ABC radio management has shown no understanding of the vital role of public broadcasting and presenter changes have trampled on audience trust, Sydney staff have said in an angry letter to the ABC board.
In the letter, seen by Guardian Australia, journalists say the decision to remove Sydney presenters Sarah Macdonald and Simon Marnie had been made without consultation or explanation. The strategy to improve ratings has not been communicated, apart from that it needs a refresh, and staff are bewildered and concerned.
A replacement for Macdonald – which is understood to be the former Q+A host Hamish Macdonald – has still not been announced more than two weeks after the 2025 audio schedule was unveiled.
Sarah Macdonald, whose contract ends on Friday, has been on stress leave since revealing on air she had been axed after two years on the mornings shift.
“We have a unique relationship with our audience who fund us to provide information, entertainment and company,” the letter says.
“We believe that recent actions have trampled on this relationship of trust. We believe this is a mistake and undermines what has been achieved here in a century of broadcasting.”
Without naming them, the letter points the finger at current radio management: the director of audio, Ben Latimer, and the head of capital city network and sport, Mike Fitzpatrick.
Latimer joined the ABC last year from Nova where he was head of programming for six years. He has already been promoted to the ABC executive, reporting to the managing director.
Fitzpatrick joined the ABC this year from Triple M, where he was credited with creating Melbourne’s top-rating FM breakfast show, The Hot Breakfast, with Eddie McGuire.
“We note a significant shift towards senior management who have a commercial media/radio background,” staff say. “We are yet to see evidence of a true understanding and belief in the vital role and responsibility of the public broadcaster in these senior roles.”
Dated 5 December, the letter says local radio is unique and presenters who master the skills of listening, interviewing and winning the trust of audience over a three-hour shift are not easy to come by.
The retirement of Richard Glover after 28 years on air would have been considered a large enough change for the audience this year but that has been compounded by the decision to remove Macdonald and Marnie, and the resignation of Robbie Buck.
“This is a public relations disaster on so many on many levels,” the staff say, adding: “We observe that four deeply experienced broadcasters will leave at the same time, this talent and trust cannot be easily and quickly rebuilt.”
Staff said they are not reacting to the distress of presenters, as has been suggested by management, but to the “audience outpouring of confusion, anger and disbelief at unprecedented levels”.
The staff have asked for a meeting with the ABC chair, Kim Williams, or another board member to discuss their concerns.
The ABC declined to comment.
