Axed 3AW Overnight host Tony Moclair will ‘have a voice’ at the station
Following his shock axing from 3AW’s Australia Overnight program Tony Moclair has thanked his supporters while promising it won’t be the last time they hear him on the airwaves.
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Axed Australia Overnight host Tony Moclair says he will continue to have a voice on 3AW.
“Thank you to everyone who’s checked in with me since the demise of my hosting gig on Australia Overnight,” Moclair said on his Facebook page tonight.
“I will continue at 3AW, presenting segments and filling in, as needed, on various shifts.
“This changed role allows me more time at home with Kate and the kids while continuing to have a voice on a station that I love.”
Late last Friday, Nine Radio, formerly Macquarie Media, announced that Moclair and Bianca Johnston, who co-hosted Australia Overnight from Melbourne, would be replaced by Sydney broadcaster Michael McLaren.
McLaren commenced those duties on Monday.
Moclair’s post followed 3AW broadcaster Simon Owens comments, that axing Moclair and Johnston is a “shocking idea.”
“I take a leaf out of the book of (former broadcaster) Derryn Hinch,” Owens said on his 3AW show, The Radio Asylum, on Saturday.
“If management make decisions and we’re happy, then we can praise those decisions, and say how great they are.”
Owens said he agreed with recently announced changes that include 3AW veterans Dee Dee Dunleavy moving into afternoons to replace Denis Walter, and Walter shifting to 3AW Nights.
“Dee Dee into afternoons will be a wonderful success,” Owens said.
“That’s not taking away anything from the great work Denis has done, but I do think it’s important to freshen up a station from time to time, be that by changing hosts, or be that by the people behind the scenes to reinvigorate the hosts.
“I do think a station needs to freshen up from time to time.
“The idea of moving Denis into nights, which brings nights back to Melbourne — great idea; the idea of putting Dee Dee in afternoons to replace Denis, I love Dee Dee, I think she’s great — great idea.”
But Owens added: “The idea of axing Tony and Bianca’s show is, personally, in my opinion, a shocking idea.
“I feel happy to applaud management when they make decisions I feel are good, but … I’m not going to be shy … if I disagree with something that management has done.”
Moclair and Johnston farewelled their listeners in a Facebook post late on Friday.
“In the ever changing landscape of the media, we are sorry to say that we (Tony and Bianca) will not be returning to Australia Overnight this year,” Moclair and Johnston said.
“As of Monday, Michael McLaren will become the new host the show.
“Most importantly, we want to thank you for your company and for allowing us into your homes, cars, trucks and workplaces — wherever you may have been listening to Australia Overnight.
“We’ve valued your loyalty and contribution to the show,” Moclair and Johnston added.
“You’ve been a wonderful audience and as we all deal with this change together, we sincerely hope you extend the same warmth, generosity and passion that you have shown us to Michael McLaren and his team.
“The Overnight audience is a family whose support is essential to the fabric of the show.
Wishing you all the best. Thank you.”
McLaren, who is based in Sydney, will host Australia Overnight across 3AW, Sydney’s 2GB, Melbourne’s 3AW, and Brisbane’s 4BC.
On Friday, Mumbrella reported Nine Radio’s head of content, Greg Byrnes, as saying: “I wanted to thank Tony Moclair and Bianca Johnston for the work they’ve done on 3AW overnights. We’re currently discussing other opportunities within the business with them.”
Owens said on his radio show on Saturday: “Michael McLaren is very good. I take nothing away from him, from the fact that I’m personally disappointed that we’ve lost Tony and Bianca.
“I wish him all the best.
“The listeners are the ones who ultimately program a station,” Owens said.
“If Michael’s show doesn’t work, then it will be replaced. If Michael’s show does work, then it will stay. Some programs from Sydney will work, some will fail.
“It’s just a case of wait and see.”
Owens comments last night sparked a barrage of calls from listeners voicing their disappointment over management’s decision to nix Moclair and Johnston.
The latest shuffle at Nine Radio follows the sacking late last year of 3AW Weekend Overnight presenter Alan Pearsall, who had hosted the show for 29 years.
A disappointed Pearsall said he wasn’t given the chance to farewell listeners.
“I did ask whether I could do the weekend shift (to say goodbye), but they said they were going to find a little spot for me to say farewell,” Pearsall told the Herald Sun.
“I said that wasn’t going to be enough, so I left it be.”
He added: “I’ve been there for a long time. After 29 years, you make a lot of radio friends.
“Even though you don’t know them personally, you feel like you’ve become part of their lives, and in many ways too, they’ve become part of my life.
“The people who call into all-night radio are a friendly mob, and they’ve given me a lot of joy for many years.”
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Pearsall’s departure also followed 3AW’s decision to scrap popular Melbourne show Nightline, hosted by Philip Brady and Simon Owens, after 30 years on air, two months ago.
Nightline has been replaced by 3AW Nights, which debuts on Monday.
Brady and Owens still host 3AW show, Remember When, on Sunday nights.
Pearsall was philosophical about the changes happening in radio.
“Networking is inevitable with radio. It’s happened in FM radio, they network all over the place. The ABC is network in the evenings through to breakfast,” he said.
“But I do believe Sydney and Melbourne are very different groups of radio listeners.”