Category: Australian

In 2025 a reimagined ABC Radio National will be at the centre of big conversations and create a space where audiences can expand their worldview while engaging with the world’s best thinkers.

Award-winning journalist Sally Sara will lead the day on Radio National Breakfast joined by political correspondent Melissa Clarke, business correspondent Peter Ryan and news presenter Luke Siddham Dundon.

Fran Kelly will make her return to Radio National in a 1-hour weekday evenings program The Radio National Hour from 6-7pm. The program will focus on the big news stories shaping our world.

Fran said: “I’m thrilled to back on Radio National in a bigger way next year.

“This new show is a chance to go deeper into the news of our time, speaking to the best thinkers and creators and opinion shapers every day. And it’s an election year… I can’t wait!”

Current Drive host Andy Park will remain part of the network and become the presenter of flagship current affairs program The World Today.

Joining Fran and Sally on ABC Radio National next year is Nick Bryant as host of Saturday Extra.

ABC Radio National Manager Dina Rosendorff said: “In 2025 ABC Radio National will be at the heart of national and global conversations and reestablish itself as a trusted source of thoughtful analysis and deep thinking.

2025 will see the Network go even further to cultivate a space for profound insight and meaningful conversations with an expanded range of programs and voices across science, technology, the arts, culture, history, religion and set the agenda in current affairs.

“Radio National will cement itself as the ‘go-to’ space where ideas spark, perspectives broaden and inquiring minds find their home.”

The new year sees an emphasis on returning to a live, flow format through the addition of Cassie McCullagh and Hilary Harper as the Voices of Radio National who will thread Radio National’s programming together throughout the day.

Hilary and Cassie will guide audiences through the live schedule across news and current affairs programs into our unmatched range of specialist content.

Program highlights

Also in 2025, Radio National will expand its history offering with new global and Australian historical series and a landmark history show hosted by Australia’s favourite history buff, Marc Fennell.

Richard Glover is leaving the ABC at the end of the year, but his popular show Thank God It’s Friday! will remain, presented by Charlie Pickering and heard on Radio National, ABC Radio Sydney and ABC Radio Melbourne.

The Big Weekend of Books returns in October as ABC Radio National’s Top 100 Books, a countdown in which audiences can vote for their favourite books of the 21^st Century. As always, the event will showcase authors around the world talking about their new releases.

We are adding to our roster of specialist content with some of the brightest minds in their field.

Tim Burrowes and Vivienne Kelly host a new program, MediaLand, examining the media landscape in Australia and abroad.

In news to delight the scientifically minded, Lab Notes, presented by Belinda Smith will cast a lens on fresh scientific discoveries and other things we didn’t know last week – from major breakthroughs to surprising curiosities.

Peter Martin hosts a new business program, The Economy, Stupid, and Jonathan Green sinks his teeth into all things food with Every Bite.

Tegan Taylor becomes the new host of Life Matters with Beverley Wang continuing to present Friday’s talkback program. Dr Preeya Alexander joins Norman Swan on The Health Report.

David Marr continues as host of Late Night Live. Daniel Browning presents Arts in 30 a weekly wrap of what’s happening in the world of art and culture in addition to presenting The Art Show.

Rae Johnston steps in to host Australia’s number one technology podcast Download This Show.

Siobhan Marin will host Quick Smart

Scheduling changes (AEDT)

A new early AM and News Daily at 5.30am

PM moves to 5pm

Late Night Live repeat moves to 3pm

Conversations moves to 4pm

The new Radio National Hour will be heard at 6-7pm

The Music Show will move to 10am on weekends

Radio veteran Brigitte Duclos will spearhead Afternoons on 774 ABC Melbourne in 2025 while Charlie Pickering will help us celebrate the end of the week with a new show on Fridays.

Brigitte promises to bring great interviews and engaging conversations to your afternoon, having had a successful radio career spanning three decades.

“Radio has been a 30-year passion of mine and I am so looking forward to getting back behind the microphone to deliver a show that informs, excites and, most of all, focuses on the topics important to Melbourne,” Brigitte said.

“The ABC listeners are the soul of this city and I look forward to them sharing their stories, struggles and triumphs.”

