Rafael Epstein to replace Virginia Trioli on ABC Radio Melbourne

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Rafael Epstein will move into the morning slot on ABC Radio Melbourne from September 18 as the broadcaster’s round of musical chairs takes its latest turn.

And the drive slot that Epstein has hosted for close to 12 years will be filled by ABC stalwart Ali Moore - at least for now.

As with Trevor Chappell being drafted in to fill the afternoon chair vacated by Jacinta Parsons in July, the appointment is, at this stage, until the end of the year only.

Rafael Epstein is moving into the mornings chair on ABC Radio Melbourne from September 18.Credit: ABC

“It is a challenge in some ways because the expectations are higher, and it’s more of a platform,” says Epstein, who was revealed as the new Mornings host on Trioli’s program on Friday morning. “The question in my mind is: is it an evolution or a revolution from what I’ve done - and answering that will be the fun part.”

Epstein is a vastly experienced reporter and presenter, and has worked for both the ABC and Fairfax (now Nine) newspapers. He has been a European-based foreign correspondent for the ABC, and has won two Walkley awards for investigative reporting with his exposure in 2004 of links between corrupt police and underworld murders and his report in 2006 that exonerated Dr Mohamed Haneef, who had been held under anti-terrorism laws.

The change in the ABC’s line-up comes on the same day as the ABC’s talk radio rival 3AW, owned by Nine, which also owns this masthead, confirmed the rumours about Neil Mitchell’s imminent departure were true.

Broadcasting from Southern Cross railway station on Friday morning, Mitchell - who has hosted the morning show since 1990 - announced that he would step down from the role.

The departure of the 71-year-old former newspaperman brings to an end one of the longest and most successful careers in Australian broadcasting.

Mitchell leaves as the undisputed king of the timeslot, having secured a 20.1 per cent share of the average audience in survey 5, the results of which were released on Tuesday. That was an increase of three points on the previous survey.

Trioli leaves with the ship steady, but lagging a long way behind. Her 7.5 per cent share of the audience (down from 7.6 per cent in the previous survey). The figures for the show this year have ranged from a low of 6.6 per cent to a high of 8, though Trioli was absent for the first three surveys, with the chair being filled by a range of fill-in hosts, including Epstein and Moore.

Ali Moore, a regular and popular pinch-hitter on ABC Radio, will host Drive until the end of the year.Credit: ABC

With the shift in line-ups across the two broadcasters rumoured to include the move of 3AW’s Tom Elliott to Mornings, the scene appears to be set for a renewal of hostilities between the two hosts of Melbourne’s AM drive talk programs on the fresh battleground of mornings.

Regardless of who fills the chair on the rival network, Epstein is convinced the show is bigger than the person hosting it.

“I truly believe we’re just the custodians of our shows, even though they’re deeply personal,” he says.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s Trevor Evans or Ranald McDonald or Jon Faine or Virginia Trioli, everyone’s just the custodian of this precious, fragile vessel. When one person finishes, they carefully hand over the fragile wine glass that everyone loves to drink from, and the next person goes, ‘Right, I’m going to make that better’. And you genuinely hope you do.”

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