Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), Monday 14 November 1994, page 34


ON

RADIO

by JEN ROSENBERG

Shake-up for local breakfast programs

Canberra radio is heading for interest

ing times in the next couple of weeks, with changes all over the place.

Last Wednesday Sally Chester and Richard Burgess were given the flick from the breakfast slot on Canberra FM. The official reason for their departure was cited as being a "mutual agreement", but general manager of the station, Stephen Pead, said both were still working for the station. Burgess has gone back to reading the news, and Chester is still considering her options, according to Pead. The station has made her an offer, and she is currently deciding whether she will take it or move

elsewhere.

There is still no news about who will be the full time replacement, although among the rumours, word has it that Doug Mulley and Greg Hughes might make the move from 2CG. A decision will be made in the next week.

■ Part of the speculation surrounding Mulley and Hughes comes after Thursday's announcement that the licence for 2CC has been put on the market. Pead says that it was a business, not an emotional decision, and that the station did not fit into the format of the network. The network has FM stations in Svdnev. Mel

bourne and Canberra, which all follow a similar programming format, and the AM station cannot compete. He said that 2CC did not fit into the metropolitan plans for the network.

What will happen to the station if, and when, it is taken over is anyone's guess. AM stations cannot out-rate their FM rivals with popular music programming, and talk back is an expensive option. The other thing about talk back is that the ABC has pretty well cor

nered the market.

Pead said there will be no programming changes before the station is sold, but after that the format will be entirely up to the new buyer.

■ QBN-FM, Queanbeyan's community radio station is holding a 28 Hour Country Music Marathon this weekend, from 8pm Friday to midnight Sunday. The aim of the weekend is a fund-raising event to help build new facilities for the station and upgrade equipment.

■ Catch Toni jCollette, star of ever popular Muriel's Wedding, tonight on Triple J's Creatures of the Spotlight. The show also features Peter Barrett, Australian computer games designer.

■ Armistice Day was the excuse for 7ZR (ABC radio, Hobart) to broadcast Anne Warburton's show from Canberra. Warburton took advantage of the "sophisticated sound recording studio" at the War Memorial and the abundance of material from the Film and Sound Archives, as well as tapping into the talent of resident historians, to give the Taswegians an authentic Rememberance Day special.