Content boss Craig Bruce admits letting Kyle and Jackie O go was ‘a mistake’ as he exits SCA
Craig Bruce
One of the best known radio programmers in Australia Craig Bruce has parted ways with Southern Cross Austereo after 27 years.
His exit comes as SCA looks to rebuild its Hit Network radio stations after two lacklustre years in audience surveys, particularly in Sydney where it has struggled since the defection of Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson to rivals KiisFM from 2DayFM in 2014.
In an interview with industry site RadioInfo overnight Bruce admitted one of his regrets on departure was that “I would like to have left 2Day in a better position than it is right now” and admitted letting Kyle and Jackie leave was “a mistake”.
In the last radio survey all of SCA’s stations across both the Hits Network and Triple M saw an audience share increase, whil the return of Hamish Blake and Andy Lee to a national drive show is likely to help the Hit Network grow further in the next survey round next week.
In the RadioInfo interview Bruce likened the departure of Hamish and Andy from their drive show in 2010 as “like the end of the mining boom”, adding: “We were always going to come back to the field given their extraordinary highs.
We held on in Sydney and Melb with Kyle and Jack and Matt and Jo. And then obviously things got really difficult in 2014.”
Asked how he felt when he saw the first ratings for 2DayFM after the defection, when Kyle and Jackie O were replaced by a four-person team in breakfast which tumbled to a then record low share he said: “I felt sick. Like the world at stopped spinning.”
In an internal announcement yesterday SCA’s metro director Guy Dobson said: “Craig’s radio acumen is second to none and after working closely with him for ten years, I can safely say his successes as a Content Director are exemplary. He found talent, he devised formats, he created radio history. He took chances. Craig will not die wondering.”
Bruce said: “The people at SCA have been like a second family to me for virtually all of my working life. I started as a mid-dawn Announcer at the Fox in 1988 and have been fortunate enough to work with some of the most passionate and talented content creators in the world – as a true radio fan-boy, it’s been an incredible experience.
“I’m sure there’ll be plenty of success for SCA as it heads into an exciting new phase.”
In the statement recently appointed CEO of SCA Grant Blackley said: “Craig is well known in the industry as one of the best and we’ve been lucky enough to have him working in the business for nearly 30 years. We thank him for his contribution and wish him every success for the future.”
The release:
It’s with great sadness and a heavy heart that I write to inform you that Craig Bruce has left the building.
Craig’s radio acumen is second to none and after working closely with him for ten years, I can safely say his successes as a Content Director are exemplary. He found talent, he devised formats, he created radio history. He took chances. Craig will not die wondering.
He’s decided to move on with the next phase of his illustrious career and I’m sure even more success in whatever endeavour he follows will come his way.
Craig wanted to say the following:
The people at SCA have been like a second family to me for virtually all of my working life. I started as a mid-dawn Announcer at the Fox in 1988 and have been fortunate enough to work with some of the most passionate and talented content creators in the world – as a true radio fan-boy, it’s been an incredible experience.
I’m sure there’ll be plenty of success for SCA as it heads into an exciting new phase.
To add to that, Grant said, “Craig is well known in the industry as one of the best and we’ve been lucky enough to have him working in the business for nearly 30 years. We thank him for his contribution and wish him every success for the future”.
A great hombre a loyal compadre and a wonderful amigo who will be missed.
We’ll announce the new content structure in due course, but for now its play on.
A living legend. Thanks for all your guidance Bru, all the best with your new adventures.
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Good onya dog.
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Yes, best wishes for the future and may success build upon success.
Success in radio or television depends, in my opinion, upon two groups of people, the team running and presenting the program, and the audience. Discount either, and you will have a recipe for disaster.
There are a few things that should be avoided in a radio program, one is allowing the already powerful presenters to dominate. Respect for the audience is paramount, and they must always be allowed to feel that they are the component vital to the process. When a presenter (on air celebrity) leaves, for whatever reason, it is madness to replace him/her with two people, or in the case of two presenters, to replace with four.
The replacement should inherit a drivable process, and drive it very carefully until the audience has a chance to bond with the new, and accept the gradual change in style to the point of preference.
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You’re right Charlie; a living legend (from way before my time), and more recently a really decent guy committed to delivering for the client as well as the listener. He’s made my life easier facing up to advertising clients every day. You’re a good egg CB.
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Please just change your brand back to Today and take a brand led approach out of the mess.
Congrats Craig I agree with above and the release you are a super talented and lovely bloke.
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Craig is one of the best content minds in the country and a genuinely decent human. Good luck CB… You deserve it.
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After 3 years away I came back to Sydney and as is my want tuned in to Triple M. What the hell? It is a faded shell of its former self with no apparent focus on its playlist. I assume Dobson is no longer at the tiller?
Flicking from station to station, Sydney radio on the FM music band now stinks.
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