New boutique radio station’s bold bid to replace Brisbane’s ‘iconic’ 4KQ

Beloved Brisbane radio station 4KQ is making a big move to sports broadcasting, but another radio station station is making a bold pivot from easy listening to classic hits in an attempt to capture its market.

A boutique radio station has thrown its hat in the ring as a ready-made replacement of the classic hits that are set to be lost to Brisbane airwaves when 4KQ transitions to sport.

ACE Radio chief executive Mark Taylor said 4BH 1116 had already pivoted from a “easy listening” style to a classic hits format in what could be music to the ears of 4KQ listeners.

It comes following the sale of 4KQ to Sports Entertainment Network with music replaced with “wall to wall” sport which has led to predictions that its audience numbers would drop off.

With 4KQ fans up in arms about the shock switch, Mr Taylor said 4BH was quietly ready to pick up the pieces.

Popular radio station 4KQ at Milton. Picture David Clark

Mr Taylor said the station switched to a mix of classics and easy listening last week.

“Just imagine a softer version, without some of the rock n roll and pop, we thought it would sit in nicely alongside 4KQ,” Mr Taylor said.

“But now you can have both. Nice slow songs in tandem with April Sun in Cuba or Robert Palmer’s Irresistible.

“We have all the features that the 4KQ audiences will be familiar to. The jukebox Saturdays, Sunday morning 60s, they’re already in place.”

Mr Taylor said ACE Radio would talk to anyone who ended up a casualty from the 4KQ fallout, for the right price.

It is not yet known how many jobs will be lost in the sale with Sports Entertainment Network understood to be under a review process.

“We will certainly talk to anyone who has been misplaced or lost their job and see if we can accommodate them,” Mr Taylor said.

“It’s big shoes to fill. 4KQ was an institution but hopefully people give us a go.”

Laurel Edwards.

Some of those who will lose their jobs are mega popular breakfast trio Laurel Edwards, Gary Clare and Mark Hine who will be replaced by Pat Welsh and Ian Healy, one of many Queensland-specific programs earmarked to move to SENQ.

Edwards has been tight lipped about her next move but said she had fielded several offers from radio networks.

When the news broke about the sale earlier this month, former radio host Ian Skippen tipped audiences would follow the likes of Edwards.

“If they go somewhere else they can take slabs (listeners) with them. People want to listen to something they’re familiar with,” Skippen said. 
Sports Entertainment Network say the 693AM signal will be rebranded as 693SENQ with the new sport format aimed to start in July.

SEN chief executive Craig Hutchison said he was excited to continue SEN’s expansion within the Queensland market.

While former owners of the network, ARN, will look to redeploy staff of the top-rating breakfast show elsewhere.

ACE Radio, owned by Rowly and Judy Paterson, expanded its regional network in January with the acquisition of new stations in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.