Current Afternoons presenter Trevor Chappell will return to his role as Overnights presenter in 2025.

Trevor said he had enjoyed presenting Afternoons but was looking forward to reconnecting with his Overnights audience.

“Trev is one of the nicest men in radio and it’s been a pleasure to have him around during the day,” Acting Local Manager Shelley Hadfield said. “His national Overnights audience will be delighted to welcome him back into their nights. We are grateful to Michael Pavlich for being such good company to them during the past 18 months.”

To wrap up the week and celebrate the start of the weekend, Charlie Pickering returns to 774 to host a new show on Fridays from 5-6pm. Thank God It’s Friday (TGIF) will follow Ali Moore’s Drive program, bringing together comedy, music and the week’s news in front of a live audience from our Southbank studios.

In other news, station favourites Jacinta Parsons and Brian Nankervis will get your weekend off to a great start, taking over Saturday morning programs.

Brian will present Saturday Breakfast, with Alice Zaslavsky making the decision to step away from the show next year so she can spend weekends with her daughter.

And, Jacinta will take over Saturday Mornings. Current presenter Matt Preston has announced he will step away from show next month after three years.

“I’ve loved doing what is one of the best jobs in radio, so it has been a tough decision,” Matt said. “I’m so grateful to the people I’ve worked with on the show and the top-level co-hosts that have taught me so much.

“I’ve been lucky enough to interview so many of my heroes both old and new over the journey. And it has been priceless spending time with such an intelligent, passionate and often very funny audience.”

Saturday’s Cat and Matt show, with Matt and Catherine Murphy, will wind up. Catherine will still appear on programs across the station.

Alice Zaslavsky said helping Melbourne wake up every Saturday had been a privilege.

“Though I’ll be stepping away from the show, I won’t be leaving the 774 family,” Alice said. “You can look forward to hearing my voice as ABC’s food guru, as well as the odd cameo back behind the mic.

“Thank you to the Saturday Breakfast regulars – both our guests and our listeners, who have enriched our weekends with worthwhile tidbits. It’s these voices and views that make a show like ours vibrate with vitality.”

Jacinta and Brian will continue presenting The Friday Revue.

Last week, Sammy J revealed he will finish up as Breakfast host next month, with award-winning journalist Sharnelle Vella and Western Bulldogs’ great Bob Murphy set to wake up Melburnians in 2025 with a mix of news, sport, weather and fun.

774 ABC Melbourne is excited by the new line up, which also includes Raf Epstein on Mornings (8.30am-11am), Richelle Hunt on The Conversation Hour (11am-noon), Ali Moore on Drive (3pm-6pm), David Astle on Evenings (6.45pm-10pm) and Lisa Leong on Sundays (10am-noon).

Acting Local Manager Shelley Hadfield said it was hard to say goodbye to much loved presenters and colleagues and she had no doubt they would continue to be regulars on the station.

“We are excited to shake things up with this new line-up and we are confident that it will hold us in good stead to make sure that we remain the voice of Melbourne,” Shelley said.

Brigitte will start presenting Afternoons over the summer break.

Award-winning broadcaster and one of Perth’s most accomplished journalists, Gary Adshead will join ABC Radio Perth from January 2025.

Adshead will host ABC Radio Perth’s Drive program in the new year.

Of the new role, Adshead said: “No matter how long you spend in the media business, there’s always a surprise around the corner.”

“For me to have the chance to speak with, inform and entertain an ABC audience was an opportunity too good to refuse.

“From January, I am determined to bring energy, experience, curiosity, a nose for news and plenty of laughter to the Drive program.”

ABC Radio Perth Manager Danielle Benda said she was absolutely delighted that Gary had decided to join the ABC team.

“Gary has been breaking news stories and asking the hard questions in Perth for more than 35 years. Few people know this city like Gary,” she said.

“He has a formidable reputation as a reporter, with a great ear for a good story, a genuine interest in people as well as a warmth and humour that make him essential listening.

“He will be a brilliant addition to our ABC Radio team as we start the new year.”

Afternoons host Michael Tetlow is returning to the ABC News Channel to present the evening and late national TV bulletins.

“Doing Afternoons has been an absolute blast,” he said.

