After Robert Kratky’s Exit, Elke Rock Announces Farewell: Ö3 Faces a Generational Changing of the Guard

Austria’s most-listened-to pop radio network is losing two of its most recognizable voices in quick succession. Weeks after morning-show icon Robert Kratky stepped away for health reasons, longtime presenter Elke Rock revealed in an emotional video that she will host her final show on Friday, 24 October. The back-to-back departures close a chapter that helped define the station’s sound for nearly two decades—and force a rethink of how the brand connects with millions of daily listeners.

Elke Rock Says Goodbye After 18.5 Years

In a message shared with fans, Rock said the decision to leave was “not easy” and followed months of deliberation. The presenter, who joined the station as a rising on-air talent and grew into a household name, framed the move as a personal step toward new professional paths. Beyond radio, she has built a portfolio as a communication coach, event host, and lecturer—signals that her next chapter will lean into mentoring and public-speaking work as much as broadcasting.

Key details

• Last show: Friday, 24 October

• Tenure: Approximately 18½ years on air

• What’s next: Continued work in coaching, keynotes, and media projects

Her farewell lands with particular weight for listeners who grew up with her afternoon and weekend rotations and for alumni who credit Rock with raising the bar on audience engagement and live-event hosting.

Robert Kratky’s August Departure Set the Stage

The surprise came earlier this season when Kratky—synonymous with the morning “Wecker” brand—stepped away after more than 30 years. He cited health reasons and a need to prioritize well-being after a relentless run in daily live radio. The exit ended one of the most durable streaks in European morning broadcasting and instantly reshaped the network’s peak-time identity.

What Kratky’s exit meant

• Morning reset: The station had to retool its flagship hours, the backbone of ratings and ad demand.

• Cultural shift: A generation of commuters associated their routines with Kratky’s cadence, humor, and chemistry with co-hosts.

• Strategic pressure: Retaining habitual listening without the longtime anchor requires fresh talent development and programming tweaks.

What the Dual Exits Mean for Ö3—and for Listeners

Two marquee voices leaving within a few months is rare at any major outlet. The immediate stakes are practical—schedule changes, lineup promotions, and audience communication—but the larger question is reputational: can the station preserve its sense of community while evolving the sound?

Likely near-term moves

• Transitional hosts and guest co-pivots to stabilize time slots while a permanent roster is finalized.

• Event-first programming that leans on live remotes and festivals to showcase the bench.

• Digital deepening—short-form video, podcasts, and social-first segments—to extend reach beyond the FM dial.

For listeners, the coming weeks will bring new voices and formats. Expect familiar features to stay—news beats, traffic, playful talk—wrapped in fresh pacing as producers test what sticks.

Why Elke Rock and Robert Kratky Resonated

Both presenters excelled at high-wire live radio: quick reads of the room, clean handoffs to news and music, and the ability to make large audiences feel like part of an inside conversation. Rock’s strength was warmth and precision—equally at ease driving a chart countdown or moderating from a festival stage. Kratky’s calling card was control of the morning rhythm—banter that cut through dawn fog without losing edge or empathy.

Their influence reached off-air: mentoring younger hosts, shaping charity drives, and lending star power to national events. That footprint is why the transition feels bigger than a schedule shuffle.

What to Watch Next

• Friday’s farewell broadcast: Tone, tributes, and any hints Rock gives about future collaborations.

• Post-October lineups: Who inherits Rock’s slots, and whether the station experiments with rotating teams.

• Morning architecture: How the network consolidates its new dawn format following Kratky’s exit.

• Live events calendar: Expect the station to use festivals and roadshows to cement new on-air relationships with audiences.

The Bigger Picture: Talent Cycles and Brand Resilience

Top-tier radio brands endure because they build systems around stars rather than relying on any single personality. The challenge—and opportunity—now is to convert these departures into an inflection point: elevate rising hosts, modernize production, and diversify platforms without losing the familiarity that makes a commuter tune in by reflex.

For fans searching “Robert Kratky” and “Elke Rock” today, the headline is simple but significant: a beloved era is closing, and a new one is starting in real time. Friday will be a moment of celebration and gratitude for Rock’s 18½ years; the weeks that follow will reveal how Austria’s biggest pop station writes its next act.