Paul Jackson – “A terrific performance”

Following yesterday’s survey, we chatted with Four Group Programmers. We will publish our chat with SCA's Craig Bruce later this morning; along with ARN’s Duncan Campbell and Clark Forbes from Fairfax Radio but now we talk with Nova Entertainment’s Paul Jackson about how he sees the results. – 

Blair Sullivan:  A great day for Smooth in Sydney?

Paul Jackson: The best ever day for Smooth in Sydney. I’m ecstatic with the team. Our ACRA nominated team of Bogart and Glenn – a 5.5 share in breakfast. Cameron Dado number 1 FM in the evening. We’ve got the daytime, we’re number 2 FM.  There are no poor performances, every single daypart is up. The cume is outstanding – 591,000 – we are delighted.

BS: Let’s swing over to Nova 969. Softened a little?

PJ: That would be right. Under  40 still number 1 – performed well in all the demos we would expect to. And some great performances across many of the shifts.  Certainly Kate, Tim & Marty in drive, where they are number 1 in every shift around the country – which is an outstanding performance. As is Smallzy at night.

But with Breakfast, we would have expected to go better than the number we scored today.

BS: With Fitzy celebrating his 10^th year with the company this year as well?

PJ: Well, I still expect it to be ten more, we all allowed the odd down book here and there.

BS: Heading down to Melbourne, what’s the vibe down there?

PJ:  What a tight market it has been this, and it continues to be so far this year… I think it’s a steady as she goes one for both Nova and Smooth.

Smooth wins 25 plus females – so does terrifically well in its key demos – not that far behind Smooth Sydney.

BS: Nova?

PJ:   It was a decent book for us – we are looking to continue to do better at breakfast time. We think the product sounds very good indeed.

BS: Staying with Breakfast – let’s swing over to Nova 919 in Adelaide.

PJ: Our breakfast there is looking very good – yes, it’s down a little bit, but from a very high base. We are absolutely content with where our breakfast show is – in fact, where our dayparts are across the board. 

We have got no complaints in Adelaide –  yes – it is down slightly, but in relation to most other stations, we are on par and we are very happy with the way the radio station sounds.

BS: And 5AA

PJ: We are happy to see (5AA) going forward and up again – and there is a good increase in some key dayparts. Breakfast and drive up. Again, that is a product that is going well.

Bedding in a new breakfast show – because, as for a station like 5AA , we changed the breakfast show at the start of this year after many, many years.  It takes time to settle in people’s minds.  Again, we think that product is performing to a very high standard.

BS: Another market I think you would possibly be happy with is Nova 106.9 in Brisbane.

PJ: We are.  Record cume today 547,000 – outstanding – trying to think a word to describe it – it’s not easy. A terrific performance.

And Jay and the team again have come up trumps – the breakfast show scored a terrific number. And really, if you looked at all the shifts, all the dayparts and all the demos, it’s a terrific performance .

BS: With Ash, Kip and Luttsy – I think they had one of the biggest increases in breakfast in the market – up 1.2 now – to a 12.5 share – are they getting ever so close to 97.3?

PJ: We always are – it is always reasonably tight – we had the upper hand this time last year and they certainly had the upper hand this year – but certainly that’s what Jay and the boys are striving for – to get that coveted number one.

BS: The only market left to cover off is Perth.

PJ: First of all – again it is a record cume – 520,000, so our cumes across the country are outstanding – we seem to keep breaking records, especially in Brisbane and Perth.

What more can I say, other than that we are delighted with the output in Perth – the shares reflect that. The Nathan, Nat and Shaun breakfast number is again just top class.

We talk about the Brisbane position of Ash, Kip and Luttsy – of getting to number 1. Here we are equal number 1 with MIX. From our perspective, as a Top 40 station – that is a brilliant performance

BS: If you look across the group – what’s the one big highlight for you?

PJ: Obviously very hard to make me pick just one – very cruel of you.

If I had to focus on one – can I give you two?

BS: Oh why not – what the hell.

PJ: Come on – number one I would have to say Smooth in Sydney.  A wonderful performance – Bogart and Glenn on breakfast – which I think is a terrific show – that is the outstanding performance of the day.

Next, and neck and neck with that, is Kate Tim and Marty at drive – it’s a brilliant show – and around the county to be number 1 is unrivalled – and we are very happy.