The Daily Telegraph reports that ABC Radio Sydney has made major changes to its line-up, with big names set to depart their posts next year. James Valentine is out of the prime time breakfast slot with The Chaser’s Craig Reucassel to replace him in a bid to stop haemorrhaging ratings.
Indira Naidoo too will leave her evening show, although will stay with the TV arm of the broadcaster. It comes after the recently announced departure of Josh Szeps from the afternoon timeslot. Industry veteran Valentine meanwhile will return to the afternoon shift from mid-January.
ABC Sydney has struggled since the departure of Wendy Harmer and Robbie Buck in the all-important breakfast slot in October, 2021.
Ratings wise, the pair peaked with a score of an audience share of 15.9 per cent of the breakfast market.
Most recently, Valentine’s breakfast show rated 8.4 per cent, well below market leaders Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson on commercial music station, KIIS FM, with a 16.3 per cent audience share.
Comedian Reucassel said: “I’m honoured to be joining ABC Radio Sydney as the station celebrates its centenary. I’ve got some big shoes to fill, following in the footsteps of some incredible broadcasters including James. I’m looking forward to getting to know the audience over breakfast and my morning coffee (from a reusable coffee cup of course). The bit about being excited to wake up at 3am was a lie though.”
ABC Radio Sydney manager Steve Ahern described Reucassel as “one of the ABC’s most versatile talents, able to ask the hard questions and still have a laugh about the quirky and the unusual things going on around the city.”
He continued: “Our afternoon audience will enjoy the return of James Valentine to the timeslot. They have missed his laconic sense of humour in the afternoon hours.”
Valentine announced the changes live on air.
“I’m delighted to be returning to my afternoon timeslot and reuniting with my afternoon listeners,” he said. “It’s been an incredible privilege leading Breakfast these past two years and I wish Craig all the best with the early starts.”
ABC RADIO SYDNEY 2024 LINEUP
WEEKDAYS
Breakfast – Craig Reucassel
AM – Sabra Lane
Mornings – Sarah Macdonald
The World Today – Sally Sara
Afternoons – James Valentine
Drive – Richard Glover
PM – David Lipson
Evenings – Renee Krosch (Fridays Sirine Demachkie)
Nightlife – Philip Clarke (Fridays Suzanne Hill)
Overnights – Michael Pavlich (Fridays Rod Quinn)
SATURDAY
Breakfast – Simon Marnie
Afternoon – Grandstand
Evening – Robbie Buck, Songs & Stories
Nightlife – Suzanne Hill
Overnight – Rod Quinn
SUNDAY
Australia All Over – Ian Macnamara
Morning – Simon Marnie
Afternoon – Grandstand
Evening – Christine Anu
I will really miss Josh Szeps and am very sad he is going – WHY?? What is he going to do in the future?
I can’t believe that Sandilands and Jackie O have such a high rating and what they are paid – but as Prime Minister Albanese said when he joined the team at the ABC 100 Birthday (having just been on the radio with them) “They DO have listeners!”
I have no real reason to listen anymore. It’s a shame. None of the presenters except Craig take my fancy, and I’m not a very early riser.
This year I mainly listened to Szeps. He was very interesting.
ABC radio seems to have become only for those in the richer suburbs of Sydney, with children, or grand children. There is little interest there now for my wife and I.
Good bye Sydney ABC!
Hope Phil Clarke will retun to nightlife very soon , am heartily sick of Rod . He is so rude and arogant .
I agree. where is Phil Clarke? Is he ill?
I turn Philip Clark off. He laughs at almost everything and everyone. Don’t like sms participants they can google or have brain trust just to hear their names read out. Philip asks questions and off they go about irrelevant topics. This is a quiz show, ask a question and get an answer! And finish at 1am. He often has 7 or 8 questions left. Been a listener for over 30 years.
Rod Quinn is a smug, arrogant know it all, with a huge chip on his shoulder.
Could not agree more with you. The arrogance of the man at times is beyond me.
Rod quinn is very secretive, doesn’t share any of his private life, despite wanting to know about everybody else’s
Quinn is ghastly and incredibly pompous.
He is extraordinarily rude to many callers. I now turn radio off when he is on. Totally up himself.
What rubbish, Rod has wonderful slots on his programme where he interviews really interesting people. He is very knowledgeable, particularly about sport and all types of music. I will really miss him this year and hope he has an enjoyable break and gets plenty of sleep.
Where is Phil ? We want him back!
Isn’t time that Phillip Clarke and Rod Quinn moved on and we had some fresh look and feel to these time slots…. they both sound tired and indifferent on air and give the impression that they would rather be elsewhere…. truth be told as a listener, I do wish they are somewhere else…. best move last year was losing Trevor Chappell… boy was be irritating to listen to…..
Rod quinn is very secretive, doesn’t share any of his private life, despite wanting to know about everybody else’s
Rod Quinn doesn’t seem to host Overnights – thought he was returning in February. Hope he’s OK. When will he return…
Every night program has a quiz. So boring hearing the same question asked multiple times with callers umming and aahing.
Programs seem to have same formula for each day of the week
Why are we forced to listen to the cricket now, November 2024 on Sydney 702. Isn’t there a more adaptive technology which the ABC can employ? Years ago before digital radio, cricket cut into the afternoon slot. Fortunately, I was able turn to Radio National. These days with so many repeated shows on RN , e.g. Conversations, I’m off listening to BBC radio podcasts and other more interesting programs from across the world. I like listening to James V on 702 as I work, he and his listeners are very entertaining.
Cheers Jill
I can cope with changes that have been made for 2025 ABC…life goes on but to bring Trevor Chappell back to nighttime what a disaster! What did we do to deserve that! Bet Melbourne is thrilled
Very disappointing move
Those of you who say that Rod Quinn is arrogant and a know-all, left out that he is also dismissive, patronising. and judgemental.
Trevor Chappel is simply a giggling, ignorant fool, and Phillip Clark is just too left.
Bring back Pav, promote him – he is excellent and the pick of the lot.
And Renee Krosh is brilliant, interesting and across everything – love her. And what a voice!
Sad to hear that Rod Quinn is leaving Overnights end-March, albeit until late 2025 on Leave. I love his incisive interviews, his regular overseas guests, and his subject choices. Those who dismiss him as arrogant or rude are threatened by his honesty & intellect. I’ve never tired of his brilliant program over many years. You will be greatly missed Rod by your many loyal listeners!
Rod Quinns return can’t come soon enough to save us and the program from the ignorant bumbling ‘Pav’. Yes, Quinn can be arrogant zt times but at least he’s intelligent with good general as well as some specialist knowledge