John Stanley second casualty of Macquarie Sports Radio breakfast
Macquarie Sports Radio breakfast host John Stanley has left the show, just one week after the exit of co-star Beau Ryan.
Stanley, who first joined Macquarie Media in the 1990s, had been running a breakfast show on 2UE with former Fairfax boss Garry Linnell since 2013. When 2UE was replaced with Macquarie’s Talking Lifestyle format, the pair moved across.
John Stanley and Beau Ryan’s breakfast show lasted less than three months
Earlier this year, when Macquarie Media quickly axed the lifestyle format and replaced it with Macquarie Sports Radio, Stanley stayed, while co-host Linnell left the company.
Stanley was joined by Ryan and the pair had been presenting the show for audiences in Sydney and Brisbane since April. But in the first full survey under the new station identity, the breakfast show plunged from a 2.5% share to 0.7%.
Last week, Ryan’s departed from the network.
Michael Thompson, national executive producer at Macquarie Media, said of the departure: “John Stanley is continuing with Macquarie Media, and will be heard filling in on 2GB and 4BC in the very near future. With decades of experience in news-talk, he’s a natural fit for a whole range of programs.”
The broadcaster has now announced a new breakfast show for Sydney and Brisbane, which will be hosted by Mark Levy and Mark ‘Piggy’ Riddell. Levy and Riddell are both Continuous Call Team regulars on Macquarie Media’s other Sydney-based station, 2GB.
IT STARTS TOMORROW – Breakfast with @marklevy2gb @riddell009 on @macquariesport between 5.30am and 9am. Tune in to 954am Sydney or 882am Brisbane. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Search ‘Levy and Piggy’ to follow the show. Do it now so you don’t forget!!! pic.twitter.com/A9Fvh4aUkk
— Mark Levy (@marklevy2gb) July 28, 2018
Thompson said the new pair would be “very familiar” to listeners.
“They both love a laugh, but they’re also very well connected in sport – meaning that all the big sporting news and opinions will be heard first every morning on Macquarie Sports Radio Breakfast. With regular contributors including our own Ray Hadley, Brad Fittler, Greg Alexander, Andrew Gaze, Glenn Lazarus, Andy Harper, Phil Rothfield and more, Breakfast with Mark Levy and Mark Riddell is an exciting new destination for sports fans,” Thompson said.
Oh Dear. Lurching from one disastrous decision to the next. The problem is the all-sport format which was never going to work. Rather than shuffling chairs/personnel to stem the hemorrhaging ratings, a much better bet would be to cut your losses, ditch the all-sport format and go back to a general talkback station. By trying to avoid canibalising stable-mate 2GB’s hold on talkback radio – first with the “lifestyle” format and now with sport – the geniuses at Fairfax/Macquarie media are killing 2UE (or whatever it’s called these days)
User ID not verified.
The only reason that “2UE” is still on air is that euthanasia is illegal in NSW. As soon as the government changes the law Macquarie will flick the switch.
User ID not verified.
Oh dear……yet another breakfast show thrown to the wolves. Hopefully the new owner, Nine, will have some strategic input into the radio division because its in desperate need of it. And have they planned for the time when Alan Jones retires? I bet they haven’t.
User ID not verified.
Who wants to listen to sport 24 hours a day? 2UE has been killed since the change of format. I never moved my radio off 2UE before this and have not put it on 2UE since. John and Gary were terrific together. What was management thinking? I have changed to the ABC and until you come back to your senses that’s where I’ll stay
User ID not verified.
Now that Beau Ryan has gone, I’ll tune in.
User ID not verified.
Totally agree ! John & Gary were great wake ups in the morning & Tim Webster ‘s program with all the regular guests intetesting & informative . Miss them all now on 702.
User ID not verified.
A few executives at Macquarie would be looking over their combined shoulders as in the end they signed off on the most ridiculous change of format at an AM station.
User ID not verified.
John Stanley is too good a broadcaster for this lot at Macquarie Radio and much too good to be a mere fill-in person there. When running a talk-back show, John allows people to have an opinion, unlike most of the announcers at Macquarie that don’t want to know you If you don’t go along with their far right ideology. There’s always the ABC John.
User ID not verified.
Have listened since Sammy sparrow didn’t like lifestyle show but luckily John and Garry and John and Paul were still on even when you went sport and put that idiot Ryan I still listened weekdays to John Stanley but that’s it. This region is not big enough for 24ht sports and there is not enough talented presenters to keep it running.I am just a voice but now I am going to find out what those other numbers on the dial are like.I only had 2UE preset on radio now it will be the only one I don’t have
User ID not verified.
