Vega...not on your wavelength!

Vega variety, on your wavelength – the slogan used by Radio DMG’s troubled new brand Vega. Where is the variety?

DMG entered the Australian radio market with the successful launch of Nova in most capital cities on the Australian mainland. Nova used the slogan, ‘sounds different’ with a brash comic duo in Sydney combining Merrick and Rosso with the outspoken ‘Ugly’ Phil O’Neil on drive.

Nova Melbourne, also launched with Dave Hughes, Kate Langenbrook and Dave O’Neill quickly building an audience through a clever DMG formula.

Vega has been a different kettle of fish. Struggling to initially define itself and mixing up their on air line-up has thus far had little success. Wendy Harmer and the Vega Café didn’t work.

Angela Catterns has struggled to emulate her success on ABC breakfast as widely hoped and has now been joined by Bec and Tone (Rebecca Wilson and Tony Squires).

What was Vega thinking? Sign Angela Catterns and the ABC listeners will follow? ABC listeners are loyal to their station and are not interested in commercials and 40 years of music.

The music formula has also changed. Vega started as a WSFM type station but now wants to combine this with MIX FM, ABC and Triple M. The demographic can only be so small and those Vega want have decided to get their talk from AM and their music from the all ready defined MIX or WSFM.

Vega is caught in to many demographics. The success of Nova will not be emulated by Vega and could prove to be a very expensive loss to DMG. DMG should cut their loss now and re-invent totally overhaul the station.

Define itself, its listeners and its music… which is? There is no direction at Vega which commands only 1.8% of the ratings in this latest result and sister station Nova is starting to feel the Vega curse, down to 6.4%.

Austereo must be licking their lips with 2MMM and 2DAYFM lifting their profiles and continue to hold the keys to the Sydney FM radio market. Strong marketing strategies involving their listeners and defined talk and music formula seem to be the key to the company.

Vega, hitting the wrong demographic… DMG have success with the young brash market, maybe they should stick to this and consider Vega as a Rap, RNB, Dance station, sure to lift ratings and attract a demographic not yet accounted for in the radio ratings.