Abel and Elinor will be skipping breakfast
Popular radio hosts Jonathan Abel and Elinor Barbara have handed in their resignation to 89.7 Bay, The Times has learnt.
Sources within the station said the hosts of one of Malta's popular radio shows resigned earlier this month but both are working their notice that ends around February.
The two were first conspicuous by their absence at the yearly Bay Music Awards, which they had hosted in the past few years.
When contacted, Mr Abel and Ms Barbara said at this stage they were not prepared to give any comments.
Kevin DeCesare, a director of the Eden Leisure Group that owns 89.7 Bay, confirmed their resignation, saying it was something that "was bound to happen". There was, however, no animosity involved in their decision, he said.
This move consolidates something of a mini-exodus from the station, which a few months ago saw station manager Terry Farrugia, DJ Gianni Zammit and a sales manager leave the station en masse to set up Vibe FM, competing within Bay's ballpark.
Carlo Borg Bonaci, who has spent years in broadcasting and is set to make a comeback in 2010 after a year's hiatus, said he saw these as turbulent times for local radio, with what he termed "musical chairs" among stations.
In the space of a few months, popular presenters Gianni Zammit, Joe Tanti and Arthur Caruana have all changed stations, while Bay Radio is also set to change its station manager.
Mr DeCesare, however, sounded unperturbed by these changes: "Bay is bigger than any individual. We're a dynamic brand, work very hard and spend a lot of money to create a star and a brand. But ultimately, no one is indispensable - not even myself.
"When Carlo Borg Bonaci left Bay seven years ago, he was the most popular host in Malta. Even he was replaced," the businessman said, adding that breakfast show hosts were bound to grow tired of waking up at 4.30 a.m. every day.
When Abel and Elinor call it a day - or a morning - the crucial morning slot will be occupied by Captain Drew, who hosts Captain Drew's Fly Home, Bay's drive-time show.
22 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Godfrey Scerri
Mar 17th 2010, 16:51
Can't get used to Captain Drew..... Have to find where Abel & Elinor went.....Have to change the radio station from 89.7 to where they are presenting. They used to make our day. Say 'OUR' because, like myself, there are 83 colleagues.
Mary Muscat
Jan 8th 2010, 13:10
Finallyyy!!!! Now I'll go back to listening to Bay in the morning. Elinor's lame jokes are finally coming to an end :D hip hip hurray ... The girl is gorgeous and her acting skills are promising as in 'Dellijiet' but spontaneously, I just don't like the lame punch lines.
Charles Caruana
Dec 31st 2009, 21:06
Why do all good things come to an end!!!!
P Muscat
Dec 31st 2009, 20:23
I have a feeling.....
that abel and elinor will host their show on vibe
that captain drew will not be half as good (with all due respect to the TOP GUN dude lol)
that bay will still have the majority of listeners..cos they have the biggest prizes
that tonights gonna be a good night
Hapy new year
mary galea
Dec 31st 2009, 18:20
Finally .... before it was them doing the breakfast show, I listened to the bay breakfast show everyday. After that they joined the show, I switched to the xfm show and now has to switch again to another radio station because I don't know what happened to Arthur Caruana. Any suggestions of a good breakfast show??
Miriam Ellul
Dec 31st 2009, 18:03
Hawn Malta ghandna l-vizzju jew marda illi naqbdu ma xi hadd u jibqa jirrenja dejjem hu .... imbghad meta jispicca jibqa 'emeritus'. Jien m'ghandi xejn kontra Abel u Elinor ... dawn kienu jaghmlu xogholhom sew. Proset u daqshekk imma. Issa billi se jieqfu se taqa' d-dinja? Minn hawn u ftit iehor ikollna prezentaturi ohra filghodu b'idejat godda! Hawn min kiteb li mhux se jsegwi aktar 89.7 ghax mhux ha jibqghu huma .... ghandek kull dritt ... imma ghalhekk hawn Malta qatt ma naraw ucuh godda ghax nibqghu induru ma l-istess nies ... anzi tibda tarahom fi 'plays', programmi u elf haga ohra.
Ejja nghatu cans lil-haddiehor biex forsi l-midja Maltija tibda miexja l-quddiem!!!
Gregory Fenech
Dec 31st 2009, 15:16
I have been listening to Bay from the very early stage when they were broadcasting with different wave settings and have never changed this station especially now with Abel and Elinor and Captain Drew. I will miss them deeply. But on the other issue of Employers extracting all the juice from their personnel I have experienced it first hand and it really hurts. I have been told the same and treated worse after helping a small business establish doing more flexible work than I bargained for and the result was - I had to leave as I was treated badly and even worse, not calculated at all. Now I been working abroad for more than 10 years and most foreign companies respect their employees and understand their needs. When are Maltese employers starting to act the same?
stefanie boyd
Dec 31st 2009, 09:27
I won't be laughing to myself in the car driving to work! Abel and Elinor put a smile on your face in the morning!
