Radio Industry to see more jockeying for position than the Melbourne Cup.

In a move to take on Hamish and Andy who’ll be doing Drive on the Today Network next year, ARN has reportedly signed ex-Nova Breakfast team Hughesy and Kate to do a national Drive show, according to News.com.au.

Where that leaves incumbent Tim “Rosso” Ross is not clear. However, last week Craig Bruce told radioinfo that he’ll deliver news this week regarding the future of Merrick Watts. He could lob a bombshell in that Merrick will reunite with Rosso – which means the old firm of Merrick and Rosso could replace the One Percenters with Matt Tilley and Joe Hildebrand on Triple M Drive. The show which was hailed as a bold new initiative when launched earlier this year, is said to be under performing. 

News.com.au also supports the view that Mix 101.1 will be rebranded as KIIS but apparently Chrissie Swan will not be doing Breakfast on the station Melbourne next year. Her place alongside Jane Hall will be taken by Triple M’s Matt Tilley, previously top rating a breakfast co-host on FOX. To what extent that would change the dynamic and demographic appeal of the station is unclear.

No one from any of the networks have confirmed any of these moves at time of writing which means that predicting what the FM radio landscape between the three major networks is going to look like next year is about as easy as picking the trifecta in The Cup.

After reports of the story broke, Kate Langbroek denied she had signed with any network in a tweet to her followers, saying:

One thing, though, is for sure – it’s very good for Radio!