702 MAKES CHANGES AS JOHN ROBBIE LEAVES THE STATION
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| Radio veteran John Robbie to bid his listeners farewell in January. PICTURE: SUPPLIED |
After
more than 30 years with 702, John Robbie has announced he will be retiring from
the talk station at the end of 2016.
John, who turns 61 later this month, has
been steering the 702 breakfast show for nearly 15 years during which time the
station has evolved into one of South Africa’s most respected media platforms.
He has won numerous awards and interviewed
significant newsmakers on almost every major news story to affect South Africa,
often setting the Gauteng and national news agenda for the day.
“John has been a part of the fabric of the
station since 1986 and has guided audiences through some of the most tumultuous
stories and changes in our recent history,” said Primedia Broadcasting CEO,
Terry Volkwyn.
“He’s gathered legions of fans, gotten
into plenty of trouble and done an extensive amount of good for listeners and
communities around Gauteng. He has become a part of hundreds of thousands of
Gautengers daily lives and we are all going to miss him.”
Reflecting on his time at 702, and his
decision to leave, John said: “Just as I ended my rugby career, I knew when it
was time to go and informed my bosses. Thirty years at 702 has been a blast. I
am proud of my contribution and proud of the station. It is one of the most
transformed businesses in SA and has a massive role to play going forward. In
thirty years, many on the morning show, I was never late once. Good luck to my
dear colleagues and friends who are listeners and advertisers and to my family
who have shared the journey. It has been a privilege to serve. "
John’s retirement has created an
opportunity to restructure the 702 line-up, and from the 9th January 2017, current afternoon drive
host, Xolani Gwala will be taking over the breakfast slot from 06h00 to 09h00.
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| Redi Thlabi to move to drive time slot. PICTURE: YouthVillage |
Redi Tlhabi, who has been with 702 in the
mid-morning slot for 10 years, will take over afternoon drive from 15h00 to
18h00.
Her current show, 09h00 to 12h00 will be
permanently hosted by Eusebius McKaiser who has been filling in for Redi for
the past three months while she has been on maternity leave.
“When John first discussed his plans to
retire, earlier this year, we were saddened by his loss to the line up but are
in an exceedingly fortunate position to have the depth of talent on our station
that we do,” said 702 station manager, Thabisile Mbete. “This new line up
strongly reflects South Africa. It is balanced and will take the station into
the future”.
“Xolani has extensive experience on a
breakfast show from before he re-joined 702, some four years ago. He’s an
excellent broadcaster who we are proud to have on our station and as our new
breakfast host,” she said.
Xolani is looking forward to this new
challenge. “I have an immense respect for John and what he has done for 702 and
South African radio in general. I know that taking over from him will be a
great challenge, but I’m humbled by it and looking forward to it.”
Redi will take her tough but fair approach
to afternoon drive and is thrilled to be taking over a new show: “The afternoon
drive is perfectly placed to reflect the news of the day, capture breaking news
as it unfolds and provide a platform for debate and reflection. I am looking
forward to the show’s fast pace and unpredictability. I feel like I am going
back to my newsroom roots with the added advantage of interacting with
listeners.”
She also wanted to pay tribute to John:
“John Robbie has been a prolific broadcaster, always the consummate
professional, ready to praise and teach others. I will miss him and his bad
jokes!”
Eusebius said he is ecstatic to be hosting
his own show: “Our country and world cry out for debate, creating meaning,
being silly, laughing together, disagreeing deeply, emoting openly, and all the
while building community. It's an enviable joy to have the privilege of being
in conversation with our listeners daily in my favourite slot on the radio
clock."
He too wanted to express his respect for
John: “John Robbie has been one of the most hardworking broadcasters in the
country with an incredible energy and passion that put our 702 community of
listeners at the centre of his daily offering of breakfast radio. He never took
the airwaves for granted, and approached everyday as if his career depended on
it. His openness to self-examine his worldview is a characteristic many of us
struggle to emulate."
Mbete added that each of the new shows
will create their own identity, while retaining all of the elements that
audiences have become accustomed to.
One other change was announced: Veteran
journalist Karima Brown will be hosting Talk @ Nine on Sundays. Karima was the
Friday Stand-In for Redi Tlhabi earlier this year, and took to the radio medium
with positive response from the audiences. She will be hosting a current
affairs show that discusses and analyses the stories and issues that come out
of the Sunday newspapers.
Karima’s appointment and the new show
format will come into effect from 20 November 2016.
“We see ourselves as a platform for
spirited conversations and we feel that all of these changes to the line-up
will strengthen this positioning and help to take the big discussions in South
Africa forward,” said Mbete.
The changes to breakfast and afternoon
drive as well as 09h00 to midday will take effect in the new year, from 9
January 2017. - release from Primedia
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