Nine Radio sold, Nova’s Fitzy, Wippa, Kate Ritchie go to drive, Tim and Rikki to mornings, Joel Creasey rumour
Nova Entertainment and Nine Radio have both announced two of the industry’s worst-kept secrets, as two shows are pulled from their time slots and a new owner is announced.
For months, there has been intense speculation that Nova’s Sydney breakfast show, Fitzy and Wippa with Kate Ritchie, would be pulled from the AM slot. On Friday, that move was finally confirmed with a move that shunts another program from its shift.
Nova’s national drive show Rikki Lee, Tim and Joel will be no more, with Tim Blackwell and Lee moved to Sydney breakfast, while Fitzy and Wippa with Kate Ritchie will move to the afternoon slot.
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Creasey, who has been a hit in the drive slot since his radio debut and on Nova’s Perth breakfast show for months now, is rumoured to be getting his own national radio show, with an announcement expected later on Friday.
The announcement comes as another major radio shake-up was finally confirmed.
Nine Radio, which has stations including Sydney’s 2GB, Melbourne’s 3AW, Brisbane’s 4BC and Perth’s 6PR, has been sold off for $56 million.
Billionaire publican Arthur Laundy has been confirmed as the network’s new owner.
The two shake-ups follow a landmark merger of Seven West Media and Southern Cross Austereo, the owner of this publication, which established Australia’s largest media company in January, bringing together the news and radio brands.
On the Nova move, the network’s group programming director, Brendan Taylor, told Radio Today that now was the “right moment” to make changes.
“Ricki-Lee, Tim & Joel have been a consistent number one show in their time slot, and now is the right moment for a new sound for Sydney,” he said.
“Ricki-Lee and Tim are perfectly positioned to bring something exciting to Sydney Breakfast.”
As for the drive shake-up, Mr Taylor said the move would allow the network to bring “magic” to Nova’s afternoon slot.
“They’ve delivered excellent results together and this move to Drive allows us to share their magic with all of Australia.”