“But I’ve only ever been on loan to radio and television is my first love. I have missed TV and as decision time drew nearer, I had to make a call.”

Current ABC Radio Perth Drive host Jo Trilling will move to the Afternoons program.

Trilling said she was thrilled to be presenting Afternoons.

“Hosting the Drive program for the past two years has been a great joy and I have loved every minute.

“But Drive is all consuming and I have two young kids who are very excited to have me back at after school sport and I suspect helping cook dinner in the kitchen.

“My driving force has always been to try to help people understand the world a little better and give voice to those without one. I will continue to do that on Afternoons as well as having a heck of a lot of fun! There will be a little more of the thrilling Jo Trilling I dare say.

“I do hope you’ll turn the dial on a little earlier in the arvo, I so look forward to having a chat in 2025.”

About Gary Adshead

The career of investigative journalist, political reporter and broadcaster Gary Adshead has spanned four decades, having started when he was an 18-year-old cadet working for a regional newspaper in New Zealand.

The now 58-year old’s dedication to journalism and storytelling has seen him win more than 20 awards across television, radio and print.

He has been the WA Journalist of the Year on four occasions and in October, added a prestigious Australian Commercial Radio Award to the list for Best Podcast by a Radio Show, which was in recognition of his podcast series The Reporter: True Stories.

Some of Adshead’s most memorable reporting was into the fake medals scandal surrounding fallen politician Barry Urban, which resulted in a police investigation and inquiry by the WA Parliament.

In 1997, he covered the rescue of stricken sailor Tony Bullimore from aboard HMAS Adelaide more than 2000 kilometres south of Albany in the Southern Ocean.

He spent more than two weeks on Christmas Island in 2020, when the first pandemic evacuees arrived from Wuhan, China to be quarantined.

His skillset has developed during newsroom management roles at Channel Seven, as the political editor for The West Australian newspaper and Channel Nine – and as a police and investigative reporter reporting on organised crime.

Adshead has also hosted both the morning and drive-time programs for 6PR as far back as 2003.

He is married to Helen, is the father of two boys, aged 20 and 24, loves sport and non-fiction crime books.

Award winning broadcaster and journalist Ellen Fanning will host ABC Radio Brisbane Drive in 2025.

A Brisbane native, Ellen started her career in commercial radio in 1988.

At 24, she broke new ground, becoming the first woman to host one of ABC’s prestigious national current affairs radio programs, PM.

After two years at the helm of PM she spent several years anchoring AM and serving as occasional host of ABC TV’s 7.30 Report.

Ellen has also served as the ABC’s Washington correspondent and was co-host of The Drum on ABC TV from 2017 until 2023.

“I’m delighted to be joining ABC Radio Brisbane in 2025,” Ellen said.

“After years reporting big national and international stories, I’m thrilled to be back home in Brisbane. I grew up in Brisbane and Logan and made my start in journalism in this city.

“Over the past 25 years, Brisbane has grown and changed. Since moving back here in 2023, I’ve quickly remembered what makes this city and its people tick. I cannot wait to be telling their stories and sharing the news highlights of the day in Drive. Plus, to hear from you on the daily drive home.”

Current Drive host Kelly Higgins-Devine will move back to Evenings in 2025 and Evenings presenter Rebecca Levingston will finish at the end of the year.

Rebecca said: “20 years of ABC radio has been a million different experiences for me. My time on air has been surprising, lifechanging and hilarious.

“I’m so grateful to my listeners and my colleagues for sharing stories that will stay with me forever.

“I’m thrilled to head off on my next adventure.”

ABC Radio Brisbane Local Manager Anthony Frangi said: “We are delighted to welcome Ellen to ABC Radio Brisbane. A formidable journalist and experienced presenter with a resolute passion for what makes Brisbane tick, she will add considerable weight to our line up in 2025.

“I would like to thank Rebecca Levingston for her work on Evenings this year.”

About Ellen Fanning

Ellen Fanning started a career in commercial radio in 1988, after graduating with a communications degree from the Queensland University of Technology. At 24, she broke new ground, becoming the first woman to host one of ABC prestigious national current affairs radio programs. Two years at the helm of PM were followed by several years anchoring AM and serving as occasional host of ABC TV’s 7.30 Report.