What a disaster this change of thisformat has been . it should have kept the John and Garry show in the mornings and kept it going that way as radio listeners enjoyed that show very much . by bringing in Beau Ryan was a big mistake no one really understood him and even his jokes were bad if I was to 2ue I would rethink a strategy and bring back John Stanley and Garry Linnell to get the ratings improved wake up management you stuffed up big time!!
User ID not verified.
They nearly lost me when they went to Talking Lifestyle, but fortunately, John and Garry were there, as were George and Paul. The drums began to sound when George and Paul went to 2GB and I was shocked to discover John and Garry went in April. A dedicated sports station, surely not. They lost me completely. I listen to 3AW now and George and Paul on 2GB weekend mornings.
User ID not verified.
Even the previous Talking Lifestyle format was tolerable compared to this unsustainable 24HR Macquarie Sports Network. Management have stuffed up big time!!
User ID not verified.
Move Fordham to Mornings, Price to Drive, Smith to Evenings and put Stanley in Afternoons.
User ID not verified.
Sorry everybody a talk sports format is financially successful. SEN Melbourne with a long standing EBITDA of c$2m -$2.5m pa (FY17 broadcast only – $2.5m on $15.4m of revs) . So do your numbers before making a comment. It can work, does work and only Macquarie Radio execution could wreck a multi million dollar EBITDA outcome.
User ID not verified.
Spot on Roger! Of course the all sport format can work. The problem is the on air talent they chose. Beau Ryan was cringeworthy and thankfully they’ve realised that early and fired him. John Stanley would be fine on all sports radio but was lowering himself down to Beau Ryan’s level and it was a bit sad. He will bounce back. They next need to get rid of Tiffany Cherry and Mieke Buchan (both are dreadful) as is Shane McInnes. Hopefully they’ll get it right sooner rather than later.
User ID not verified.
John Stanley best broadcaster/anchorman around, daylight second
User ID not verified.
I like sport and listen to most of the sport programs across the station, now that 2UE has 24 hour sport, I like it.
I like John Stanley because he brought a journalistic approach to the program, he did his research and knew what he was talking about. I hope with the new team is doesn’t just become a league and union show.
User ID not verified.
What a lot of geniuses run Macquarie!
It doesn’t seem to have occurred to them that GB’s undoubtedly large audience was a particular sector (angry, elderly, right-wingers).
So what about reaching and selling to the rest? Just what Stanley and Linnell were doing – all ditched in a flight of Mahogany-row fantasy.
User ID not verified.
Since the merger of 2UE & 2GB Macquarie Radio management have done everything in their power (and power is all they have unfortunately) to sabotage 2UE, bringing it to its knees. They let go of some talented presenters like Mike Jeffreys and more recently Garry Linnell who both had more brains and knowledge of the radio business than all the current management combined (not difficult). The sports format is now just keeping the 2GB fill-in presenters in a job so the boys’ club continues. Ask yourself how the National Executive Producer got his role. Former Hadley producer. I rest my case.
User ID not verified.
I found the “all sport” format boring so I switched off. Hope Stanley is not lost to radio – he would do well on Melbourne Breakfast ABC as the two that host now seem to talk drive( l mean really, really bad) & give a good reason for cutting the ABC’s finance.
User ID not verified.
John Stanley & Garry Linnell were the best combination you could get.
They were the perfect in the morning for news, soft political & other comments & lively banter.
The management who changed this program should themselves be shown the door for such an abominable decision.
The audience loses.
User ID not verified.
Agree wholeheartedly even the current piggy and levy are hopeless. Who cares where they live and how many red lights stop them on the way to work. Great movies from the past “Rocky”. Give me something else or ratings will fall below 0.7. A waste of time!
User ID not verified.
The only bright spot for Macquarie Radio is David Morrow. John Stanley and John Gibbs would have been the perfect Breakfast duo for the network in the Sydney/Brisbane market. I have no interest in the AFL-dominated rubbish they put on in the afternoon and drive. The sooner they get rid of the national format the better. Please change to completely different programming for the Sydney/Brisbane market and Melbourne can please themsleves. They already have 24hr sports radio network down there.
User ID not verified.
Who really cares about 2 fat guys talking about red lights or where they live or where they’re renting.bring back the good times
That’s Gary Linnell & John Stanley for the morning breakfast show
George & Paul for the weekend breakfast show
They’re knowledge combined can show this Fairfax bosses how to run a good radio station.
Regards
Morning tradie listener.
User ID not verified.
It seems to be an ego trip, to take something people want and enjoy ,destroy it and give them something YOU want them to have. Done by those whose ability doesn’t match their ambition, eg,Malcolm Turnbull, Macquarie media. Try giving people what they enjoy and want, just for a change. Leave the viewing and listening audiences alone.
User ID not verified.
I second that..
User ID not verified.
I go away for a couple of weeks come back and find John Stanley gone , very disappointed
User ID not verified.
