This morning it was announced Mediaworks' talk back news radio station, Today FM, is facing closure, bringing the end to a short and troubled history.
Replacing Magic Talk in 2022, Today FM aimed to be Mediaworks' answer to the talk back radio juggernaut Newstalk ZB.
Magic Talk had attempted to capture the same audience as Newstalk ZB, being an older, right-wing demographic. It couldn't.
Today FM took on more of a centrist approach to the news, saying it wanted to encourage debate and avoid sensationalism.
The station featured a lineup of industry big shots including Tova O’Brien, Duncan Garner, Rachel Smalley and Mark Richardson.
It carried a mission statement of catering to those "who are sick of the same old names talking about the same old news".
“We’re sick of being angry. We’re over being scared. The sun has come up each day despite Covid and it will come up again tomorrow,” former head of news Dallas Gurney said in a 2022 opinion piece.
"At Today FM, we don’t want to panic you just to get you to listen a bit longer or click another headline. We won’t cover the sensational just because we know you’ll call up about it or share it on social media.
"These are old tricks; you worked them out long ago, they’re not clever, and you see them for what they are."
But the approach wasn't to last, as we found out today. So here's a look at some of Today FM's biggest highs and lows.
Tova’s employment nightmare
Things immediately got off to a rocky start for the new station, with Tova O’Brien losing an Employment Relations Authority case following her resignation from Newshub and a three-month restraint of trade clause.
It meant Today FM and its star presenter would have to go live months later than planned.
It meant the former political journalist missed the occupation of Parliament's grounds, arguably the biggest news story of last year.
“I’m just absolutely devastated. Not just for myself but the entire team that can’t launch,” she said in 2022. The station finally launched in March of that year.
Gurney’s impromptu trip
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II station boss Dallas Gurney made an impromptu trip to attend the lying-in-state service.
Lining up alongside Londoners, Gurney waited in line for hours, calling into the station during its coverage.
Interview with Zelensky
The station then landed a significant win, when Tova O'Brien landed an interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Making a 50-hour trip to Ukraine, O'Brien saw the war's devastation first-hand, speaking with locals and seeing New Zealander Dominic Abelen a week before he died.
However, the main event was her interview with Zelensky; she was the only New Zealander to interview him since the war began.
The two spoke candidly about his personal health, the possibility of nuclear war and why they need more help from countries like New Zealand.
Dye departs after four months
Broadcaster Mark Dye signed on to co-host Today's Breakfast show alongside O'Brien and Carly Flynn, only to leave after four months.
It was later revealed he left because the weight of hosting a talk radio show and being the head of a medicinal cannabis company was too difficult.
Producer Tom Day said the proposal for the station to be shut down was a shock but not a total surprise given key departures in recent weeks. (Source: 1News)
"Understandably, he's decided to focus on his business and so is leaving Today FM. Mark has played an important role in getting the Tova show off to the flourishing start we have had. We wish him nothing but the best for his future success," a Mediaworks spokesperson said at the time.
Constant struggle for ratings
Since the station first hit the radio waves, they've been in a constant, losing battle with NZME's NewstalkZB.
In the last Radio Broadcasters Association (RBA) survey, Today FM only received 1.4% of the market, a significantly smaller audience than ZB's 16.5%.
These numbers, alongside the company's tricky financial situation, appeared to spell the end.
Gurney resigns
Last week it was revealed the head of news and the station's "architect", Dallas Gurney, had resigned.
Today, O'Brien and Garner expressed their concern about the future of the new talk radio station, taking the extraordinary step of speaking on air about their fears as the door shut.
"We're scared. We're optimistic, and we've got to hold out hope here, but we're scared, and we want to be honest with you as we don't know what's going to happen," O'Brien told listeners.
Garner said, "the company is bleeding cash".
They touched on Gurney's resignation, saying, "since then, we haven’t been able to get the same level of assurance from the board, from our acting CEO, about what the future of Today FM looks like”.
Previously, chief executive Cam Wallace had also left MediaWorks. He had advocated the long-term nature of the project, encouraging staff not to look at ratings for two years.
'Betrayal'
Today FM is now facing closure, with the entire news room joining Garner's show to explain the station's situation.
"It sounds like it's over," O'Brien said.
"We've been on the air for a year; we were told we had the support of everyone, from the chief executive through to the board, through to the executive.
"And they have f***** us," she said.
"We're all gonna lose our jobs, and the station is gonna go off the air."
"This is betrayal," Garner said.
He described the scene, saying employees were in a bad way, crying and "shell-shocked".
The crew were told to cut the station off and play music.
Upon hearing the news, a reporter packed up and left a news conference involving Chris Hipkins and Michael Wood announcing proposed new Auckland harbour crossing options.
In a tweet, Tom Day, a producer on the Tova show, said Mediaworks has made a proposal to shut down Today FM, and have given employees until the end of this afternoon to make submissions.
He told 1News the crew wouldn't be coming back to work tomorrow.
In a statement, interim Mediaworks chief executive said the station had been taken off air while there is consultation about its future.
"This is a difficult time for the team and our priority is supporting them as we work through this process."
SHARE ME