News

Dicko and Sarah Morice exit 2UE as part of schedule shakeup

Ian ‘Dicko’ Dickson and Sarah Morice have been let go by struggling Sydney talk station 2UE as part of a programming shakeup.

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Their exit comes less than a year after they were moved from 2UE’s breakfast slot to afternoons.

Stuart Bocking is to be given the morning slot while Angela Catterns will move from mornings to the afternoon slot vacated by Dicko and Morice.

In a statement, general manager Chris Parker said the moves were what the audience wanted.

In the latest set of radio ratings, 2UE’s Monday to Friday share of the Sydney listening audience was second lowest of the commercial stations, on just 3.4 per cent.

The announcement:

Following extensive audience research and feedback, Fairfax Radio Network’s Sydney NewsTalk station 2UE 954 today announced changes to its Morning and Afternoon programs.

Popular 2UE Weekend Breakfast and Your Business Day presenter Stuart Bocking will move to the Monday to Friday Morning show. Morning presenter Angela Catterns will now move to Afternoons. This will mean that Afternoon presenters Ian ‘Dicko’ Dickson and Sarah Morice will leave the station.

“We are committed to putting our audience at the heart of everything we do and 2UE is a station that reflects what our audience wants, which is informative, engaging and entertaining radio. And we believe our listeners will respond positively to these changes,” 2UE 954 General Manager Chris Parker said.

“I would like to recognise the hard work and professionalism of Dicko and Sarah. Since their on-air partnership was created in January 2013, both have developed a remarkable chemistry and have become good friends with their listeners, colleagues and advertisers. Of course, everyone at 2UE wishes Dicko and Sarah the very best for the future.”

“I’m very grateful to 2UE for giving me the opportunity to try my hand at the craft of talk radio. I’ve learned an awful lot over the past two years and I’m very fortunate to have felt the support and friendship from everyone involved with the station. I’m sad to no longer be working with the super talented Sarah Morice, and thanks to everyone who’s lent a hand in getting our hungry beast of a show to air every day. My best wishes to everyone at 2UE in their endeavour to get this heritage brand back where it belongs,” Ian ‘Dicko’ Dickson said.

Well-known and much loved radio broadcaster Angela Catterns joined the 2UE Morning show in January this year and has focused on delivering a daily mix of talkback and audience interaction.
Stuart Bocking joined 2UE in 1996 as a newsroom journalist before becoming the executive producer of the John Laws morning show. Since then Bocking has achieved ratings success across a number of programs, most recently as the host of 2UE weekend breakfast.

“Stuart’s strong news and analytical focus, with hard hitting stories that focus on the issues of the day will resonate with our Morning audience. Angela’s wonderful warmth will enable her to build an even closer connection with our audience in Afternoons,” Parker said.

The rest of 2UE’s presenter line-up remains unchanged with John Stanley and Garry Linnell on Breakfast, Justin Smith on Drive, Sports Today hosted by John Gibbs and Greg Alexander, Nights with Clive Robertson and Luke Bona on Overnights. On weekends, the presenter line-up continues to feature Sydney’s favorite weekend team of George and Paul and Tim Webster.

“I am greatly encouraged by our new Monday to Friday breakfast show with John and Garry, which is breaking stories and developing an engaging irreverent style, giving 2UE listeners a real point of difference. Our audience is responding very positively and the show will continue to grow,” Parker said.
The presenter changes are effective from July 14, 2014.

More follows later

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