‘Laughable’: Craig Hutchison hits back at Ray Hadley

A war of words has broken out between radio host Ray Hadley and station owner Craig Hutchison over his media empire woes.

Sydney radio host Ray Hadley has told Craig Hutchison to worry about “the liquidity” of his business after the radio station owner criticised him for being “axed” in Brisbane.

Mr Hadley took aim at Hutchison as a war of words broke out over the future of the SEN radio network.

Mr Hutchison used his Sounding Board podcast to hit back at Hadley and his former boss Graham Mott.

It follows reports from auditors that there was “material uncertainty” about Mr Hutchison’s network, as the company has to refinance a $28 million Commonwealth Bank debt by August next year.

“Mr Hutchison would be better worrying about the story about concerns over the liquidity of his operation,” Mr Hadley told this masthead.

“I’ve won 153 consecutive surveys in Australia’s biggest market – his operation in Brisbane rates 0.7 per cent, (and) with any luck he might crack 1 per cent in the future. The morning show in Sydney on SEN rated 0.6 per cent.”

Radio host Ray Hadley has told Craig Hutchison to worry about “the liquidity” of his business after the radio station owner criticised him for being “axed” in Brisbane. Picture: Tim Pascoe

Mr Hutchison was reacting to reports in this masthead and in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald last week about the performance of Sports Entertainment Group, the company behind the SEN network.

Mr Hutchison said the coverage was “laughable” and that it was reported like it was “my money”.

“The reality is that I’m the second largest shareholder in the business. The largest shareholder is Viburnum, which is a strategic, financially rational company with a great track record and success story and is a more than $500 million fund.”

Mr Hutchison’s podcast co-host Damian Barratt asked him about Mr Hadley’s comments on the weekend’s reports.

“Ray had a comment about our ratings in Brisbane weren’t quite where we wanted them to be yet,” Mr Hutchison said.

“We’re only a year old and we’re building, and while we’re talking Brisbane, his show got axed there – so that would be the lens he’s coming from, of not being on air at all in Brisbane.”

Mr Hutchison used his Sounding Board podcast to hit back at Hadley and his former boss Graham Mott. Picture: Supplied

Mr Hadley’s Sydney-based morning show had been syndicated into Brisbane for eight years, but was replaced in September by Brisbane-based host Bill McDonald.

Graham Mott sacked Mr Hutchison as a presenter at 3AW in 2007 for what he described at the weekend as an “appalling” on air performance.

Mr Hutchison responded saying: “I don’t think it was appalling but I don’t think it was great either.

“It was a reasonable decision, my persona had got a little bit out of step and was a little bit too hot for that audience.”

But Mr Hutchison rejected Mr Mott’s criticism over his decisions running SEN, saying Mr Mott was “only at SEN for two minutes” and was not up to date with the digital age.

“It’s like asking the video store owner who was going to win the streaming wars,” he said.

Mr Barrett asked Mr Hutchison if he expected any of his comments would be “reported in the Herald Sun”.

“I don’t because it will cover your side of it,” Mr Barrett, who previously worked at the Herald Sun, said.

Originally published as ‘Laughable’: Craig Hutchison hits back at Ray Hadley