Just like my earlier comment.
Maybe NewFM sugarcoat these departures to make it sound like it is the announcers personal decision?
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There’s whispers Michael Robertson is also leaving - his last day is next Friday
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There’s only so far NewFM can go before the SRN/BOG true colours come through.
Being part of that network is their biggest shortfall.
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From what I hear - it was Meg’s choice to leave due to poor management - which I think is the general consensus surrounding all resignations in the past 12 months.
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It’s history repeating itself. Remember when another ex-SCA announcer Sophie Tilley joined NewFM and left shortly after?
NewFM thinks they can just grab former SCA jocks who’ll bring some experience to the station.
What’s obviously happening, is when ex-SCA staff arrive, it’s clearly a very different style of business to that of SCA - and they’re either not used to it, or do not agree with it (for whatever reason).
That’s a shame. Because it tells us that its not just the overall sound of NewFM that needs work, but also behind the scenes that needs looking at.
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Well this is awkward.
I guess that’s what happens when you don’t “break” the news.
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Yes, exactly, I’d love to work at NEW FM/2HD & I’d be proud of the place, but not while it’s owned/controlled by Caralis, I’d rather shoot myself in the head than go through the crap the staff have to, to get anything done there.
Yes I loved Sophie, miss her on air in Newy, don’t know if she’s still in radio somewhere or not, or even where she is now, but there’s a bit more behind the story there.
Not going into too much details, there was an incident involving Sophie at SCA with other staff & her services were no longer required, I understand there was another incident involving her at NEW FM & same result.
I believe Meg left SCA because of the way she was treated (poorly) by other staff at SCA, she may have got a better offer than afternoons on NEW FM, but probably a lack of support from management would be my guess, & I don’t think it’s the way Guy Ashford manages or even other local management, I think it’s they are hand-tied from resources from above the local General Manager?
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From what I’ve heard is the PD and GM have no clue what’s going on with the station. Unfortunately the station’s name is tarnished and the only recruits they’ll get moving forward are those straight out of AFTRS and community stations with no clue of the industry; and they’ll be in for a bumpy ride. Management should really look at themselves in the mirror to figure out the high staff turn over and do something to retain the staff they have or lure the old ones back somehow.
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The consensus from many in the industry is that Guy is a good sales person, but a pig of a person when it comes to dealing with people. No social skills or anything. Nor can he run a station properly from a programming view.
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I don’t know who they would lure back from recent departures. The likes of Matt Harrison and Lizzie Stokes have taken on a role with SCA. I am unsure of where Jade Leader is (she may be working in radio somewhere still?). Jackson Brunner has relocated overseas. Brandon Atkins is from all reports working in TV production. And as mentioned above, is Michael Robertson also out the door (maybe just whispers)? They would really have to dig back in the history book for staff to ‘lure back’. Also, at a minimum wage across the board, it would be hard to get anyone but an AFTRS grad.
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I am sure there’d be some BOG regional FM announcers in the pipeline for a role at Newcastle.
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Not much good talent in the regions apart from one at 104.7 and one at ZZZFM
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And our @hatdj at NOW…. He’s good to listen too.
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Who’d take it with the evidently awful culture there & being paid like 55k to live in a market you can’t live in for less than 70. Radio needs a wake up call.
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Well according to one source there have been “a heap of good applications” coming through on the job. So who knows? But usually I’ve noticed the last few applicants have come from Western Australia so it’ll be interesting to see how things pan out.
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Honestly I would love to see Jade, Brandon and Jackson back. They really made an effort to shine through and make great content. I use to travel to the Hunter Valley once a month and I throughly enjoyed their commitment to the job. I wonder where Jade is these days?
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Last I heard (when she left Newcastle), she moved to Queensland, Gold Coast I think, with her partner & started her own business, being a wedding celebrant. Can’t remember now if she had a baby literally the week before leaving Newy or a couple of weeks after arriving in Queensland, but she’s probably being a mum & doing the wedding celebrant work now?
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Who is your ‘source’? The caliber of replacements to good talent that NEWFM once had (and say what you would like about the station it has had good talent at times with great potential) has been one big disappointment. Not to say you have not heard that, I’d just be surprised.
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From what I have been told all staff from breakfast to evening get paid the same salary that barely makes 55k without additional weekend slots. Laughable.
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The latest NewFM Facebook post promoting The Novo’s mentions that they’ll start from 5am tomorrow (not 6am like last year).
I wonder how that’ll go against Hit & Triple M who start later.
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