Been there, done that...
... and still has the T-shirt. A souvenir speaks of 4BC’s previous peril. Plus: Podcasting pleasers.
Amid the current angst about sackings and line-up changes at 4BC, a “survivor” has been in contact to remind me that this is not the station’s first rodeo.
Apparently, during “a small blip in 4BC’s history” there was a competition to devise an alternative logo — and the winner appears on the T-shirt (pictured, above).
But that was in the nearly 40 years ago. The big drama was yet to come, in the “mass bloodbath” of 2015, after the merger between Fairfax Media and Macquarie, which saw about 18 staff made redundant and the bulk of 4BC programming was networked from 2GB.
One person who left just before that said they had heeded the advice of a colleague: “It’s always time to leave when Sydney moves too close to Brisbane.”
So, are the current problems at 4BC case of déjà vu? For the sake of the people who remain after the recent changes, let’s hope a better way is found this time around.
Top of the pods
According to the Australian Podcast Ranker, Mamamia Out Loud has, yet again, been named the most-listened-to Australian podcast, followed by Hamish & Andy, Sky News Australia Update, ABC News Top Stories and Conversations.
According to Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA), which releases the rankings in partnership with Triton Digital, 55% of Australians consume podcasts every month.
While we’re not writing radio off quite yet, that statistic is both an opportunity and a challenge for those who are in the business of monetising sound.
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P.S.
Kyle Sandilands has announced that news.com.au reporter Mary Madigan will be the newsreader and “second tier” voice on his online radio show.
©2026 Brett Debritz. If I’ve inadvertently used copyrighted material, failed to give credit where it’s due, written or said something you disagree with, or otherwise upset or unexpectedly delighted you, please leave a comment, email me or connect with me at @debritz on X and Mastodon, @brettdebritz on Facebook, Instagram, Threads and BlueSky, and @radiobert on YouTube. Links provided as a courtesy; I take no responsibility for their contents or give any warranty of their veracity. Image: Anon.
Disclaimer: Brett Debritz used to work at 4BC. He does not yell at dogs.