A year can reset the dial in radio – and for 2DayFM, the past 12 months have done exactly that.
The Sydney market has shifted (shall we count the ways?), audience habits have changed, and the DNA of each and every station has come back under the microscope.
In response, SCA has announced it has overhauled the station’s music direction, moving toward a broader, more familiar playlist in response to shifting audience behaviour.
Amanda Lee, Head of Hit Metro Content, told Mediaweek the move reflects both internal analysis and external shifts across the Sydney dial.
“We’ve had so much change, obviously, everyone knows in the Breakfast timeslot. So, you have the opportunity to look at the lay of the land again and ask: where do we best position this station based on audience feedback?” she said.
A pivot toward variety and familiarity
The new format marks a clear evolution from last year’s “The Hits Before They Hit” positioning, with a stronger emphasis now on variety, recognisable tracks, and what Lee describes as a broader emotional connection.
“It’s very much around variety and familiarity, and I think that pales a little bit into nostalgia as well,” she said.
For Lee, the positioning acknowledges the global vibe – one fraught with uncertainty and, at times, fear.
“At the moment, in the world, it’s not all rainbows and lollipops, and during those times we do get drawn to nostalgia,” she said.
While the playlist has widened, Lee stressed the station is not stepping away from new music.
“We’re not walking away from newer Australian music. We’re just listening to where and when the audience wants to hear them.”
That strategy sees newer tracks concentrated in specific dayparts, including evenings and weekends.
“It’s really in our night shows. The Hot Hits with Nick and Lauren do such a great job with that, as well as Shaunie B with The Pulse. As a network, we will still continue to celebrate and support Aussie and new music as well.”
Breakfast sets the tone
The shift also aligns with the evolution of the Nath & Emma Breakfast show, which went from a trio to a duo after Jimmy Smith’s departure last year.
For Lee, the show has managed to broaden its content appeal and, in turn, influenced the station’s overall sound.
“They are a broader show than last year’s, and I think that’s really driven by Em (Emma Chow) being a mum. She brings so many great stories, and she’s just incredibly relatable to that younger family audience.”
“They’ve got so many new listeners coming into the show, sharing their stories. And so the broadness is there already in the show, so we wanted to provide that kind of music offering as well, the soundtrack that went alongside that.”
Programming is more science than playlist
Behind the shift is a process that Lee said has taken months of research, audience insight and format testing.
“It’s many months in the works and includes things like audience feedback and insights, studying different formats around the world, and really finding a position in the market for your station,” she said.
“You’ve got to put your playlist together and know what some of those artists that people are loving from those eras are and then finding the right music position as well.”
She added that programming decisions are often misunderstood outside the industry.
“Sometimes I think people still believe our announcers just throw on their favourite playlist or the CD in the background, but there’s a lot of insight, research and science that goes into programming, especially for music directors.”
2DayFM’s Nath & Emma breakfast show (Nathan Roye & Emma Chow)
Balancing discovery with scale
The recalibration follows a previous format shift in March last year, when 2DayFM positioned itself around early discovery of emerging tracks under the “Hear the hits before they hit” banner.
That focus on new and Australian music remains part of the broader network strategy, but is now more tightly aligned to when audiences are most receptive.
“You’ve got to tap into that audience feedback. Of course, we still tap into the 25 to 54 age group, and they do love this variety format.”
Investing in the next generation
Lee said supporting new voices, both on-air and behind the scenes, remains a priority as the format evolves.
“It’s something that’s really important to me and, obviously, to the content teams,” she said.
“As an industry as a whole, we have the responsibility to keep nurturing and bringing new voices through on and off the air to keep this industry thriving.”
“It’s not only about on-air talent, but also about content leaders and some of the regional announcers coming through, finding opportunities for them.”
Main image: Amanda Lee