Ellen served as the ABC’s Washington correspondent, returning to Australia in 2000 to report for the Nine Network’s 60 Minutes. She was the last presenter of the Nine Network’s prestigious Sunday program and a columnist on legendary The Bulletin magazine.

She has reported from locations as diverse as Transylvania and the North Pole, under the Indian Ocean aboard an Australian Navy submarine and 30,000 feet over Serbia from a US Airforce refuelling jet. She has interviewed every current and former Australian Prime Minister, and has met and interviewed world leaders from France, Britain, Ireland, Israel and the United States.

Fanning wrote and directed a six-part documentary series titled Fine Line for SBS TV in 2002, and in 2013, returned to SBS to host the 20-episode series, The Observer Effect.

In 2014, she returned to the ABC where she has worked for the past decade, presenting Life Matters on ABC Radio National and more recently hosting ABC TV’s national current affairs program, The Drum, a role shared with Julia Baird.

Fanning returned to her home town of Brisbane in 2023. In 2024, she was a recipient of QUT’s Outstanding Alumni Award.

Experienced journalist and broadcaster Chris Bath and presenter and comedian Charlie Pickering will be an integral part of the ABC Radio Sydney line-up in 2025.

Bath is set to take over as Drive presenter in the new year, while Charlie Pickering will present Thank God It’s Friday! it was announced at the ABC Upfronts presentation in Sydney today.

Bath was host of Evenings on ABC Radio Sydney from 2016 to 2019. She has periodically filled in for long-term Drive incumbent Richard Glover, who is departing the role after 26 years, and fittingly was introduced by him at the event.

Bath said she was feeling “excited, daunted, a little bit scared and nervous” about taking over as the Drive presenter.

“I’m still in a bit of disbelief. I always thought that Richard was going to be there forever.

“Every time I sit in that chair, I have a pretty healthy dose of imposter syndrome because I don’t know how anyone could be as good a broadcaster as Richard Glover.”

Bath has spent the majority of her career in television but is looking forward to being on radio full time.

“The thing I love about radio is something that I just don’t think you can create in television and that’s a sense of community that you can actually have live on air.”

Pickering said of his appointment as host of Thank God It’s Friday! “It’s an honour to be trusted with a beloved ABC Radio Sydney program and introduce it to the Melbourne audience on 774 and Australia wide on Radio National.

He reflected on Richard’s legacy “Richard was kind enough to have me as a guest on TGIF many times over the years and I have always been an enormous fan of his show. It is a testament to his stature as one of Australia’s leading broadcasters, that it took me years of secretly undermining him at the ABC to finally to get this job”.

ABC Radio Sydney acting Manager Pat Emmett said: “This is a real coup for ABC Radio Sydney and bolsters our already strong roster of presenters.

“Audiences will delight in the return of Chris Bath to Sydney airwaves with her warm and relaxed style resonating easily with listeners.

“Charlie Pickering is set to continue the incredible Thank God it’s Friday! legacy by rounding out the week with his trademark wit and enthusiasm to ease listeners in Sydney, Melbourne and on ABC Radio National into the weekend.”

About Chris Bath

Chris Bath is an Australian journalist, news anchor and radio and television presenter. Born and raised in Sydney’s west, she has been a journalist and news reporter/anchor since 1988. She began her career at Sydney’s Radio 2UE then moved to newsreader and reporting roles at Prime TV in Albury and NBN Television in Newcastle before spending two decades at the Seven network based in Sydney. She presented Evenings on ABC Radio Sydney from 2016 until 2019.

About Charlie Pickering

Charlie is an award-winning comic and TV and Radio presenter who has hosted on radio and TV. He was one of the founding hosts of The Project where he was a presenter for 5 years, has presented The Weekly with Charlie Pickering since 2015 and has been a regular host for ABC TV’s New Year’s Eve coverage. Charlie previously hosted ABC Radio Melbourne Breakfast on Friday’s.

ABC Radio Adelaide has announced Rory McClaren as the host of ABC Radio Adelaide Mornings in 2025.

Rory will take on the role following the announcement that long time presenter David Bevan will retire at the end of the year.

