to nothing with these exercises and there will always be a critical audience ready to tear anything new like this down. There were plenty of critics of the Sydney Opera House when it was first announced but today it is possibly Australia most iconic symbol.

Whether you love it or hate it, I believe that Newcastle Council and Peach should be commended for their efforts in trying to put Newcastle back on the map. A brand or logo doesn’t solve every issue in town but its a starting point, a rallying call for some civic pride and an identity beyond the Hunter.

A brand is also something that is more accepted over time as people become more used to it. There are plenty of case studies of brands that weren’t universally loved upon launch but have become ubiquitous since.

Much of the complaint I have heard stems from the price tag of $88,000. The first thing to understand is that this wasn’t the fee for an artist to sketch out a colorful logo in a few minutes. Its part of a bigger picture to be used in many ways for a long time. By national and international standards $88,000 isn’t a big bill for professional branding. The process is much more involved than you might expect.

Would local residents prefer that we allocate $5000 for a brand to represent our city and to speak to the world? Are we that insecure about our place in the world that we don’t believe our city deserves a decent budget for our brand?

In a town where leaders are usually scared to make bold decisions due to the vocal minority, I hope that Newcastle City Council moves forward with the branding and makes strong statement. If this is going to be our brand, then embrace it and say it loud.

I think the new Newcastle logo should be installed in big letters on Dyke Point at Carrington facing back to the city. It’d be one of the first things cruise ships will see when they sail into Newcastle Harbour and be constantly visible from the Honeysuckle foreshore. In years to come it could be considered with Nobby’s Lighthouse as an iconic symbol of Newcastle.

Its time for Novocastrians to show the world that we are a proud and confident city. Let’s not be defined by our insecurities and petty gripes.

The social media community is fairly vibrant and well-established in the Newcastle area now. I think its about time to highlight the great writers, photographers, sights, scenes and ideas floating around the region and put them all in one easy place for everyone to find.

This photo is here for no other reason than its of a Newcastle beach

My team and I are putting together a side project to curate the best Hunter-based content.

That’s where you come in. We’re looking for people who’d like to contribute to a well-run online magazine for Newcastle and the Hunter. Its a chance for you to raise your profile, discuss burning issues, highlight the things you love and get some additional traffic and link-love along the way.

It’s a little bit Huffington Post (without heavy politics), a little bit Daily Candy, a little bit Digital Ministry (community contribution, not the geeky content), a little bit Gridskipper.

Topics should be of genuine interest to the greater community, not some niche tech / web / marketing subject (like this blog) …..although over time it might evolve enough to support niches.

Content should be original, not old material on your site being re-hashed. It should be your very best stuff. We won’t mind a bit of controversy, but it must be of acceptable quality and not abusive or defamatory.

Its an opportunity for you to publish the ideas, issues, debates etc that you wouldn’t normally include on your own site.

Its an opportunity to provide an alternative to traditional media coverage of the region and spark interesting discussions with the broader community.

Its an opportunity to promote events and artists who might struggle for mainstream coverage.

This project will launch in early January 2011. It’ll be modest to start with but should grow rapidly if we have good content.

So if you’re a blogger, video blogger or photographer, or you’d just like to see how you can get involved please put your hand up. Email helen@stickyads.com.au and she will compile a list of contributors and topics. Also chat with me at Newcastle Coffee mornings or at NewLunaticks.

The first Newcastle radio survey of 2010 has been a very good one for the ABC but costly for the commercial broadcasters.

AM talk station ABC1233 increased their Monday to Sunday share by 1.2% to claim third place overall, dislodging 2HD. Aaron Kearney’s breakfast program had the biggest gain, moving to second place with a gain of 2.3%. ABC1233′s weekend results were similarly impressive as they became the Hunter’s favourite Saturday / Sunday station with a gain of 3.9%, leaping past both NXFM and KOFM.

ABC’s national youth network, Triple J also had a great survey with a 2.4% gain overall to take it in front of  NEWFM.

