Fresh from confirming that Hamish and Andy will be taking up the drive slot, Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) executive director of metropolitan operations Guy Dobson is banking on an inexperienced team taking on the competitive Sydney radio market.
Dobson told AdNews the focus of SCA for the first six months going into the new year will be positioning a younger sounding show with former drive hosts Dan and Maz taking up the early morning spot on the 2Day network.
The duo will have their work cut out for them, with FM market leaders Jonesy and Amanda as well as Kyle and Jackie O currently occupying the rival breakfast slots. But Dobson thinks that being relative newcomers will give Dan and Maz a point of difference.
“This show will be the only show on FM that resonates with under 30s, that talks in a language that under 30s understands. Being better isn't necessarily going to win you the race next year. Being different is the key criteria for us as well,” Dobson said.
“We're not daunted by the fact that other teams have 30 years experience, we actually think in many respects that’s going to be a problem for them," he added.
Dobson said that having Hamish and Andy in the drive slot was a natural fit and would give the station “more bang for its buck” in being able to network the show across the metro stations which it he said wouldn't happen in breakfast.
While Dobson wouldn't confirm the contract amount under Hamish and Andy's deal - which was speculated at $10 million over three years - a statement to the ASX confirms approximately $3.35m shares have been issued by SCA as part of an “equity component into multiple talent contracts across its various networks.”
Dobson said the share issue was “a good way of aligning key talent into shareholder returns.”
SCA recently re badged it's Adelaide 2DayFM station to hit107, gearing it to women under 40.
Dobson wouldn't be drawn on whether 2Day's Sydney station would follow suit but said so far its been very well received in its Adelaide market, leaving room for speculation the entire network would rebrand.
“All the factors are there so we reserve the right to roll it out [in Sydney] whenever we see fit or not see fit,” he added.
SCA's current breakfast line up of Merrick Watts, Jules Lund and Sophie Monk has been omitted in the new line up, with Monk announcing her resignation earlier in the week.
Dobson previously told AdNews that SCA was happy with the way its Sydney breakfast show sounded and that the plan for was “to get those stations pumping.”
Speaking of the changing line-up, Dobson said the problem was that the show “wasn't different enough” but added that Watts and Lund would be remaining with SCA and that the network would be announcing their new roles next week.
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