McCrossin for 702 Brekkkie

The mystery is finally over - according to the Sydney Morning Herald's Sue Javes, Radio National's Julie McCrossin is the one across the winner's post.

One wonders if this was a decision made on the basis of testing or audience research, because McCrossin was just about the only ABC personality not given a dry run on the morning shift since Angela Catterns' departure for vaguer pastures. Simon Marnie, James Valentine and Debbie Spillane have all had their morning glory over the past few weeks, and former Triple J personality Adam Spencer has also been given the training wheels treatment on a number of different shifts.

How will 702 suit McCrossin? I always found her a little too soft centred, but then, I felt the same way about Catterns.

Meanwhile, following Sally Loane's departure from the 702 morning shift today, management are reportedly having trouble convincing her mooted replacement, Melbourne 774's Virginia Trioli of the wisdom of starting her shift at 9am rather than straight after A.M. at 8:30am as she does in Melbourne.

Digging her heels in over this would demonstrate a flawed understanding of the Sydney radio market on Trioli's part. 2GB have already extended Alan Jones' show to 10am to prevent any further leakage of listeners from Ray Hadley to John Laws on 2UE at 9am, and she would also face a fairly significant demographic overlap from the last half hour of Mike Carlton. Welcome to the Emerald City, Virginia!

All of this being said, there's now a gap opening up at Radio National. Was David Marr's comment on this week's Insiders that Bob Carr is a shoo-in for a job at 702's big brother (or big Aunty?) not such a throwaway remark after all?