Older rusted on GB listeners won’t change their dial so he’s guaranteed some ratings success. Although maybe not the dizzying highs that Alan achieved.
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Busco on SWR just played Gloria by Laura Branigan.
Stephanie from Kirribilli will be devastated.
Was kind of hoping Deborah Knight will take breakfast but at least Ben Fordham is the lesser evil out of him, Smith and Hadley.
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Ray Hadley says he is happy that management chose Ben Fordham to replace Alan Jones. He is saying he expects his radio career to finish when his current contract ends.
He just revealed that it was Jones and Singleton who encouraged him to join 2GB from 2UE.
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Hadley told The Daily Telegraph he doesn’t want to still be broadcasting when he’s 80 and thinks he won’t continue after his contract expires in 2024 given his age (65). I reckon he’s hoping Nine will dangle enough money in front of him to convince him to continue. He says he’s looking forward to a “cordial relationship” with the new breakfast host. That’s funny because he’s had run ins with Fordham in the past and agitated to have him removed from Drive when he was rating a lot less than those on other shifts.
There’s a great opportunity here for a smart operator to purchase 2CH and turn it into a competing talk station.
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Wonder if 2CC will take the opportunity to move Leon Delaney into breakfast given how poorly their drive shift is rating
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But they might turn off. Weren’t they rusted on because of Jones?
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I have little belief in what Hadley is now saying.
If Tom and Greg weren’t running GB, under previous management it would’ve been Hadley at breakfast for sure.
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Alan Jones had been presenting breakfast radio since February 1988 (he was on mornings before hand), first on 2UE until early 2002, when he jumped ship to 2GB.
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They could always just say ‘Ben Fordham, filling in for Alan Jones’ and play Gloria every morning. Seem to work wonders for Smith, Price and Stanley when they filled in for Jones and keep listeners thinking that Jones is only ‘away’ (they’re so old they probably wouldn’t notice anyway).
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Well good news that he is going. It astounds me his career was never destroyed by all the unforgivable things he has done in the past. Nothing ever brought the guy down.
He will still be spouting his bile on Sky News and in the News Corp press.
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I cannot believe they are choosing Ben to replace Alan. A lot of people who drive to work and listen to Alan choose to flick away from the 2GB Drive Show when they get back in their cars.
2GB is regularly beaten by 702 in Drive (including in the last survey). It’s a risky move - for both 2GB and Ben. In fact - the only time 2GB is beaten by 702 is when Fordham is on air. It looks like it’s showtime for the weak link.
Let’s be honest - 2UE fell from the ratings when Jones and Hadley jumped ship to 2GB. They are the draw-cards. Much of the rest of the station is just filler.
Meanwhile, and this is not confirmed, I believe there are currently two NSW ambulances outside Stephanie’s St Ives property. I hope she is OK. Maybe it’s just precautionary.
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Poor Stephanie. Now she has nowhere to spread her rabid views…not really.
As long as the likes of Ray Hadley and Deborah Knight are still at the station (both of whom are No.1 in their timeslots IIRC), then 2GB should remain at No.1 but their breakfast show has a high chance of seeing lower ratings than before. The next survey (whenever that will be) should be very interesting.
I wonder what @SydneyCityTV thinks about today’s news. Also, @nickatnights sorry to hear that you are losing your morning dose of comedy. Hope you’ll continue to find your new morning laughs somewhere else (like Vile and Tacky O on KIIS).
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had a bit of s thought. Jones retires from radio around the same time rugby australia is looking for a new CEO…
could be co-incidence but seeing as jones is old wallabies coach it could happen
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From Nine
Alan Jones AO Announcement
Australia’s most popular and successful talkback presenter Alan Jones AO, has today announced that, acting on doctors’ advice, he will step down as the host of the 2GB and 4BC breakfast program at the end of May.
During his broadcast this morning Jones told listeners: “We are living in the world of Coronavirus. The most repeated statement we hear is ‘we must listen to the experts’. Well, the experts are telling me in no uncertain terms, and not for the first time I might add, ‘continuing with the present workload is seriously detrimental to your health’. I have listened to the experts and I am taking this opportunity to indicate to my radio family that I will be retiring from radio at the end of this month.”
During a distinguished career that has spanned 35 years behind the microphone, Alan Jones has dominated the breakfast radio timeslot, recording an unequalled 226 survey wins – the undisputed greatest radio broadcaster in Australian history.
Jones’ broadcasting career began in 1985 when he was recruited to join Radio 2UE as its mornings host. He moved to the breakfast shift in 1988 and soon shot to #1 with his unrivalled ability to break down complex issues and communicate them simply and clearly, and his passionate championing of struggle street – the people and listeners he was closer to than anyone. In 2001, he moved from 2UE to 2GB driving the station to #1 in the Sydney market, a position it has held ever since.
“Alan Jones has a unique place in Australian media,” said Peter Costello, Chairman of Nine. “His ratings record makes him the outstanding broadcaster of his generation. His ratings record will never be matched.
