Can Phil ONeil and Sami Lukis help turn around the fortunes of Triple M?
After months of treading water with declining ratings, Triple M has quietly introduced a new sound this morning, spearheaded by Phil O’Neil and Sami Lukis in the breakfast slot. The “awesome ’80s” music of the past few months has been replaced by a younger, more contemporary sound, aimed mostly, but not exclusively, at thirtysomething blokes. Listeners can expect to hear bands such as Kings Of Leon, Empire Of The Sun, MGMT, Coldplay, Nirvana and Pearl Jam, perhaps best described as mainstream alternative rock. Austereo program boss Guy Dobson was reluctant to give too much away before the launch but said: “We’re not going to be a rock station but a station that plays music that rocks. It’s a subtle difference. More of a feel.” The challenge for Triple M programmers has been to come up with a distinctive sound that would be embraced by the existing audience, draw listeners from Nova and elsewhere but still not impinge on top-rating sister station 2Day FM. On paper, the new Triple M brea
