‘Definitely the right fit’: Ron Wilson poached in Sydney radio war

While Sydney radio stations announce axings and redundancies, one radio station has poached a big name personality for its 2025 line up and has already flagged future hires.

Two radio presenters have been poached by Sydney radio station 2SM, with their new bosses flagging that more presenters will be hired in the coming weeks.

Radio and TV news veteran Ron Wilson will host a live and local breakfast show for Sydney on 2SM beginning on January 13.

The show will be built around Wilson to replace Richard King’s Newcastle-based program that is currently heard on 2SM in the morning.

Wilson, 70, currently is part of the Smooth FM breakfast show that can be heard across Sydney. It’s a show that he co-hosts with Bogart Torelli where he is the news presenter.

The news comes after 2SM’s major name, John Laws, hung up his headphones following a career spanning 71 years.

Wilson is understood to have resigned from Smooth FM, a Nova Entertainment-owned radio station, this week.

2SM co-owner Despina Priala said the station approached Wilson.

“He was very interested and keen to come on board to join us at 2SM,” Priala told The Daily Telegraph.

“He is definitely the right fit for us at breakfast in Sydney. The point of difference was that he wanted to work for a family-owned and operated network … and in some ways it might be perhaps an easier ride, a smooth ride.”

Ron Wilsonwill make the move to 2SM in 2025. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Despina Priala and George Caralis, owners of 2SM Super Radio Network approached Wilson.. Picture by Max Mason-Hubers

The 2SM Super Radio Network has also hired Smooth FM newsreader Mary-Ann Harris, who will read the bulletins during Wilson’s new radio show.

Harris, like Wilson, is a versatile operator having previously worked as a TV reporter and producer for TV networks Channel 9 and WIN TV.

Wilson meanwhile joined Smooth FM in April 2013, where he was originally part of the afternoon programming.

In the latest radio ratings, Smooth FM was Sydney’s number two overall radio station, slightly behind radio ratings leader WSFM. 2SM has not participated in the radio ratings for decades, but Priala and Caralis have flagged that might change.

“Everyone knows Ron Wilson … and he wants to present the real topics, the real stories, to the ordinary Australians who are going to listen to our show in Sydney. He’ll be talking about Sydney issues”, said Priala.

Despina Priala and George Caralis, owners of 2SM Super Radio Network, congratulate radio star John Laws, at the end of his final show on 2SM Radio. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

Priala’s brother, station director George Caralis, said Wilson had worked at 2SM in the 1970s.

“We believe that he is going to be very well received. Ron is an incredible brand,” he said.

“He wants to bring his Sydney issues-based conversation to 2SM. He’s previously hosted talkback on 2GB, and interviews on Good Morning Australia. He’s a well-rounded professional.”

Caralis also revealed that 2SM had spent hours interviewing ‘a lot of people’ for positions.

A replacement for Laws is yet to be announced and Confidential understands negotiations are currently underway.

“We had some impressive talent,” he said.

Wilson and Harris will present from 2SMs Pyrmont studios from 5:30am weekdays, going up against Sydney talk radio competitors Ben Fordham and Craig Reucassel.

It is the first ‘live and local’ breakfast show on 2SM since 2022 when presenter Marcus Paul was axed after broadcasting a controversial segment.

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