2UE boss Brennan: Under our previous management, the fish stank from the head
Sydney talk radio station 2UE aims to lift its audience share to 8.5% by the end of the year, a launch event to reveal its “next generation” programming lineup heard last night.
The same event saw program director Peter Brennan blame the station’s ratings woes on the previous management, telling Mumbrella: ‘The fish stinks from the head. I think it’s suffered from poor management.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M-2zGys7kM
Brennan left rival talk station 2GB in 2009 and joined Fairfax Media’s 2UE last year.
2UE’s audiences have never recovered from the retirement of John Laws.
Rival 2GB dominated the market with a Monday to Friday daytime audience share of 14.1% in the final set of ratings of 2010. 2UE delivered 5.3%.
Last night 2UE’s general manager Tim McDermott pledged to get the station above that. He said: “To be honest I’d like to finish the year at eight and a half per cent. At eight and a half per cent I’ll be very happy because at eight and a half per cent this station is very sellable and our competitors would be very worried.”
2UE this week finally confirmed Jason Morrison as its breakfast host after his contract with talk rival 2GB expired. However Morrison was not at the event, having headed to Queensland to report on the cyclone.
The event was helmed by new drivetime presenter Paul Murray, who at 32 is one of the youngest talk hosts in Australia.
Murray also pledged to raise the tone of the bitter fight between the two stations. he said: “There will be no background briefing of journalists.”
He also said nobody has immediate expectations to overtake 2GB. He said: “We know that there is an existing radio station in 2GB that is Australia’s number one radio station, There isn’t a person on or off the air who thinks we’d beat 2GB tomorrow or even within a year.”
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
Linkedin
Here are some memories from the once mighty 2UE 95FOUR:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bF0PtUgrdc4&feature=player_embedded
User ID not verified.
(Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy) While I’m happy radio bosses are finally adding some new voices into the very shallow talk radio talent pool, I feel for (edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy).
User ID not verified.
Between 1980 and 1985 in Sydney many 15 – 25 year olds found the “band” button on their radios and flicked the switch from AM to FM.
For 2UE to grow they need to educate these same people (who are now in their 40s) to flick the switch back to AM.
Many of my friends don’t even have AM stations tuned in on their car radios. Yet they complain that FM radio is losing its appeal (fake laughs, simplistic news services, non funny comedians, limited playlists).
One of 2GBs weaknesses is that all of its announcers toe the Jones / Hadley line on border control, climate change and every other issue. It seems that there may be some difference of opinion on 2UE – compare David Oldfield / Jason Morrison with Paul Murray. This would be unlike 2GBs programming philosophy of “24 hours a day – 7 days a week – 1 opinion”.
Another weakness of 2GB is that this single opinion position means that it is seen by much of Sydney (especially ABC listeners) as radio for the great unwashed.
So three opportunities:
– grow with an FM to AM switch.
– grow with a point of difference to 2GB (different opinions).
– grow with a younger, polished sound.
Good luck!
User ID not verified.