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TV Blackbox’s Rob McKnight joins Nine Radio as EP of 4BC afternoons

Studio 10 creator and TV Blackbox co-creator Rob McKnight is moving into radio, revealing he has taken a role at Nine Radio’s 4BC.

The TV veteran will try his hand at radio as the executive producer of new 4BC afternoons show with Sofie Formica, from 11am-3pm weekdays, kicking off 4 October.

Rob McKnight and Sofie Formica

4BC’s local lineup was previously bolstered by Sofie Formica for afternoons, joining Neil Been on breakfast, Scott Emerson on drive, Peter Psaltis hosting Wide World of Sports, and Bill McDonald and Spencer Howson rounding out the lineup on weekends.

McKnight revealed the news on TV Blackbox, where he said that despite loving the TV industry for so long, that “now it’s time to try something new.”

He had been filling in as a presenter for Spencer Howson and Bill McDonald recently at 4BC. “To say it has been a revelation for me would be an understatement. The intimacy with the audience and the ability to talk about topics is something that I connect with and it really appeals to me. Radio is a format I believe suits me well.

“Now that 4BC is expanding its local content with the addition of Sofie Formica in the afternoons, I can now reveal I will be the executive producer of that program,” McKnight added.

McKnight said he will continue to work on TV Blackbox and the TV Blackbox podcast, as well as other podcast work including as host of the Monsters Who Murder: Serial Killer Confessions podcast.

He added: “The Afternoons EP role is something I am genuinely excited about. This is a role that will allow me to learn the skills of radio both on and off the air. I will continue to be on 4BC’s roster of fill-in presenters while honing my skills in this (new to me) medium.

“Now while 4BC is part of the Nine Entertainment Company, they have allowed me to continue with TV Blackbox and remain independent. I am grateful for that and applaud Nine for their confidence in allowing such an arrangement.”

McKnight also revealed that the live entertainment streaming platform called Live+ that he launched earlier in the year hasn’t gone as planned. “Since moving to the Gold Coast in 2019 I have been experimenting with streaming TV but it’s become clear the Australian market isn’t quite ready for it,” he said.

“Potential investors have been spooked by COVID-19 and companies are sticking to what they know… for now. Which is fair enough.”

McKnight has spent time at all three TV networks, departing Ten in 2017, having joined in 2013 to lead Studio 10 as its executive producer. He then disputed 13 weeks of pay he said he was owed, with Ten eventually settling the matter out of court.

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