The departures of latest high-profile and beloved ABC Radio Sydney personalities have left a bitter style within the mouths of ABC Radio employees because the nationwide broadcaster shakes up its lineup for 2025.
Late final month ABC Sydney Mornings presenter Sarah Macdonald revealed on air that her contract had not been renewed, and weekend presenter Simon Marnie took to Instagram to verify he would additionally not be returning to air subsequent 12 months, saying it “got here as a shock”. Common presenter Robbie Buck will probably be leaving the ABC too.
Drive presenter Richard Glover may also retire after 26 years, changed by former Seven and Ten presenter Chris Bathtub.
One ABC Radio staffer, talking anonymously to Crikey as they don’t seem to be authorised to talk publicly, mentioned it felt “totally demoralising” and “distressing” to see the wholesale adjustments to the ABC lineup.
“Individuals overlook how straightforward listeners change off,” they mentioned.
One other staffer mirrored these sentiments to Crikey, and a number of other sources described the sensation at Marnie’s final broadcast from Authorities Home as “funerary”.
One other ABC Radio supply instructed Crikey that audio division chief Ben Latimer had misplaced the arrogance of employees, in addition to “fucking livid” audiences who had flooded the ABC with complaints over the departures of Macdonald, Marnie and Buck particularly.
“Sacking … three of probably the most beloved presenters within the constructing is a good way to go to struggle with all your employees and arrange a poisoned chalice for the subsequent host,” they mentioned.
“There’ll most likely be an viewers exodus for the gen Xers and boomers who love Simon and Sarah,” they speculated.
The query of the way forward for ABC Radio Sydney’s audiences is a matter of combined opinions. One other ABC Radio supply instructed Crikey that it was completely routine for audiences to drop following a change of presenters, not to mention one as important as this. One other supply predicted that audiences would finally return, describing listeners as “rusted on”.
Each sources, nevertheless, thought it ill-advised for the ABC to vary the lineup as a lot because it had. Every of the sources Crikey spoke with blamed the industrial radio background of Latimer — who joined the ABC from Nova — as why he had misunderstood the wants of the general public broadcaster.
Latimer — who instructed The Sydney Morning Herald in November that the basics of radio had been the identical at Aunty as they had been elsewhere — was contacted for remark.
Crikey requested whether or not Latimer felt he had the arrogance of his employees, whether or not there had been (as reported) a major enhance in complaints from the general public in relation to latest ABC Radio departures, and whether or not the ABC anticipated an exodus of listeners from the applications that noticed adjustments.
A spokesperson for the ABC declined to touch upon his behalf.
Have one thing to say about this text? Write to us at letters@crikey.com.au. Please embrace your full title to be thought of for publication in Crikey’s Your Say. We reserve the precise to edit for size and readability.
