Confirmed: Macquarie Media axes 3AW station boss Stephen Beers

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Human Headline and former 3AW broadcaster Derryn Hinch hit Twitter on Tuesday night to warn that the “Sydney butchers” had plans to hold a “crisis meeting” this morning.

TV Blackbox has since reported that Macquarie Media’s Melbourne-based operations director, Stephen Beers, is leaving the network after his role was made redundant.

Beers has been in operations with Macquarie since 2015 and is the latest executive to make a swift exit amid the impending takeover Nine Entertainment.

As was widely speculated, chief executive Adam Lang was made redundant last Monday.

Radio insiders were also fearful of lineup changes, with speculation that 3AW could lose local talent in favour of Sydney programming, in much the same way as sister station 4BC Brisbane.

The recent addition of Ben Fordham on Drive means an all-Sydney lineup in key weekday shifts on the Brisbane station.

4BC’s schedule now includes Alan Jones on breakfast, Ray Hadley on mornings, Steve Price on afternoons, Ross Greenwood on evenings, and John Stanley on nights.

However, executive chairman Russell Tate tried to quash further 3AW changes.

“3AW is an iconic and successful Melbourne station focussed on local audiences and content and that will not change,” he said. “The 3AW team will remain firmly focussed on serving its audience and advertisers as they have always done.”

The imminent departure of Beers follows yesterday’s headline about changes to Macquarie Sports Radio, which will cease all talk programming on the network from Friday.

“Macquarie Media Limited today announced that development of its Macquarie Sports Radio stations in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane will be paused and reviewed over the summer months and that the current schedule of sport talk programs will cease as of 11pm, Friday 1 November,” said Tate, in a statement provided to Radio Today.

Tate went on to explain that cricket and football will continue to broadcast as usual, while news updates will be provided on the network from Macquarie National News services.

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Rob
31 Oct 2019 - 10:17 am

How long before Afternoons and Mid Dawn will be networked from Sydney ? Afternoons could be an improvement over the current boring offering on 3AW!

Kath
2 Nov 2019 - 6:25 am

I’d like to hear Michael McLaren in Melbourne midnight to dawn, currently need to listen via the internet, his show is excellent.

Jayme Doran
9 Nov 2019 - 12:27 am

Weekend Overnights on 3AW is now networked from 2GB Sydney. It appears Alan Pearsall (who has done weekend overnights for many years on 3AW) appears to have left the station after 30 years with both 3AW/Magic.

Weekday Overnights on 3AW continues to come from Melbourne with Tony Moclair while Michael McLaren does overnights for 2GB/4BC/2CC.

Lorraine moore
10 Nov 2019 - 12:11 am

Just leave 3aw alone John Stanley at night is terrible one night this week he was talking to some one in Brisbane about what’s happening with development there I couldn’t care less turned it off as usual then early this morning turn radio on no Alan Pearsil some man with a rough voice calling toilet paper dunny paper and then swearing just before 6 o’clock, now I Stephen Beers has gone in favour of a Sydney person heaven forbid.

maurice brumer
9 Dec 2019 - 9:55 am

john stanley is a breath of fresh air entertaining and informatve

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