Former weatherman Steve Jacobs to bring the Magic
He rose to fame presenting the weather on Today, and now Steve Jacobs will try to turn the tide at beloved but beleaguered Melbourne radio station Magic 1278.
Fiona Byrne
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Former Today weatherman Steve Jacobs will helm the rebirth of beloved Melbourne radio station Magic 1278, kicking off a new breakfast show at the end of the month.
The station has undeniably been in the doldrums for the past five years after a series of unsuccessful presenter and format changes.
A clutch of Magic presenters were dropped in 2015 and the station rebranded as a talk station called Talking Lifestyle in 2017. That foray lasted 14 months and failed to gain traction before the station was relaunched in April 2018 as Macquarie Sports Radio.
In January this year the sports radio format was dropped and the Magic name was returned with a focus on music from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s.
“To be able to start with a blank slate and rebuild these stations is a really exciting time,” Jacobs said.
“To be handed the reins of these amazing stations that have such great heritage and to bring them back to music stations is a great challenge.
“The ’70s, ’80s and ’90s were my musical eras, particularly the ’80s.
“I spent 18 years living in Melbourne. Just want to get the ball rolling, get it started, give people the songs that they want and the format that they want and hopefully with someone that they know and they trust.
“I am kind of well known for my energy and my excitement and I am hoping to bring that to the radio as well.”
Jacobs departed Today at the end of last year to spend more time in Sydney with his daughters.
He still watches the show that he was a part of for 15 years and has not ruled out a return.
“Who knows, maybe one day down the track I might be able to get back there if I have got some time and do some work,” he said.
“I had to walk away from the Today show last year because I have two beautiful young girls, 6 and 8, and I just could not do the travel commitments they (Today) required of me.
“It was a really difficult choice for me to make … but the girls were much more important to me.”
Jacobs’ breakfast show will be heard on Magic as well as 2UE 954AM in Sydney, 4BH
882AM in Brisbane and 6GT DAB+ in Perth from Monday, April 27.
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