Will My Name Be First, Will I Have The Best Car Park, Now Lets Talk About Chemistry and Content.

Contributor

The big question everyone in radio is asking is “Can ARN repeat the success of Kiis in Sydney with the re-launch of Kiis Melbourne”?

I think they can. And a lot of that will have to do with its new breakfast show Matt Tilley and Jane Hall (as well as its new drive line-up). It was a big surprise to see Southern Cross Austereo let Matt Tilley go last year. You would have to say it was a strategic error not keeping a talent of Matts calibre. SCA’s loss is definitely ARN’s gain.

Matt Tilley said “I still keep in touch with some of the old SCA management – by reading all their comments under Radio Today articles. Fortunately I remember all their aliases.”

Listening to the new Matt & Jane show, it sounds like the best executed of the new metro shows this year.

The show targets 30+ listeners and has broad appeal. This leaves Fox/Hit and Nova to battle it out for the younger CHR audience, leaving Kiis the Adult Top 40 / Hot a/c market for itself.

Matt Tilley has never sounded better. He and Jane Hall have established strong chemistry early on. Years of delivering winning breakfast radio is clearly evident when you listen.  Matt’s down to earth, very real & relatable.

Matt said “Obviously there was some anxiety surrounding this brand new adventure. Would my name be first, would I have the best car park. Having resolved these issues quickly we have been able to move onto the more mundane things like chemistry and content.”

Jane has adapted well to the new combination. She is strong, assertive and reacts well with Matt.

Topics have included 50 Shares of Grey the movie, I’m a Celebrity Get me Out of Here and Heston Blumenthal’s new restaurant The Fat Duck.

All well executed and perfectly targeted for the Kiis audience.

Anchor Simon Baggs does a great job of steering the show but doesn’t get in the way of Matt & Jane. He lets the ‘stars’ shine.

Matt Tilley may not get the press Kyle Sandilands does but Matt’s importance to a station ratings should not be underestimated. He is one of the greatest exponents of breakfast radio in the country.

Duncan Campbell Head of Content at ARN said  “For two people who have not worked together before, the show is well ahead of where we expected it to be. The chemistry between Matt and Jane is developing well and the content continues to improve each day. Matt Tilley is an extraordinary talent with innate radio instincts which is why he’s been so successful for so long and we are now hearing Jane’s potential coming through stronger than ever. It’s really a case of when this show will be successful not if”

Matt & Jane is like the ‘Game of Thrones’  of breakfast shows. Slick production, interesting characters with depth and dimension, brilliant execution and strong story lines that keep you (listeners) coming back for more.

The new Kiis breakfast show sounds like a ‘show for grown ups’ and at times sounds like a couple’s dinner party conversation.

The new Kiis brand will attract a lot of attention. The new breakfast show bookended with Hughesy and Kate on drive are a perfect fit. It’s a very compelling offering for Melbourne listeners. Kiis will attract listeners from both Fox/Hit and Nova. The powerful combination of a new brand as well as the breakfast and drive shows will put Kiis at the top of the ratings.

I predict the new Matt & Jane breakfast show can rate in the 8’s, which could make them Melbourne’s number 1 FM breakfast show.

That would be a great achievement given Melbourne is arguably the countries most competitive FM breakfast market with quality shows and talent like Tommy & Meshel, Eddie & Mick, Fifi & Dave and Brig & Lehmo.

When it comes to filling out rating diaries, there may be some confusion amongst listeners about which station Matt, Hughesy and Kate are on – Kiis, Mix, Fox or Nova. So ARN will have to do a great job branding its key talent to Kiis. They are doing this already on air and on television.

Former Austereo Group PD Greg Smith always said “If you own the trams in Melbourne, you win the ratings”.

The same could be said for owning the spectacular outdoor site at the corner of Swanston Street and Flinders Street, right in the heart of Melbourne opposite Federation Square.

Matt and Jane have set a new benchmark for breakfast, and I believe will replicate the success of ARN’s Kyle & Jackie O and Jonesy & Amanda in Sydney, and they should lead the Melbourne FM ratings soon.

Brad March is a Director of Radio Today, is a former CEO of Austereo and has been named Media Executive of the Year. He’s Director of Marchmedia and Pacific Retail Management.

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