Roderick Micallef
Dec 31st 2009, 08:54
So there you go, you have today's business attitude right in your face 'no one is indispensable' and 'Bay is bigger than any individual' so much for being loyal to a company or a brand. So as every one can realize, it doesn't pay you to be loyal to a particular brand or company.
Being a loyal customer or stick to a particular brand doesn't pay any one because no one is indispensable as Mr.Decesare said himself.
So next time you purchase something, next time you listen to a radio station or next time you go out to entertain yourself don't do it because you have been loyal and have always been the usual customer in the same places but do it because it pays you to do so, do it because it's worthed for you to do so and because you are absolutely confident that it's the best you can get.
Ask for prices, shop around, see what best suits you and change places every so often so you will be really able to compare what and who is best in their respective business. Remember that we are just numbers when it comes to business people!
Godwin Farrugia
Dec 31st 2009, 08:45
The mornings will not be the same again. Bye bye 89.7 Bay enjoy the 1st placing in the listeners till the next poll. It was the 1st and the last one for sure without them!!!
Daniel Abela
Dec 30th 2009, 22:17
I think Bay radio will now go back in listeners.
Miriam
Dec 30th 2009, 22:09
I Don't know y this hastle...Daqs kemm hawn nies ihobbuhom hawn nies li ma jhobbuhomx..
jien wahda minnhom...Insejtu li xi darba kien hemm Carlo,Terry,Gianni,Tony,Pierre and loads more X'gara and now Abel and Elinor Wot Happened they changed station and went low down down down...People need to realize that Bay makes people wot are today whoever is the person to do breakfast or whatever the show is...Thanks Bay to be wot u are today....
Ian Vassallo
Dec 30th 2009, 13:29
we will miss you abelinor!!
Elaine Meli
Dec 30th 2009, 12:50
One even has to take into consideration that after 4 years a show has to change... Change is good, change is healthy and change is exciting...People say alot of things about people in particular employers whom are deemed to be powerful tycoons ...but is int always..." Il Malti DEJJEM igerger!" and as il malti says ": Min imaqdar irid jixtri!"
I feel thisis a positive change for Bay radio and ultimatley the public.
Bay has kept being the best local Radio station because of this...Alot is invested in the people and the Brand...
Both abel and ELinor where nobody's before the Bay Marketing MAchine made them who they were and they were airing form 89.7 fm!
So yes, I agree with Mr Decesare ...Truly no one is irreplacable and indispensible in Business and no one is bigger than the station.
I think people should stop throwing crap at people and Just enjoy the music and all the time and passion Bay puts into it!
Vince DeBono
Dec 29th 2009, 22:45
@ Miguel Micallef, I have met real people who have switched employers for the 'few ' euros. I'm not judging they did any wrong but simply that N Calleja only presented one possibility of what happened - unless he knows what happened in this case.
Not all employers can increase their employees wages, and not every employer can do so every time a raise is requested. Employees sometimes play off their boss with job offers or pseudo job offers. Employers normally if reluctantly hold their ground. There are many willing to change jobs and take their place.
Malcolm Farrugia
Dec 29th 2009, 18:24
"Mr DeCesare, however, sounded unperturbed by these changes: "Bay is bigger than any individual. We're a dynamic brand, work very hard and spend a lot of money to create a star and a brand. But ultimately, no one is indispensable - not even myself." Dynamic my foot, I wonder why all the best DJ's working on your radio station are quitting the job and move somewhere else. If you treat the staff @ Bay radio in the same manner how you treat all the other employees, I can only ask why they didn't leave all enmasse.
Miguel Micallef
Dec 29th 2009, 17:57
@Vince DeBono Analyzing what you just said shows how self contradictory it is. How can an employer who 'invested so much' in training an employee then let him/her go because of a few extra euros? Can't the employer match the difference if its 'just a few extra euros'? Usually its much, much more than a few extra euros.
ACachia
Dec 29th 2009, 17:12
I'd say they will be going to work with the fast growing station VIBE FM. I think its done wonders in the short time its been on air !! Really cool songs all day with great DJs... Prosit Abel & Elinor.... If Decesare doesnt need you, then you dont need him either !
Vince DeBono
Dec 29th 2009, 16:57
@ N Calleja. I don't know Mr DeCesare, but there are 2 sides to a coin. Some employees squeeze an employer and then move to pastures greener. Many employers complain that they train someone who then leaves them for a few extra euros.
N.Calleja
Dec 29th 2009, 16:01
Reading between the lines what Mr. DeCesare said shows that he is not perturbed the least about this latest resignation. This is how some business people treat their employees!!. Like a lemon,squeeze and throw away..and then find another lemon!!
Claire Busuttil
Dec 29th 2009, 15:19
Will be missed!
C Mercieca
Dec 29th 2009, 11:01
I must admit they will be missed. All good things come to an end.