SPORTS Entertainment Network has announced it has acquired the commercial AM licence, formally 4KQ, in Brisbane. The long held 693AM signal will become Queensland’s new home of sport, rebranded as 693 SENQ with a sports focused format aimed to start on or around July 1, 2022, subject to completion. With current commercial stations in place in Melbourne (1116 SEN) and Sydney (1170 SEN).
Listeners will no longer hear the familiar trio of Gary, Laurel and Mark (which rated No 1 in April 2021*) and others including Nick MIchaels, Brent James and David D Whitcomb who have all become household names in Brisbane.
The new breakfast program, ‘Breakfast with Pat & Heals’ hosted by Pat Welsh and Ian Healy, will move onto 693 SENQ.
Cameron Smith’s show alongside former Bronco Denan Kemp, ‘The Captain’s Run’, will also be heard each Thursday from 9am to noon. And Queensland made drive show ‘Sportsday’, with Gold Coast based Gary Belcher and Scott Sattler, will also find an additional home on SENQ.
SENTrack Brisbane will continue in its current format on the 1053AM frequency.
SEN Chief Executive Officer Craig Hutchison said he was excited to continue SEN’s expansion within the Queensland market. “We know Queenslanders love their sport. SENQ will provide a unique offering and constant sporting content like never before as Queensland’s only dedicated sports station. We already have great momentum with ‘Breakfast with Pat & Heals’ and I look forward to announcing more Queensland specific content in coming months”
We have great respect for the 4KQ brand and would like to acknowledge them in this period of change. While it will not continue in its current formats, we have huge respect to its role in Australian radio history and its legacy. Our business model is sport, and parochial sport is at the heart of that. Queenslanders love their state and its teams and we are excited to play our role in amplifying that passion.”
- * 4KQ rated No 3 in GfK metro survey 2/2022 with a share of 9.4%.
4KQ is the only station I listen to. I will be switching off. Cannot stand sport.
I cannot believe this. What a ridiculous move, especially with Laurel, Gary and Mark rating so highly
I am so sick of sport and talk.
4KQ may have copped damage over the years – but as an AM station it was *never* broken.
Until this death knell. I sadly have to agree with Colin. RIP 4KQ.
Been wondering for months why I couldn’t get 4kq here in Michigan any longer. Finally saw they’re gone. How sad. Loved hearing all the oldies on a great Aussie station!, ????
You should try 4BH, they play all the good old song with no yep from uninteresting dj’s
Same here
I’m with you, too much focus on sport on most stations, much rather a station with good music and NO sport at all.
I cannot believe how inappropriate that grub Willy Mason sounds on Sunday morning radio. Every third word ‘bleeped’ out. What a shame you waste air time on such a foul mouthed twit. Will not be listening ever again. Shame!
While i love sport especially rugby league i will not be listening to this new station.
My love for 60 s and 70s music is greater….RIP 4KQ
I love listening to the guys in the morning I would be switching off I get enough shit sport on the weekend I hope the guys find a new station to listen to good luck guys thanks for the memories you helped me though the bad times
Oh no…. my favourite station is 4KQ. I listen all day esp Laurel Gary and Mark from 5:30am. Music is my key relaxation for my my work day.cant listen to “sports news” all day. Give our best to all the presenters on 4 KQ. And then there is Jukebox Saturday night Is my wonderful memory of The Sixties and the music. So sad always to see changes in media presentation of new owners. Us Supporters of Sixties music love the on air music. Sad.
Dumb southeners thinking they know what Queenslanders want? What we want is LOYALTY !! and we’ll give LOYALTY back!! Southeners wrecked 4BH and turned it into a sport radio station and killed it off and tried to revive it back to music !!
Well, the ‘god’ of sport strikes again and another radio station cans music, why do we, the listeners, have put up with MORE bloody sport on radio, there is enough now in Brisbane for the so called sports fans to listen to, there is hardly any music stations in Bisbane who actually play music, especially real music from the 50’s, 60’s,70’s etc to listen to. We all love our sport but not 24 /7 from every AM station. which is where where it will all end up. If you want sport listen to 4BC.
I love my sport but taking away our music which we grew up on, a very sad day ????
Agree completely, sick of the chatter on the radio. I,ve moved to 4BH, it’s good
Just who will pay to advertise on a full sport station? I love sport, but to listen to Patty Walsh and Ian Healy for 3 hours, ya gotta be kiddin?? What are they going to broadcast at 1:00am? Nice guys both of them, but no chance , they will be lucky to get a 2 in the ratings, and who would pay to advertise in such low rating? Who did the survey and the financial planing for this ?
Terrible decision to kill off the 4KQ brand in Brisbane, I can’t understand why the current owners ARN are not able to continue with the format on Digital Radio, it makes absolutely no sense to me!
Absolutely disgusted
They have taken away our family and our music
No one will listen to this I predict low ratings and a swift end
For over 25 years I have lived in QLDS and have been a passionate listener to 4KQ, having Laurel, Gary and later Mark, each morning with light hearted banter on many variations of subjects, all their personal experiences, knowledge of so many subjects, that they were able to make interesting and the music was always great to listen to no matter what your age.
The same could be said with the rest of the 4KQ crew through out the day and night, this is more like a peace of Brisbane history has been sold out for more sport, don’t we see enough sport, day in and day out, on all types of media.
What alternative station do we have to listen to that would be as good as 4KQ, is the morning crew going onto a better station.
4BH was changed for the sport and it failed, if the wheel isn’t broken don’t reinvent it.
Overall very disappointed with the whole thing.