“I’m thrilled to have been trusted to take over the Mornings program from David Bevan. Rory said “It’s equal parts exciting and daunting to follow his lead.”

“David has made an immense contribution to the state’s media industry over decades. He’s been a standard setter.

“I’ll seek to build on his work, and of those who have gone before him, when I start in the Mornings chair.

“I firmly believe local voices and stories matter. Local audiences matter, and they will be my priorities.”

Rory joined the ABC in 2021 and is the state political reporter with ABC News South Australia.

He has covered politics full time at state and federal level since 2015, including stints in Canberra.

No stranger to ABC Radio Adelaide audiences, Rory has been a regular contributor to ABC Radio Adelaide’s landmark “Spin Cycle” program which examines SA politics on Friday morning.

Before he joined the ABC, Rory worked across a variety of commercial broadcast and print media organisations.

Rory is also the President of the South Australia Press Club.

ABC Radio Adelaide Manager Graeme Bennett said: “We are delighted to have Rory as part of the ABC Radio Adelaide team.

“Rory’s great strengths in political and news coverage across broadcast and online mediums are complemented by his passion for the community he serves.

“He is an incredible, fresh talent who has already laid the foundations of connection with our audience and he is natural fit for our long established role in holding those in power accountable and reflecting the life of our city.”

Rory will start on the program in January.

Audiences across the ABC’s podcast slate grew by 51,000 listeners in October according to the Triton Podcast ranker release today.

The ABC had more titles featured than any other publisher and was the third most listened to publisher in Australia last month.

October was a strong month for news titles and the ABC had the number 1 and number 2 most listened to news titles (ABC News Top Stories and News Top Stories). These titles also performed strongly in the overall list with ABC News Top Stories at number 3 position and ABC News Daily recording its biggest audience of the year landing at number 10.

The ABC’s most recent true crime series Unravel: Mr Big landed at number 39 on the October list after the full series was released.

Hosted by ABC reporter Alicia Bridges, Unravel: Mr Big investigates a secretive crime boss caught on tape touting his corrupt connections to police and the courts. But like the recording which sparked the investigation, nothing is what it seems.

ABC Director Audio Ben Latimer said: “The results from October once again demonstrate the ABC’s trusted role in delivering news and information to Australian audiences”.

“The ABC is now turning our focus to our summer broadcast plans to ensure audiences have enough first run and favourite content to see them through the break.”

The full Triton Australian Podcast Ranker can be found here.

Audiences can enjoy all the ABC’s podcasts for free and ad free on ABC listen.

The Australian Podcast Ranker is a regular monthly snapshot of Australia’s most popular podcasts. The Ranker has been reporting podcast listening in Australia since 2019 and includes a wide cross section of Australian podcast publishers, from both radio and non-radio backgrounds.

BUT WERE THEY TOO ENTERTAINING FOR AUSTRALIA’S TAX ACCOUNTANTS?

21 November 2024

For the penultimate Hamish & Andy episode of 2024, Hamish Blake and Andy Lee, plus 300 conference delegates (aka listeners), descended on the RACV Royal Pines Resort Gold Coast for a unique conference event called ConCon.

Run over two days, ConCon was planned to be packed with ‘insightful’ business education sessions, delegate networking opportunities, premium biscuits, and expert-led discussions. But did Hamish and Andy’s audacious plan to host a business conference prove too entertaining for Australia’s tax accountants?

The latest episode from Hamish & Andy reveals all from ConCon and answers some burning questions:

Were there enough biscuits for the Biscuit Hour at ConCon?

Hamish: “Biscuit hour, absolutely rocking out there.”

Andy: “There’s a lot of biscuits.”

Andy: “Man, they’ve got a replenishment team. They’re like ball boys.”

Hamish: “Once I saw all the biscuits in the flesh or in the crumb, I went, it’s possible, and I’m not saying it is true, but it’s possible we have too many biscuits!”

Did the presentations successfully educate the delegates of more than 100 industries?

Hamish: “Pretty powerful stuff.”

Hamish to Jack: “Have you just printed out ChatGPT?”

Did Conrad Sewell’s ‘re-worked’ song go off without a hitch?

