Welcome to the latest Unmade podcast. Today’s edition features another extract from the audio edition of my book, Media Unmade, which is published by Hardie Grant and available online and in book stores.
In today’s chapter - the last in the book’s second act, we focus on radio. We explore the historic moment when Australia’s radio landscape was upended. In a move that triggered a decade of humiliation for the once-dominant 2DayFM, owner Southern Cross Austereo allowed its top rating Sydney team of Kyle Sandilands and Jackie Henderson to walk away.
After a series of secret meetings - and one of the biggest gambles of the decade by Australian Radio Network boss Ciaran Davis - The Kyle & Jackie O Show moved to the brand new station of Kiis FM.
Along the way, the news almost leaked early after the creative agency working on the rebrand of Mix FM to Kiis failed to close the blinds.
It was the worst of times for SCA. In Sydney, a succession of 2DayFM teams tried and failed to fill the void. In Melbourne, Triple M Hot Breakfast host Eddie McGuire became entangled in a racism row after comparing AFL player Adam Goodes, an Indigenous Australian, to King Kong.
And ARN gambled again in Melbourne, taking the risky move of hiring British radio star Christian O’Connell to host the breakfast show on Gold 104.3.
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Audio production on Media Unmade comes courtesy of Abe’s Audio, the people to talk to about voiceovers and sound design for corporate videos, digital content, commercials and podcasts.
As ever, I welcome your thoughts to letters@unmade.media, or via the ugly brown comment button below.
Time to let you go about your Thursday. Have a great day.
Toodlepip…
Tim Burrowes
Proprietor - Unmade
Media Unmade - Chapter 16: 2Day was Yesterday