2GB afternoon host Chris Smith confirms he’s in ‘discussions with management’ as show faces the axe
2GB afternoon talkback host Chris Smith has taken to the airwaves to respond to revelations his show is facing the axe after The Daily Telegraph revealed radio management is working on a line-up switch at the number 1 rated station.
Talkback radio host Chris Smith has confirmed today he’s in “discussions with management” about his future, following revelations his popular 2GB afternoon show is facing the axe.
Just after midday the top-rating presenter said he had read The Daily Telegraph’s story revealing management plans to swap him with evening host Steve Price, but played down any imminent move, saying it was “business as usual”.
He said he hoped to have “some good news” soon to share with his listeners and still planned to take a pre-organised three week break, which includes a cruise from New York to London with listeners.
It is understood Smith met with Macquarie Media management on Monday morning and later stormed out of the Pyrmont offices, but later returned on air.
His office is currently lined with packing boxes.
Today Smith said the press coverage contained “a fair share of assumptions”, but he had been humbled by messages of support sent to him today.
“What I can tell you though is that I am in discussions with management about my future,” he said. “And I really do hope to have some good news too.
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“In the meantime it is business as usual.
“I am going away next week for three weeks with my intrepid listeners. One hundred listeners crossing the Atlantic with the Queen Mary 2, which I’m very excited about.
“And my daughter’s also coming, so we won’t be letting her down, no matter what is placed in a newspaper.
“When I get back, a little bit of leave and I hope to be able to update you on what could be happening.
“As I say in the meantime it is business as usual.”
Insiders say the staff in Smith’s team were called in for crisis talks with management on Tuesday morning. His popular show consistently wins its timeslot, with a run of almost 90 ratings wins.
It is the latest in a string of destabilising events at the station and has had the 2GB rumour mill buzzing.
Last month, Macquarie Media finally announced that it was re-signing breakfast show king Alan Jones on a two-year contract worth a whopping $8 million.
The talks had dragged on for months with management reportedly offering Jones’ peak slot to morning show presenter Ray Hadley.
Part of the deal is understood to have been that Steve Price would move into Hadley’s morning slot. However, as negotiations dragged on, Macquarie Media chairman Russell Tate took over and negotiated the deal with Jones’ close friend, thoroughbred horse breeder John Messara. When the two-year contract was signed, both Hadley and Price were left back where they started.
Hadley is understood to be happy to wait for 78-year-old Jones to retire but Price has been agitating to be removed from the night shift.
“Basically Smithy is collateral damage,” a 2GB insider told The Daily Telegraph.
“Smithy is paying the price for management’s broken promises.”
A shift swap with Price would not suit Smith’s lifestyle, however. He has four children, including four-year-old twins.
Other presenters are said to be “shaking their heads at the decision to disrupt a winning formula”.
Smith has been winning his timeslot with a run of almost 90 ratings wins.
Staff are also concerned the move could be an attempt to cut costs — saving $1 million a year by axing Smith and making each of the Jones, Hadley and Ben Fordham shows an hour longer to fill in the time. However that is considered an unlikely option in the wake of cost cutting by the station that has seen it axe the services of the AAP news wire to make a $500,000-a-year saving.
The issues with Smith come after Hadley was engulfed in bullying accusations that forced him to go on air to apologise to his old producer Chris Bowen in March.
Even as the radio host was apologising for what the producer called “16 years of intense bullying” other former employees were posting messages on social media saying they had been screamed at while they worked for Hadley. The scandal threatened to derail Hadley’s career but he weathered the storm and management remained loyal to him. Smith could not be contacted to comment on the drama last night.
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