Triple M most certainly does NOT rock.

In their infinite wisdom, the geniuses at Austereo have decided to put on their best Eddie MacGuire act and "bone" Get This, a truly funny two-hour comedy program that has been rating very well for Triple M since its inception in early 2006. It features Ed Kavalee, Richard Marsland, various guest co-hosts, and of course, is anchored by my favourite-ever Australian (well actually New Zealander) comedian, Tony Martin.

I grew up addicted to Martin/Molloy, Martin's previous popular radio program that ran from 1995-98. Mick Molloy had his upsides, but the main reason I listened was for Martin's razor-like wit, his incisive-yet-non-threatening commentary on affairs of the day, and his excellent impersonations and comedy sketches. It was a joy when he returned to radio with Get This, sans-Molloy (no real big loss) but with Kavalee and Marsland in tow. They are a powerfully funny trio, revelling in their un-Triple M-ness, mocking the conventions of radio I've become so familiar with, and turning out consistently funny and biting satire.

The only reason I can discover so far for the axing - courtesy of the show's Wikipedia page - is that Triple M wanted to focus on its breakfast shows for 2008. I don't even really have words for this. I'm just so choked with rage, even more so than when I saw Evan Almightly recently.

I love radio. I love the medium, I love the interaction, I love the "theatre of the mind" aspect - hell, I even love the crazy callers (OK, not all the time). I especially love radio comedy and the positive influence its had on me over the years. It's helped me be funny (well, at least it's made be want to be funnier). It's just a pity the people in charge of radio often don't seem to know what they hell they've got when they've got something good. I was outraged by Triple M's decision, but sadly not surprised. Commercial radio in general is like that - an incestuous whirlpool of doom, a swirling Charybdis of ratings, fads, who's hot and who's not. To mix metaphors, the wind has now changed, and Get This is on the nose with executives, despite its popularity with listeners.

The federal election campaign is underway; it's begun, it's all happening. But I think my grass roots efforts over the next six weeks until the last episode of Get This (an ironic coincedence, as the boys themselves noted on-air) may very well be to bombard Austereo will as many emails as possible, expressing disappointment at their decision and support for the show. I urge anyone else suffering from political disenchantment to also re-focus and refine their passion!