Star FM Mackay snaps up ex-Hit Network duo Sam & Rach

It seems that Southern Cross Austereo’s loss is Grant Broadcasters’ gain, with former Hit Mackay Breakfast pair Sam & Rach heading for Star FM 101.9.

Sam & Rach, most recently the #1 Breakfast show in the region, will bring their show to Star FM Brekky. They were part of the recent slate of redundancies across regional Hit Network stations.

“We are excited to welcome Sam and Rach to the Grant Broadcasters family,” Star FM & 4MK general manager Paul O’Connor said.

“Their love of Mackay is evident and while other companies are reducing their local on-air presence, we have expanded our strong on-air line up to create these new positions for them”.

Sam & Rach both expressed their delight they’ll continue to be on air in the local community, with the new show to begin September 28.

“I’m very excited for this new chapter in my radio career and so grateful that I get to continue being on air in the community I call home,” Rach said.

“Now that we’ll be back on air, we’ll get to continue with our big stunts. I am worried that Rach is going to want our next project to be something that lets her sing,” Sam added.

The move means that Grant Broadcasters will shuffle current Star FM Breakfast host Rob Kidd over to sister station 4MK 1026 AM.

Kidd has spent over 14 years with the Grant network, and with him moving, current 4MK Breakfast host Dave Perkins is moving to Mornings with a magazine-style show.

The new shows go live from September 28.

Rob Kidd

“Rob is Mackay. He’s as local as the Pioneer River, Town Beach and Eungella National Park,” O’Connor said.

“Rob’s been acknowledged as a community leader and is exactly the type of person we want hosting 4MK Breakfast.

“Dave Perkins is a household name – a former long term 4MK Breakfast host and with his 12 years on the Mackay Regional Council, he knows what Mackay needs to know!

“And while other companies are reducing their local on -air presence, we have expanded our strong on-air line up to create these new positions for Rob and Dave.”

Kidd said he’s privileged to remain in the city where he’s lived since 1980.

“Ever since Dad drove our family into Mackay from Sydney in 1980, 4MK has been part of my life..

“To be able to join the 4MK family each day for breakfast is such a privilege and I’m excited.”

As for Perkins, he’s stoked not to be getting up at 4.30am anymore and says he’ll be preparing his new show “with heaps of local content – and I’ll begin introducing some features to build on that
localism.”

“Local content creators like Sam and Rach that genuinely connect with their local community don’t just appear,” Grant Broadacsters group CD Ryan Rathbone said.

“Lots of hard work has gone into developing Mackay and The Whitsundays #1 breakfast show and the entire team at Star 101.9 will do their bit to ensure Sam and Rach have all the support needed to continue to dominate ratings in the region”.

“I’m excited for our listeners in Mackay and the Whitsundays who will now get two new local shows on 1026 4MK,” he continued.

“Rob Kidd and Dave Perkins are both passionate, professional, local broadcasters who will super serve their listeners with compelling content every day.”