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Macquarie/Fairfax Radio merger described as ‘hostile takeover’ as 2UE axes Angela Catterns

2UE 2015 brandingRadio 2UE has dumped its afternoon presenter Angela Catterns as the newly merged management of Macquarie and Fairfax Radio seeks out cost savings and efficiencies from restructuring its operations.

Veteran presenter Catterns is understood to have been told of her axing minutes after coming off-air yesterday, tweeting shortly after: “Today was my last day @NewsTalk2UE – casualty of ‘merger’ w Macquarie. Sorry I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye to loyal listeners!”

Screen Shot 2015-04-11 at 10.02.07 amThe Australian is also reporting that at Brisbane talk station 4BC chief operating officer of the merged Macquarie Radio Adam Lang is talking to staff about a major shake up with a number of key presenters including breakfast hosts Ian Skippen and Loretta Ryan mornings presenter Patrick Condren losing their jobs.

The axings comes on the back of Thursday closure of the Radio 2UE newsroom, after more than 90 years, with around a dozen reporters, including high profile breakfast newsreader Steve Blanda, being made redundant.

Comment is being sought from Macquarie Radio but Radio 2UE staffers were yesterday livid about the extent of the cuts which have seen more than 50 staff go from sales, news, production and now programming.

“This isn’t a merger,” said one 2UE staff member. “This is a hostile takeover by Russell Tate and co.”

Mumbrella revealed staff at the newly merged entity were advised of changes in a conference call on April 2 by Macquarie chairman Russell Tate, including the mergers of the 2UE and 2GB newsrooms, with redundancies coming from both sides.

Mumbrella understands Catterns’s slot will not be replaced, with Mornings presenter Stuart Bocking and Drive presenter Justin Smith airing extended programs in a major shake up to timings of 2UE’s programming.

The merger announced last year brings the number one Sydney talk station Radio 2GB together with Fairfax’s broader talk radio network, which includes 2UE in Sydney as well as 3AW in Melbourne, 6PR in Perth and 4BC in Brisbane.

Nic Christensen 

Nic Christensen is a former employee of both Macquarie Radio and Fairfax Radio.

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