Shock news indeed.
With Jim Maxwell likely retiring anytime soon as well, I reckon ABC Grandstand is set for a national overhaul.
There are plenty of other sports commentators at the ABC, including rugby league commentator Andrew Moore who was involved with the cricket coverage on 2GB and 2UE, and other capable up and coming journalists no doubt.
Iād forgotten Al Nicholson had done a couple of the tests in India last year, donāt mind Moore either on the one dayers. Adam Collins might be a bit of a smokey too. Thing is they need to keep heading in the direction Whateley had them going the last couple years. Much improved overall though I do miss Drew.
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Of course but itās going to be hard for the ABC at least in the short-term considering the number of sports Whately was their āleadā commentator for
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Didnāt realise he was ABC Grandstandās main commentator until I saw ABCās presser.
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Read Jarrod Kimber from Cricinfo time as a consultant at ABC Grandstand re Cricket Coverage must read.
Hereās a link. Havenāt read it myself yet as Iām heading out, but the above post had me intrigued (a link wouldāve been handy)
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Al Nicholson seems to have been growing into more of a role over the past year with a lot more national exposure with AFL and Cricket although I may have just taken more of an interest there as heās from our neck of the woods.
Interesting seeing in that Jarrod Kimber article about Peter Newlinds too, he was with the ABC in Hobart for years but never really got more of a role than around the grounds type coverages, while he wouldnāt be a leader for the cricket coverage hecould have been on the commentary team more regularly I think and he has been a loss for ABC Grandstand.
Peter Newlinds called a few AFL matches from York Park when needed. Outside of those matches, donāt remember him doing anything other than around the grounds type coverages.
He did a bit of calling during the around the grounds coverage when Tasmania were going well in the Sheffield Shield and one dayers and was always used extensively for Sydney to Hobart coverage too.
Heās been replaced now by Chris Rowbottom formerly the Southern Cross News sports presenter.
Definitely an interesting read - it will be interesting to watch what the ABC try and do to recover, their current lineup beyond Gerard and Jim Maxwell is quite frankly boring, but with so many commentary teams now particularly during the summer its going to be difficult to find someone to put in the box
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Didnāt he call the infamous sirengate game on ABC, since it was in Hobart? It was likely heard in WA.
He was probably down on the boundaries for it I reckon. He would have been involved somewhere. Iād forgotten about that game, Hobart people loved it because they could call York Park in Launceston a failure.
For the first week of Summer 2018, Marc Fennell is on National Mornings, Fiona Poole is on National Aftenoons, Nikolai Beilharz on National Drive and Bern Young (Gold Coast Breakfast) is on National Evenings, with Suzanne Hill on Nightlife and Michael Pavlich on Overnights.
Also interestingly, Leon Compton from Tasmania is on Brisbane breakfast. Has he moved? Cathy Border filling in across the rest of the state.
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Leon has regularly filled in for ABC Melbourne presenters, might like a change of scenery from time to time.
Is it just me or is anyone else bothered by the fact that after 8am, ABC Local Radio has no local content for the rest of the day outside news bulletins?
I appreciate that thereās going to be some national programming during both the Christmas/New Year and non-ratings period. However, there should be at least local breakfast, mornings and drive programs (with the latter two being shortened editions)
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Drive should definitely be local year-round.
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What time does Marc Fennellās mornings start? I noticed that it was near 9am yesterday and we still had local breakfast, not sure about this morning. Iām actually liking the guy we have for breakfast at the moment more than our usual presenter. Heās known as Fred Hooper (although Iām pretty sure I went to school with him and he had a different name) and is generally the producer for breakfast with Belinda King I believe but heās also presented Northern Drive at times and produced for the weekend programs and all sorts of other behind the scenes jobs.
Havenāt heard anything about him moving but heās probably gone for a working holiday! Not possible that heās able to do it from Hobart at all? Would seem weird but stranger things have happened.
I thought it could have been a working holiday, but on this mornings show he opened with comments about last nights rain and storms happening after he had finished watering his garden - which made me wonder.
In Melbourne it started at 10am, not sure about other states.
David Astle is doing breakfast/mornings in Melbourne at the moment.
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