“Alan’s interests across politics, sport, the arts, business, made him a broad and stimulating commentator. He was always passionate and relentless in pursing issues on behalf of his listeners. And he was tough – as I can attest when I was on the other side of the microphone.
“Away from the microphone, Alan was warm and generous. Many people benefited from his support. He neither advertised nor sought recognition for it. Alan Jones will be given many accolades, and he deserves them. A great career. An outstanding contribution.”
Nine’s CEO Hugh Marks said: “I want to acknowledge Alan for his contribution to 2GB, and prior to that 2UE, over many years. Alan has shown a dedication to his craft unlike any other and with that dedication comes excellence.
“This focus on his program’s content has given him outstanding audience loyalty demonstrated over decades. We wish him well and thank him for all he has done.”
“Alan’s radio career is without peer,” said Tom Malone Nine’s Managing Director – Radio. “The most telling indicator of his greatness was the switch from 2UE to 2GB – when Alan moved stations and the audience followed in lockstep. Alan did not miss a beat at #1. Sydney’s listeners repaid his advocacy with loyalty – Alan has always put them first.”
“Alan is a giant of Australian radio. We look forward to celebrating his soaring achievements at the appropriate time. We wish him well and thank him for everything he has achieved.”
Jones will be continuing to broadcast on Sky News and will also continue writing for The Daily Telegraph and The Australian .
Ben Fordham to host 2GB Breakfast
Ben Fordham has been named as the new host of 2GB’s breakfast program replacing legendary broadcaster Alan Jones, who this morning announced his retirement following advice from his doctors.
Fordham is a Walkley award winning journalist who has won “Best Talk Presenter” in Australia five times and who has, for almost decade, served as 2GB’s host in the fiercely competitive Drivetime slot where he consistently tops the ratings.
“We are delighted that Ben is stepping up to host 2GB’s breakfast program,” said Tom Malone, Nine’s Managing Director – Radio. “For decades 2GB’s breakfast show has set the agenda for Sydney and the country, and Ben will continue this great legacy and bring his unique energy to the show.”
Fordham said he was excited to be taking up the mantle as host of the #1 breakfast show in Sydney.
“I feel a sense of both responsibility and opportunity. There’s a huge responsibility in taking over from Alan and the opportunity to bring my own flavour to breakfast,” said Fordham.
“Alan is the most successful broadcaster in the history of Australian radio. There will only ever be one Alan Jones. My first taste of radio was as a 15-year-old work experience kid on the Alan Jones breakfast show. I can’t quite believe that all these years on I’m taking over the position he’s made his own”.
After launching his career in the 2UE newsroom, and Sky News Australia, Fordham joined the Nine Network in 1999 and has been a leading reporter on A Current Affair, and a senior journalist for Nine News, including stints on the Today show, 60 Minutes, and working with Laurie Oakes in the Canberra Bureau.
Fordham has been awarded ‘Best Talk Presenter’ five times (2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019) and voted ‘Best Metropolitan Current Affairs Presenter’ in 2017 in the prestigious ACRA Awards.
Nine also confirmed it would look to introduce a local breakfast program to 4BC in Brisbane. An announcement on this will be made in due course.
“With Ben in Breakfast, Ray Hadley in Mornings – broadcasting to more than 30 stations across the country, Deb Knight in Afternoons, and a new Drive host to be announced, we know we have the right team to build on 2GB’s great position as the #1 radio station in Sydney.” said Malone. “Meanwhile in Brisbane we know 4BC deserves a local breakfast program and we will be making an announcement on this in the coming weeks.”
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Good riddance lmao.
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unless it pertains to climate change, the source of the Qld flooding or any expert on libel laws hey allan?
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And that pretty much eliminates the possibility that Ben will replace Karl Stefanovic on Today in the future (unless he fails at breakfast).
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What will I do for a laugh in the morning without Alan on the air? I
suppose i could read Peta Credlin’s column.
Surely someone could put together an audio of Alan’s best moments. It would have to include:
- Alan telling his elderly audience to not worry about COVID19 as he was safe in his Southern Highland property.
- Alan telling Jacinda Adern to “put a sock in it”
- Alan stating that Julia Gillard’s father has “died of shame”
- Alan promoting riots in Cronulla including putting a caller on air who said “shoot one and the rest will run”
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We can also add to the list:
- Alan calling Mathias Cormann and Malcolm Turnbull a ‘N-word in the woodpile’ and he’s not going to yield to anyone who thinks the language is inappropriate.
- Alan saying Julia Gillard should be put in a chuff bag and thrown into the sea, and telling Gladys Berejiklian to ‘put her head in a noose’ and for Clover Moore to hang from that Sydney worm architecture or something like that.
Speaking of which, I know it probably won’t happen until 2025 at the earliest, but if Ben Fordham doesn’t do well at breakfast, then there’s another perfect candidate for that role…Kyle Sandilands.
I mean, he’s getting pretty loud, talks nothing but rubbish and doesn’t have a filter. He’ll fit right in at 2GB.
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