Vega (radio network)

Radio station


name = Vega FM
airdate = Sydney: 1 August 2005
Melbourne: 5 September 2005
frequency = Sydney: 95.3 MHz FM
Melbourne: 91.5 MHz FM
area = flagicon|Australia Sydney, Australia
flagicon|Australia Melbourne, Australia
erp = Sydney: 150 kw
Melbourne: 56 kw
format = Adult hits
owner = DMG Radio Australia
slogan =
callsign_meaning =
website = Sydney: [http://www.vega953.com.au www.vega953.com.au]
Melbourne: [http://www.vega915.com.au www.vega915.com.au]

Vega FM is a name for two Australian commercial radio stations operated by DMG Radio Australia, one in Sydney, the other Melbourne. In contrast to DMG's other Australian radio network, Nova, Vega was originally positioned to target the baby boomer market of listeners in the 40 to 60 age bracket, with a mix of talk and music from the 1960s to the 2000s. The two stations were also initially heavily networked for programming, however both stations are now predominantly independent. Only one programme is 'networked' on Sunday afternoons.

The majority of music played on the station is Adult hits. Their current positioner is "Vega variety, the 70s, 80s and the best new songs", and is aiming at the 25-54 age group.

Frequencies

Vega FM is broadcast on the following frequencies:
* 95.3 MHz (Vega 95.3)(call sign 2PTV), Sydney – launched on 1 August 2005
* 91.5 MHz (Vega 91.5)(call sign 3PTV), Melbourne – launched on 5 September 2005

Weekday Presenters

Vega 95.3 Sydney

Vega 91.5 Melbourne

Barry Bissell hosts 'Cover to Cover' on both stations, Sunday afternoons from 4:00pm to 6:00pm.

Sydney News presenters include Monique Dews, Marnie Procter, Anthony Clark and Deborah Clay.

Melbourne News presenters include Nikole Gunn, Belinda Batty, Patrina Jones and Rick Wall.

Early survey results

During its first ACNielsen ratings survey (No. 8, 2005, covering mid-September to November of that year), Vega's stations had failed to attract a significant audience. The Sydney station reached a 1.8 percent audience share, and the Melbourne station gained a 1.2 percent share, placing it second last (ahead only of ABC NewsRadio) and last out of surveyed stations in each market, respectively. However, station management state that the slow take-up was to be expected, claiming the target audience will be slower than some audience groups to try a new station. In June 2006 [http://www.smh.com.au/news/tv--radio/we-dont-talk-any-more/2006/06/03/1148956582643.html] the Sydney and Melbourne stations stopped sharing programmes. Both stations dropped its "40 years of music" slogan and moved drive-time hosts Rebecca Wilson and Tony Squires to share the Sydney breakfast slot with former host Angela Catterns. The changes have been slow to grow market share, with the Sydney audience falling to 1.7% in Sydney (No. 6, 2006, but climbing slowly to 1.8% in Melbourne, which, at the time, was their highest audience share to date in Melbourne.

By the end of 2006, Vega had increased their ratings share in both cities. The Sydney station reached 2.8%, while the Melbourne station reached 3%.

In January 2007, Vega expanded its "Vega Variety" positioner to include "the 70s, 80s and the best new songs", and also put out advertisements in the form of billboards and on the side of buses, based around that expanded positioner. It was hoped that this would encourage more listeners to sample the station.

In the first radio survey of 2007, Vega in Sydney and Melbourne again both had small increases, with the Sydney station reaching 3% and the Melbourne station reaching 3.3%. The station's best demographic performer on both stations in that survey, is the 25-39 age group.

By the 4th radio survey of 2007, Vega in Sydney and Melbourne had gone over the 4% mark, with the Sydney station rating 4.6% and the Melbourne station rating 4.4%. In the 40-54 age group, Vega in Sydney was the second highest rating FM station in that age group after classic hits station WS-FM, who, traditionally, have been the highest rating FM station in that age group.

In the 5th radio survey of 2008, Vega in Sydney had surpassed the 5% mark for the first time, rating very closely behind main rival FM stations Triple M & WS-FM. The station also became the highest rating FM station in the 40-54 age group, knocking WS-FM off that position.

References

* Nielsen Media Research (2005-12-06). [http://www.commercialradio.com.au/ssl/documents/Sydney%20Survey%208%202005%20internet%20summary.pdf Survey Results: Sydney, Survey No. 8, 2005] . Retrieved on 2006-02-17.
* Nielsen Media Research (2005-12-06). [http://www.commercialradio.com.au/ssl/documents/Melbourne%20Survey%208%202005%20internet%20summary.pdf Survey Results: Melbourne, Survey No. 8, 2005] . Retrieved on 2006-02-17.

External links

* [http://www.vega953.com.au Vega 95.3fm – Sydney]
* [http://www.vega915.com.au Vega 91.5fm – Melbourne]