Macquarie Media axes Braybrook to end Brisbane-produced content on 4BC

The Brisbane-based host of 4BC Drive show will host his last program this Friday as the station’s owner looks to air content produced in Sydney.

Mark Braybrook joined 4BC in 1993.

MACQUARIE Media is set to end its Brisbane-produced content after axing Mark Braybrook’s weekday Drive show.

Braybrook was believed to have been informed of the decision on Tuesday afternoon.

The media veteran started as a sports reporter with 2UE in 1988 and moved to Brisbane to join 4BC in 1993.

Marl Braybrook sacked by 4BC which will now only air Sydney-produced content in Brisbane. Pic: 4BC

The father-of-three only took over as host of Drive from Ben Davis in July last year and will host his last drive show (3pm-6pm) on Friday.

Macquarie Media has yet to officially announce the change or who will replace Braybrook although Ben Fordham currently hosts Drive on sister station 2GB.

Fordham’s is expected to be on Brisbane’s airwaves immediately after the September school holidays. In the interim, Karl Stefanovic will fill the slot.

Braybrook addressed his audience at the top of his Drive show on Wednesday to declare “it’s true” that Friday would be his last day hosting 4BC Drive.

“What is also true, is that I have been speaking with management about where my future may or may not lie,” he said.

He professed his love for sport and calling the Intrust Super Cup for the Nine Network, with a desire to be more involved in commentating in the future.

“I don’t know where my future lies because I am missing being involved in sport,” he said.

“All I know, is that I am going on holidays…and then I’m heading to my happy place to fish.

“Now whatever happens after that, I can tell you one thing, it will be in the best interest for me and my family and the company.”

The Drive show was the only locally produced show on 4BC after Macquarie Media ditched the Brisbane-based breakfast and morning shows in April 2015.

The station syndicates all three slots out of Sydney with Alan Jones covering breakfast, Ray Hadley on the morning shift and Steve Price in the afternoon.

The only personality to be spared the axe in 2015 was Davis who departed on his own terms in 2018 and has returned to reading sports news for Brisbane’s Seven Network.

Overall, Braybrook increased the Drive audience by about 1.5 per cent in his time in the chair, despite the latest Brisbane radio survey not being too kind.

Mark Braybrook, who joined 4BC in 1993, is pictured in 1997 at the station. His last day as Drive host will be on Friday when content will then be syndicated out of Sydney.

His shows cuts across two survey slots and both suffered a decline in the ratings.

The Afternoon show (midday-4pm) dipped from 6.7 in the previous survey to 5.8 in survey 5 in August while the Drive slot fell from 4.6 to 4.4 for the same period.

Both slots were outstripped by rival 4KQ, owned by the Australian Radio Network, which has a similar target audience of listeners aged 55 and over.

Macquarie Media was contacted for comment.