That sports radio format on 2UE is a bad joke. Any loyal listener could have told them the format was never going to work As Garry would say a bunch of Nuff muffs running the station. Bring back Garry and John and watch the ratings go back up again.. Really miss their banter nothing compares elsewhere!!
User ID not verified.
I am really disappointed with the departure of John Stanley I really dont know what 2ue are coming too.I listen to your English broadcast but I think you have gone down hill put John & Gary back on and give it a bit of interest. All you seem to do is repeat the same interviews 3 and 4 times a day and that is very boring.You lost a good man in Luke Boona then Stuart Boking now john Stanley. it looks like you are just using the broadcasters to fill in time . I love my sport especially the English Football but the rubbish that you put on now is not worth listening to.
User ID not verified.
All sport format will never work in Brisbane. What’s missing in Brisbane is an easy listening station – like what 4BH used to be before the geniuses blew that up! 4BH used to rate 7 -10% in Brisbane with an easy listening format, now it rates close to zero as Lifestyle and now sport. These people are buffoons!
User ID not verified.
In 2014 when Fairfax ‘merged’ radio with Macquarie, 2UE was still able to get a 5 share, they gutted the place, changed line-ups, took away it’s heart and soul, 2UE News was closed down. Yet up until 2016 when they killed off Talk, 2UE still had a rusted on audience around a 5.share. Come TL by 2017 by trying really hard to shake off those listeners, including removing it’s iconic call-sign, they still had just over a 3 share. So, it appears they finally found a way of killing off those dedicated ones – 24/7 sport. It was actually more profitable before TL too.I hope they’re finally happy with their achievements, killing off the first and most iconic radio call sign in Sydney, 2UE. Great work team!
User ID not verified.
I had a 30 year connection with John Stanley. Now it’s gone. 24 hours of sport will not work. Alan and ray you got your way. Now many of us can see what you really represent. Agree with us or you are gone. Levy stop being a clone of ray.
User ID not verified.
cant believe you have moved John Stanley I miss his show not happy with what is going on with 2ue & 2gb.
User ID not verified.
Great to hear John Stanley on 2GB on Thursday night filling in for Price and then again on Saturday morning.
User ID not verified.
I emailed 2ue management last night
What have they done in just 4 months
To get 3-4% ratings down to 0.7% need accountable. Bring back john n harry. For a start.
User ID not verified.
I have to agree with the majority of comments that the Talking Lifestyle format on 2UE was great listening. It was very informative & rather than listen to the same old songs on FM or the biased drivel of Jones & Hadley, it was a refreshing change. Unfortunately, John Stanley suffered because of that peanut, Beau Ryan. Which genius thought this guy was funny & worth employing. He is an embarrassment.
User ID not verified.
I think this sports format is great and well done to maquarie given people greater choice and having sport as talk back 24×7. The 2 Marks are doing a great job
User ID not verified.
Well this last lot of ratings says it all for 24 hour Macquarie Sports Station!!! The ratings sank even lower.Can you score a minus rating ? Because if you can that will be their next score. When will the clown executives admit their error. it is nice to hear John Stanley filling in on 2GB but his talents are wasted for that type of role. Bring back John and Garry !!!
User ID not verified.
Geez, 24 hour sports and people still not happy?
Listening in on DAB Perth from 4am local time and better than the drivel we’ve got as options for breakfast radio!
User ID not verified.
I could not believe that management could ever have thought Beau Ryan would be a success on A.M. radio. In a few months, his style, or lack thereof, helped destroy a once proud radio station and a great presenter in John Stanley.
It looks like it is too late for management to save the station. Perhaps now is the time to close it.
User ID not verified.
I loved John and Gary. Please ABC pick these guys up
User ID not verified.
John Stanley is just too experienced, too good a voice to use as a fill-in for 2GB holidaying usual presenters. I might add that listening to him, his views, his respect for callers is beyond reproach.
Macquarie executives- please listen to your listeners!
We pay your salary.
User ID not verified.
Stanley is an old guy who has no right to be so ageist, ignorant and rude through his rude assistant and attitude….
Far preferred Steve Price and always Michael Mc Laren overnight (please Mike! Not Tracy at 3.20 am always??? ) my wife’s funeral was yesterday, always keep 2gb on softly as a comfort thing. Woke up in a nightmare….Tracy carrying on….
Steve, you were great! catch you when I can!
Alan Jones fantastic as always.?
Ray Hadley?? Far too much drama about “this one was arrested for that, so n so for this , paedophiles here, paedophiles there….. like bloody Figaro……punished for this got that ….
OMG so depressing, always Negative Vibes!
Please relay this to your Producers or Management…
In Appreciation with true sincerety
Nick Marshall
User ID not verified.