Macquarie Sports Radio will pause broadcasting from Friday as it undertakes content review
Macquarie Media has announced it will cease broadcasting its Macquarie Sports Radio talk programs in the three major markets from 11pm this Friday, 1 November. The pause is for the purpose of reviewing the station’s development, and follows the departure of former CEO Adam Lang last week.
The markets affected by the decision are Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, in which Macquarie Sports Radio had a 1.1%, 0.3% and 1.5% share respectively in the latest GfK radio survey.
“Macquarie Media Limited today announced that development of its Macquarie Sports Radio stations in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane will be paused and reviewed over the summer months and that the current schedule of sport talk programs will cease as of 11pm, Friday 1 November,” said Macquarie Media chair, Russell Tate.
Sports broadcasts will continue, and the talk programs will be replaced with content from partners.
“Over the coming months, Macquarie Sports Radio will continue live sport broadcasts including all scheduled Test Match, BBL, One-Day Internationals & International T20 Cricket matches as well as its English Premier League coverage,” Tate said.
“The stations will draw an increased amount of content from local and international partners, including Macquarie Media’s News Talk stations and Nine, and will continue to access Macquarie National News services for constantly updated sporting news.”
Nine is in the process of a takeover of Macquarie Media, which is guaranteed after the company gained a 90% share this month.
Tate previously said that “Macquarie which will undergo significant change in the next few months as our operations are integrated with those of Nine Entertainment Corporation”.
Brittney Rigby was Mumbrella's deputy managing editor - news and analysis. She left Mumbrella in April 2021.
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Magic 11, vega, Lite’N’Easy 1269 and now MSR. Proof that not everyone in radio understands Sydney.
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Unfortunately, it hasn’t worked at all which is reflected in the horrible ratings. Emphasis was heavily on opinion rather than news, updates and relevant interviews. Some of the presenters, notably James Willis, were perpetually in a state of contrived “outrage” about something (usually a non-event).
The demise is a shame as there is a market (especially in Brisbane) for a genuine sports radio station. But there was NO program coming out of Brisbane which was an obvious stuff-up by management. Too many in-jokes between presenters and self-indulgent meaningless chat unrelated to sport …. a turn-off factor for listeners.
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MSR should be replaced by Magic in all 3 markets & DAB in Perth.
A good music mix with an emphasis on soul and motown to differentiate it from other players, would be a good move for Nine.
There is no reason that Brisbane and Sydney cannot support 2 AM music stations and Melbourne cannot support at least 1.
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Gutted. Was the only station in Brisbane worth listening to for an old bloke like me. Irreverent, light hearted, entertaining, chewing gum for the brain, and no massive wankers on air. The ratings to me seem irrelevant, given the useless instrument known as the CRA continue to think that a diary method developed in 1964 is still the best way to measure an audience. If Nine had invested a single cent to promote the station to the punters, it would have had half a chance. Stuffed up all around. Will miss you Levy, Piggy, Marco, Ox etc…
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Bring back Uncle Doug!
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I tried listening several times. Firstly at the start but for some unknown reason they had Beau Ryan on air who simply came across as a clown. I gave breakfast a second go only to discover that the show basically involved one host insulting the other about topics ranging from weight gain, drinking and food consumption before all present dissolved into fits of laughter!! The biggest load of rubbish I had ever heard. ( which the presenters described as having fun.)
I became a fan of weekend morning especially HG and Roy but this show frequently contained adds for the breakfast show which now seemed to be toilet humour, before the hosts again dissolved into fits of laughter.This type of mindless twaddle can now return to 2GB weekends where the hosts frequently reminded everyone they also worked.
A sad end to the once great 2UE!!!
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They could go international talk back. There are so many American talk back shows with podcasts they could play. Guys like Joe Rogan. Would be cheap to do and something nobody else is doing.
A music station like Magic will NEVER work on AM. 2CH is struggling these days and it is the only AM music station going.
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I will miss Marco and Ox, and Roy and HG. These were a breath of fresh air. I shudder at some of the suggestions to replace the current content
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The best thing to happen in radio for years is MSR as usual the people running the organisations don’t understand the audience
The show is informative light hearted sports entertainment with some dribble thrown in, nothing too taxing and a bloody good (not overtly politically correct) laugh we need more entertainment like MSR not less.
BIG MISTAKE CANCELLING MSR
David Ord
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The concept was certainly worth trying over the past 14 months, and there is a need for a real national sports radio network in Australia, like they have in the U.S and the U.K. I quite enjoy the breakfast show – Levy, Piggy and Jimmy Bartel provide a good mix of sporting news and banter, ditto for Ox and Marco in the drive slot!
Alas I suspect low ratings in Melbourne and Brisbane in particular were a contributing factor to the decision taken this week by management. Perhaps also there was too much Sydney/2GB content in there, another weakness.
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“Some of the presenters, notably James Willis, were perpetually in a state of contrived “outrage” about something (usually a non-event).”
This sentence is the most accurate comment every written on a Mumbrella story. James Willis was a horrible choice to have as a permanent host of a program and should’ve been kept to his three minute suckup spot on Belford’s show.
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I loved this radio station. The Macquarie Sports Radio station is one of a kind. I love my sport. I have never been surveyed and I image there are many listeners who listen to the Macquarie Sports station who have not been surveyed.
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Let’s hope the new station rates more highly than channel 9 does. Actually, Why not play 24/7 re runs of Alan Jones’ breakfast program- then people will listen !
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Macquarie needs to broadcast in Perth as there’s a huge English and South African population. Need to talk about soccer more for the UK listeners and more Rugby for the South Africans
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Brizneyland I could not agree more. His was a station for men particularly those who are a little more mature. Definitely needed advertising.
James Willis was fine because he was a difference during the day of light hearted sports focused light hearted infotainment.
Love Roy and HG on Saturdays.
I only found the station after yet again getting the shits with the ABC leftards and women and the casts of thousands on the FM stations talking crap.
A bit of market research and then having confirmed the market a targeted marketing campaign would increase the listeners. My comments would align pretty well with a big portion of men of all ages listening to radios particularly in cars, vans and trucks all day.
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