Another radio shakeup? Nine presenter’s job is in the firing line after losing four hosts from the same station amid ratings bloodbath

As someone who has spent decades in the broadcasting industry, I must say, the latest developments at 4BC are truly disheartening. I remember a time when local radio stations like 4BC were the heartbeat of their communities, providing engaging content that resonated with listeners.

4BC radio station in Brisbane endured a significant blow after losing four of its hosts within just two weeks during their recent ratings crisis. However, it seems like more job cuts might be on the horizon.

Radio personality Sofie Formica is temporarily absent from her afternoon program, leading some to wonder if her position behind the microphone might change upon her return.

According to The Australian’s Media Diary, TV journalist Michelle Tapper is temporarily taking over from the long-time Queensland presenter (who is 53 years old), and internal data indicates that she could potentially excel in that role more suitably.

As a lifestyle expert, I must share an intriguing piece of news that has been making waves lately. A few weeks back, reports leaked suggesting that the shining star of Nine News Brisbane has truly excelled in their coverage of the role at 4BC, surpassing initial expectations.

Simultaneously, for nearly two decades, Formica was the host of Queensland’s The Great South East. However, lately, this show has been recording the poorest ratings compared to other popular daytime programs on 4BC. In fact, other underperforming hosts have recently been let go from the station.

However, the truth behind this speculation remains unclear as Formica is slated to represent 4BC on the panel at 9News Queensland’s first leaders’ debate on October 3.

In the lead-up to the upcoming Queensland election, Premier Steven Miles and Leader of the Liberal National Party, David Crisafulli, will engage in a debate. They will be joined on the panel by Tim Arvier, Nine’s state political editor, and Sean Parnell, editor of Brisbane Times.

Daily Mail Australia have reached out to Nine for comment. 

This statement is saying that the news comes shortly after it was reported that a well-known journalist will take over the 4BC Brisbane breakfast team position towards the end of this month, following the dismissal of three major breakfast radio personalities from their roles at Nine.

Starting from September 30, Peter Fegan will take over hosting duties for the morning program, as Laurel Edwards, Gary Clare, and Mark Hine’s roles were transitioned out on Friday, September 13.

The internal memo indicates that Fegan, our current weekend host at 4BC, will temporarily take over the breakfast show until December.

Starting from Monday, September 30th, I’ll be taking over the Breakfast timeslot duties through the end of this year. We will conclude the 2024 Survey Period on Friday, December 13th.

The communication to employees seemed to imply that there may be more changes coming up for the on-air hosts at the radio station, which listeners could anticipate.

However, the publication reports that Fegan has told insiders he has the gig secured, though this has not been confirmed. 

The dismissal of Edwards, Clare, and Hine occurred several days following the disclosure by Daily Mail Australia that executives at the struggling network had been preparing to take action. In simpler terms, the trio was let go after it was reported that high-ranking officials at the troubled company were planning to take decisive steps.

In 2022, three well-known figures from Florida were grandly introduced when the radio station changed its format to classic hits during its morning program, creating quite a buzz.

In my first foray into Brisbane’s intense breakfast radio competition, I managed to snag a noteworthy 11.8% of the audience share and claimed the coveted third spot. Quite an impressive debut, if I may say so myself!

However, shifting the focus from conventional talkback to ‘light entertainment’, which is dramatically different from the successful format of stations like 2GB in Sydney, 3AW in Melbourne, and 6PR in Perth, has resulted in listener dissatisfaction and ultimately led to failure.

According to recent surveys, the ratings for the show by Edwards, Clare, and Hine have seen a significant drop, ending up at the very bottom of the rankings, which is quite embarrassing, holding just 4.3% of the audience share.

Three days following the revelation by Daily Mail Australia, it became formally announced that the trio were leaving.

On a Friday afternoon, Greg Byrnes, the Content Chief at Nine Radio, announced that the station was planning to adopt a fresh strategy for their morning programming.

In simpler terms, Mr. Byres said, “Their devoted fans, along with everyone here at 4BC, will deeply miss them. We’re planning to bid them farewell with a grand send-off that reflects the greatness of their impressive careers.

Their final day on air will be in a few days time on Friday, 27 September.

Following the publication of Daily Mail Australia’s report on impending job reductions, both morning news presenter Peter Gleeson and drive-time host Steve Barker stepped down from their positions prematurely last week.

For quite some time now, Barker has been an essential element in the Brisbane newsroom, having been part of the network. Last year, he received a distinguished New York Festivals Radio award due to his emotional reporting on the demise of the Queen.

4BC’s reliable insiders have disclosed that the network is considering a significant revamp of its on-air personalities, moving towards a more provocative discussion format and aiming to attract back listeners who have been tuning out.

They said the move came as a humbling admission that the station’s entertainment experiment had failed.

One high-ranking individual from 4BC confidentially shared with Daily Mail Australia, “It’s time for a complete demolition and fresh start – and we must act swiftly.

At present, we’re losing listeners and advertising revenue daily. On the other hand, 2GB and 3AW are thriving, and even 6PR seems to be regaining its popularity.

‘But 4BC is an absolute trainwreck and it’s all been brought about by poor decisions at breakfast.’

Concerns exist that a steep drop in the ratings of the station might lead to the elimination of all local programming, following the announcement by the parent company, Nine Entertainment, about their intentions to reduce expenses by $50 million during the current fiscal year.

An insider shared that the staff are quite anxious as they fear the radio station might revert to the problematic programming styles from Sydney’s past on 4BC.

‘In these tough economic times it wouldn’t surprise anyone if management made that decision.

‘It would be the wrong decision – and a shortsighted one – but at this stage anything is possible.’

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2024-09-23 02:49