Conrad: “I am in no way here to entertain, um, I have a message to deliver, and it’s purely educational.”

To listen to exactly what happened at ConCon on the penultimate Hamish & Andy episode for 2024, click here. Download the LiSTNR app and sign-up to listen for free. To access pictures from Hamish & Andy’s ConCon conference click here.

 

About LiSTNR:

LiSTNR is a curated and personalised, free app offering radio, podcasts, music, and sport, creating a new audio destination for all Australians. Featuring a fun and intuitive onboarding process, LiSTNR delivers an audio destination that is built for individual listeners’ routines and preferences. Highly personalised, it provides listeners a new world of audio entertainment, with their own daily feed of audio and easy discovery of new content through curated recommendations. Available across a large array of devices including both iOS and Android, CarPlay and Android Auto, Google Assistant and Alexa and Android TV, LiSTNR enables a fantastic listening experience, anytime and anywhere. Open your Ears to a new world of audio – download the free app today. LiSTNR.com

“I can play Spotify but I can’t find my local radio station”

Digital Listening Habits Transform Radio Landscape

AM, FM and DAB+ radio transmission are not going anywhere, at least in the short term. But the same can’t necessarily be said for radio audiences.

So where are they going?

They’re not leaving altogether – community radio audiences are staying strong. In 2024 community radio reaches almost 5.2 million weekly listeners – up almost 10 per cent on 2023. (note: this is not necessarily a trend).

But the way audiences are tuning in to radio is evolving, and fast.

People are increasingly listening to online streams, podcasting and on-demand catch-up audio.

Smart Speakers Replacing Traditional Radios

Sales and ownership of “regular radios” is in decline. This Christmas the tree is much, much more likely to have a smart speaker wrapped underneath these holidays. Smart speaker ownership has doubled in four years to 34%. Online streaming of radio services is increasingly popular. Radio streaming among 25-54-year-olds has doubled in three years.

CBAA’s Fight for Digital Prominence

CBAA is working to support stations to reach their audiences through the maze of modern media devices. We are doing this through advocacy to influence policy settings that make sure radio is readily available in the future and by providing easy and affordable tools to help your station be competitive in the modern audio marketplace.

New legislation is being proposed by the Federal Government to secure the prominence of local radio services on smart speakers. This is really important to make sure listeners can easily access local radio services for free on audio devices. It is a vital safeguard to ensure these devices don’t unfairly prioritise streaming services or other sources of audio over local, licenced broadcasters.

CBAA is working closely with Amazon’s Australian staff to increase the audio command skills of Amazon Alexa to provide consumers with easy access to diverse community radio station services from the source. At the moment however, Apple and Google devices take listeners to a stream provided by third party app TuneIn – which add their own ads to your stream.

We don’t think smart speaker provides should be able to add their own, or a third party’s broadcasting, advertising or other content to your station’s stream, not without the consent of the station anyway.

Protecting Local Radio in Cars

We are also working with ABC, SBS and commercial radio to include devices in cars. In-car radio listening is really significant and streaming radio listening in cars rose by 75% in two years to 28%.

Read CBAA’s Submission: Radio Prominence on Smart Speakers

AM,FM and DAB+ remain the dominant form of listening in 2024. But technology is changing fast and we want to make sure stations relationship with listeners is future-proof.

Four Steps to Future-Proof Your Station

CBAA is keen to help you navigate these changes at the station level too.

So, what can you do to make sure your service is best practice on internet connected audio devices?

• Have a secure stream. Smart speakers require secure streams. If your station needs help to establish a secure stream, contact CBAA and we can provide one for you as we already do for 96 stations.
• Having a modern, always up-to-date and user-friendly website to help listeners access your online stream and on-demand content.
• Make sure your radio meta-data is up to date. This is the digital information that helps audiences find your station on digital devices and provides your station name, now playing information and other information audiences want to see on visual displays. CBAA can assist you to do this for Community Radio Plus, Alexa and Sonos smart speakers. Update your info here.
• Promote the Community Radio Plus App – it is free, exclusively for community radio and you can access the listener data via our dashboards. We have a new competition running with everything you need to promote listening on your station here.

Learn more about how to Grow your Listener Audience Online by viewing our recent webinar.