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I'm not about to begin a debate about the decision, but the first three sentences of this story are false.
"The ABC’s quarter to eight news disappeared quietly this morning.
The final 0745 bulletin went to air on local radio stations last Friday, without a mention that it would be the last bulletin. This morning there was also no mention of the format change, which had been flagged in July as part of the response to budget cuts in the ABC News division."
The final bulletins were in fact on Sunday and not Friday.
Both Friday and Sunday's bulletins included reads about the schedule change.
The exact text on Friday was " From Monday morning, there'll be a change to ABC radio news bulletins. Tune in at 7 o'clock as usual for 10 minutes of news, then we'll have a new bulletin at 8, and AM begins at 5 past 8. Of course we'll continue to bring you breaking news across the day on ABC Radio Sydney (and online at abc.net.au) The time now ... a minute to 8."
Sunday's bulletin also included a 60-second tribute, featuring audio from well-known newsreaders from the past.
There have also significant on-air farewells to readers in Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne during Breakfast shows.
To suggest this occured without on-air comment is false.
I have emailed Steve with this information, as well as attached audio, but I've not heard back, so I thought I'd comment here.