Saddened to learn that my favourite radio station giving me pleasure all my waking hours will soon be gone in its present format. I don’t follow any sport. Will be going across to 4BH and hopefully music that reminds me of my younger days. Anyone have any ideas where I might time in?
What a loss of talent from the Brisbane airwaves. Vale 4KQ.
After over 55 years in radio, it never ceases to amaze me how there are people in the industry that shouldn’t be there. Who thought that buying a successful broadcaster such as 4KQ (currently rating third overall with a 9.4 share 10+) and replacing it with a sports station that rates a whopping 2.6 in Melbourne and an eyewatering 0.6 in Sydney?
You can’t blame demographics…SEN’s best age demo in Melbourne is 4.0 18-24 and next 3.6 55-64. It’s even worse in Sydney…best demo 55-64 1.1, meanwhile KQ’s figures for 55-64 14.8. I know which station I would prefer to advertise on. Since the eighties, KQ has held its own as an AM music station against the FM onslaught.
It’s a sad time in Brisbane.
I will be switching off………bad decision !
We wake up to Laurel, Gary & Mark every morning.
We will not be listening to this station when they go.
Please tell us where we will be able to find this breakfast crew after 1st July.
We love the easy listening music on 4KQ at present.
An update on my previous comment.
I was caught up in the emotion of losing a successful local Brisbane station with an incredible history. I do understand the reasons SEN have bought it. SEN is a niche broadcaster that wanted an east coast presence. They already had Melbourne and Sydney and just needed Brisbane to complete the network. I also understand there is a lot of money invested by outside interests. That having been said, why 4KQ? From July 1st Brisbane will be a sadder place.
OMG how horrible I have listen to the Brekkie show and the Station for years. My kids knowledge of music and a station that we can all listen to on drop offs and pick up of a afternoon. I feel so sad like I am going to switch off an old friend. Please let us know where the Brekkie crew will move to so I can adjust my dial.
I listen to Laurel, Gary and Mark, on my ‘smart device’. from Nanimo, British Columbia in Canada, I absolutely love this station and am very saddened that they are going off the air.
I cannot seem to find out where the trio are going.
As much as I love sport, the music these three played will be sorely missed.
Appreciate everyone that has taken the time to comment. As a former 4KQ announcer I’m also sad to hear of the station ending on June 30.
I can’t believe this is happening to 4KQ. I can’t understand how it why this decision has been made. I’ll miss everyone particularly Laurel, Gary and Mark. The Breakfast show is highlight for me and always makes me laugh. Something we really need. Love the music too. I don’t know what I’ll do now.
I agree with all the Nay Sayers of this strategic decision. There is more to life than Sport! I hope you suffer with the only thing listeners have to veto this with. They turn you off! I hope a rival radio station picks up the loss. There is still a broad audience of varied age groups who love the classics and good radio conversation and merriment! Thank you for the great radio over the years 4KQ. You will be missed.
I haven’t tuned into 4KQ since the announcement. 4BH now.
Extremely sad to hear the end of 4KQ. The only station I ever listened to. I am not and never have been a sport person. What will happen to Laurel, Garry and Mark and all the other presenters?
so very sad . I will miss 4KQ so much . I have bee a big fan of Laurel and Gary and Mark and Brent James and Nick Michaels and Murray Shorring and Paul Keendey shows . I will miss all my Radio Friends so much . I do wish I could get 4KQ back with my money but I do not have a lot .
I live in Cairns and listen to 4KQ every morning, I hope I can find an alternative as good as this one, hope the morning crew are going to another radio station I don’t want to listen to sport when I get up in the mornings? Sorry 4KQ
Sublime to boring. Seriously how much more sport do we need! Turning off.
Another Brisbane radio station gone. It may as well be because I can get my sport on so many other media but I can’t get a friendly uncomplicated station to listen to anymore.
Another Brisbane radio station gone. It may as well be because I can get my sport on so many other media but I can’t get a friendly uncomplicated station to listen to anymore.
Surely someone must know where the Brekkie team have gone. I check every day so that I can tune them in.
If you had to sell 4KQ, why on earth to a sport channel…………really? A very sad time for Brisbane.
It appears that the new owners don’t care about listeners. I have listened to 4KQ for over 30 years, but will not be tuning in to the new one. I am not a sports person, I don’t watch it on tv, and with definitely not be listening to it on air. Very sad.
I believe the decision to sell 4KQ to a Sports syndicate was the worst, most ridiculous decision in Brisbane (possibly Australian) radio history. I hope no one listens to constant sport ramblings. I certainly won’t! I love music. I hate listening to sport on radio … what’s the point? I just don’t get it. The new owners are absolute idiots IMHO. I have loved listening to 4KQ. Sadly, I will never turn over to that station again.
I have been a huge fan of Sunday 60s and living in the 70s for many years. It was so interesting as well as the great music to listen to the insights and observations of what Brisbane was like in these years. Can’t believe that this informative radio show is being replaced by yet another sporting -based radio station. I believe 4KQ cannot be replaced.
We are appalled- 4KQ was our favourite station tuning in every day at different times but especially in the mornings. NOt EVERONE LIKES SPORT and there are plenty of other sports stations around. We will not be tuning into the new station. Wishing all the presenters from 4KQ the very best for the future, you will all be missed
We are appalled- 4KQ was our favourite station tuning in every day at different times but especially in the mornings. NOt EVERONE LIKES SPORT and there are plenty of other sports stations around. We will not be tuning into the new station. Wishing all the presenters from 4KQ the very best for the future, you will all be missed
Music is medicine to a lot of people with anxiety, depression & mental health problems. I used to Bluetooth Saturday night jukebox to my speaker.. Listening to sports jibba could be likened to Guantanamo Bay torture.
Agree completely,