The survey wasn’t a good one for Newcastle’s 4 commercial stations.

KOFM dropped 0.2% overall but lost 2 points in the crucial breakfast slot, losing their #2 position along the way.

NXFM retained their #1 position overall but dropped 4.3% in doing so. Likewise the NX breakfast had a big drop of 4.3%. In fact, NX had big drops in every slot, which must be of concern to station management.

2HD continued its long slide but the biggest issue is their breakfast show. Luke Grant was controversially sacked as 2HD breakfast announcer late last year and his replacement Brent Bultitude has seen the show fall further in the ratings to now be a distant 4th. SIDENOTE: Luke Grant is now on air in Melbourne at MTR as part of the biggest radio re-launch of 2010.

Longtime struggler NEWFM was the only commercial station to actually see gains, rising 1.5% overall and 0.9% in Breakfast. This will be encouraging for the station but the fact remains they are still a very distant 6th in this market and have a long way to go until they are competitive.

Its been a strange survey and the question seems to be: why are the commercial stations falling while ABC rises?

Source: Newcastle Nielsen Media Research

1 / 2010 Survey Results

Following several rumours that ex-2HD breakfast announcer Luke Grant was about to sign with another network and was leaving Newcastle, I contacted him for official word.

Luke confirmed that he has signed a contract with Macquarie Radio Network and starts work on Monday1 March 2010 in Melbourne. He will be working directly with Steve Price on assembling a commercial talk radio station, as reported elsewhere, in direct competition with long time market leader 3AW.

Luke cannot elaborate on any other details at this stage.

This statement just arrived via email  from Luke Grant dated 5 February 2010. I have spoken with Mr Grant to confirm that he was indeed the sender and wanted it published:

“Following what I consider my unfair dismissal from Radio 2HD after more than 4 successful years hosting the Luke Grant Show, an attempt for conciliation with Fair Work Australia to resolve my claim was yesterday unsuccessful.

Whilst I cannot reveal the details of the conciliation I can confirm that my nature is always to find compromise if possible.

I will now pursue my rights through a public hearing in the next couple of months where I will present witnesses who will help uncover the truth and clearly demonstrate the difficulties I found working in the environment of 2HD.

I strongly deny any suggestion by the management of 2HD that I have acted other than with professionalism and integrity in a high pressure role and plainly say I was effectively starved of support in my judgement.

I would again like to extend my gratitude to colleagues, listeners and advertisers of 2HD for their loyal support, encouragement and good wishes. Being dismissed a week before Christmas has made my circumstances very difficult and I will continue a strong and public campaign to be reinstated or compensated.”

No further comment will be made at this stage.

Former 2HD breakfast announcer has finally spoken publicly about his dismissal in today’s Newcastle Herald. Grant maintains that the main reason for his dismissal was apparently for not playing some commercials, something the station has repeatedly denied. Here is the full story from The Herald:

DUMPED 2HD breakfast host Luke Grant says he wants his job back, and he is willing to go to court to get back on air.

Grant left the AM station suddenly last month.

Early rumours suggested that the conflict with management, a plunge in ratings and Grant’s refusal to play commercials on air were to blame.

After receiving letters and phone calls of support, Grant spoke exclusively to The Herald yesterday.

It followed Saturday’s announcement of Brent Bultitude as the new morning host.

Grant said his former breakfast show had been slowly starved of resources in recent years as new management tried to resurrect struggling sister station NEW-FM.

He said he was dumped because he continually complained about the lack of promotion and assistance for what was once the number one station in Newcastle.

Further, Grant described his former station as “stale” and he said he was worried about its future because it was slowly dropping Hunter based content.

“We have not kept our sound fresh,” he said.

“It was the same commercials, the same ID, the same secret sound competition. We have stopped being the local voice for the community.”

Grant, who had a year left on his contract, said he was unceremoniously terminated ostensibly for not playing two commercials and doing one on-air read in December, despite a computer system glitch.

“In 41/2 years I’ve played over 100,000 commercials and they allege I missed three and I wasn’t given an opportunity to prove otherwise, he said.

“After 20 years as a commercial broadcaster why I wouldn’t I play an ad?”

Grant said he had a strong caser for unfair dismissal and was scheduled to enter conciliation next month.

He described the weeks since he went off air as “tough” and said he wanted to return to the station.
“I think I have a good connection with a pretty substantial audience, I think there’s more far more to do in the market,” he said.

Grant, who said he was the highest paid at the station, said his sacking was not about the money.

He said that by the end, he was doing his own production work right down to writing the quiz questions.

The Herald was unable to contact 2HD station manager Guy Ashford for comment.

Following on from December’s dismissal of 2HD breakfast announcer Luke Grant, we can now reveal that Brent Bultitude will be his replacement.

Several industry insiders suggested in comments to MediaHunter that Bultitude, the former afternoon announcer on 2HD, would move into the breakfast shift, and it seems they were correct.

Brent Bultitude has just joined Twitter as @2HDBreakfast and his one message so far is, “Doing the final prep for the first show! Join Brent on the airwaves from 6am on Monday!”

I have removed a post from this site dated 18 December after receiving a letter from solicitors representing 2HD/NEWFM. The post referred to the response of several advertisers to the dismissal of Luke Grant from radio station 2HD.

I received information from reliable sources regarding the content of this post, however the station strongly disputes the allegations. If further information comes to light about advertiser reaction to Luke Grant’s departure I will reconsider, but for now I believe the best thing is to remove the post.

Source: The Newcastle Herald – James Joyce

Home-style cooking, home-made crimes and daggy old variety television were the flavours of the TV year in Newcastle and viewers can expect more of the same in 2010.

The official 2009 ratings survey finished at the weekend with NBN holding on to its crown as Newcastle’s No.1 station.

NBN’s nightly news bulletins, rugby league telecasts and crime drama Underbelly 2: A Tale of Two Cities made it a clear winner in its home market, capturing 32.9 per cent of prime-time viewers.

Two reunion episodes of Hey Hey It’s Saturday also boosted the Nine Network owned station. The Daryl Somers comeback shows drew more than 97,000 viewers each to most-watched programs.

But the hottest new show of the year was dished up by Southern Cross Ten. Kitchen contest MasterChef Australia helped make third-ranked Ten Newcastle’s most improved station in 2009, with a 20.3 per cent audience share (up 1.5 percentage points).

The biggest loser was second-placed Prime, which saw its share of the Newcastle audience go backwards (down 3.8 points to 20.6 per cent) despite feeder network Seven winning the No.1 ranking nationally for the third consecutive year.

According to national OzTAM data, Seven won the 2009 ratings race with 28.8 per cent of viewing between 6pm and midnight, followed by Nine with a 26.8 per cent share, Ten with 22.2, ABC1 16.4 and SBS 5.8.

Newcastle ratings data showed viewers in the region watched more ABC1 (with 19.1 per cent share) and SBS (7.2) that capital city viewers.

The highest-rating regular show was Underbelly 2 starring Matt Newton. The underworld drama averaged more than 124,000 Newcastle viewers and was the only regular show to average more than 2million viewers nationally. A third series, Underbelly 3: The Golden Mile, is in production for next year.

Ten had two of the year’s top new programs, in MasterChef Australia and Shaun Miscallef comedy quiz Talkin” Bout Your Generation.

NBN chief executive Deborah Wright said her station’s result showed that regional viewers preferred local and Australian content.

Another highlight of the year was the outstanding performance of the NRL with the region’s most watched program this year being the NRL final, with 389,000 viewers.

OUR FAVOURITE SHOWS IN 2009

TOP PROGRAMS OVERALL IN NEWCASTLE

2009 AUDIENCE SHARES*

* Pecentages (2008 in brackets)
(Source: Regional TAM/AGB Nielsen Media Research) 8/2/2009-28/11/09 (Excluding Easter Non-Ratings Weeks)