Merry-go-round finally stops after Footy media’s summer of carnage

THE footy media’s off-season merry-go-round has finally come to a close after a summer of carnage that saw heads roll.

Gerard Whateley & Mark Robinson return for AFL 360 in 2018.

THE bloodletting and turbulence at Melbourne’s SEN Radio reached mythical proportions in a summer of carnage, but the man at its centre insists it’s just business.

Craig Hutchison’s Crocmedia’s merger with SEN’s Pacific Star Network was never going to be completed without blood being spilt, but the number of high-profile footy commentators parting ways with the iconic station made the take-over one of the biggest off-season stories in the AFL.

The merry-go-round of footy’s media landscape shake-up will finally come to a stop when the merger is expected to be rubber-stamped at a shareholders vote.

The completed merger will see Hutchison, the former AFL journalist, installed as managing director of the new-look Pacific Star Network with an annual salary of $883,752 and control of 49.4 million shares — worth a reported $12 million — according to documents lodged with the Australian Stock Exchange.

Hutchison is one of the big winners in the high-stakes shake-up. So was former ABC Grandstand icon Gerard Whateley — who announced his move to SEN in the middle of the Ashes series.

A new challenge pic.twitter.com/xDLFHaENTZ

— Gerard Whateley (@GerardWhateley) January 1, 2018

On Wednesday SEN announced another coup, signing Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes to its line-up — as a replacement for Whateley on Friday mornings.

But, there were losers too.

Hutchison last week admitted parts of the messy changes made to SEN’s line-up for 2018 were “bloody awful”.

Craig Hutchison has been doing a pretty good impersonation of Eddie McGuire.

The station’s new-look was highlighted by the broken relationships caused by the axing of high-profile Melbourne Demons legend David Schwarz and his afternoon offsider Mark Allen.

It was announced in December that The Herald Sun’s chief football reporter Mark Robinson would also not be returning this season.

I’m not sure what you are referring to. I and mark have never sent any letter of a legal nature to Hutchy or any of his entities.

— David Schwarz (@TheOx05) January 12, 2018

Aussie Cricket great and hard-hitting commentator Rodney Hogg also left in less than cordial circumstances.

Hutchison told The Sounding Board podcast last week the prickly situation was made even more awkward for him because he was unable to deliver the bad news in person.

“If you’re looking somebody in the eye and that person doesn’t have a job any more, that’s the worst thing you could ever have to do,” he said.

“My one per cent of the hundred per cent of what they’re going through, it’s bloody awful.”

With the merger yet to be rubber-stamped, the changes have taken place at SEN by his design, but not by his execution. Legally, he says, he is unable to communicate with the string of on-air talent cut asunder until the deal is made official.

Hutchy certainly making SEN his own. Will be interesting to see how it plays out with ratings impact.

— Adam Hill (@adamhillmedia) January 16, 2018

I like what @craighutchy is doing with SEN. Always hard when contracts aren’t renewed, but Hutchy isn’t there to continually rate poorly like the station has for years. He’s recruited brilliant hosts like @GerardWhateley & @AndyMaherDFA and they are there to win their key demos.

— Jarrod Walsh (@jarrodwalsh) January 23, 2018

Big calls but I won't be questioning Hutchy. A lot smarter than people give him credit for.

— Luke D'Anello (@LukeDAnello) January 16, 2018

He said the way the changes at the radio station have become a matter of public interest from footy fans shows footy media has become a “Truman Show” spin-off.

The entire episode has played out like an episode of Real Housewives of Melbourne, but — with the merry-go-round finally coming to a halt — it’s time for the new-look station to get back to business. Just business.

WHO’S IN FOR SEN 2018

The boys are back! Tune in tomorrow morning from 6am. pic.twitter.com/fhgH8OgRxR

— Garry and Tim (@SENBreakfast) January 14, 2018

Gerard Whateley

Daisey Pearce

Kane Cornes

Jack Heverin

Sam McClure

John Rothfield

WHO’S OUT FOR SEN 2018

David Schwarz

Mark Allen

Mark Robinson

Rodney Hogg

Mark Fine

Kevin Hillier

SEN 2018 LINE-UP

SEN Breakfast (6am — 9am): Garry Lyon, Tim Watson

Whateley (9am — 12pm): Gerrard Whateley

SEN Afternoons (12pm — 3pm): Andy Maher

KB and the Doc (3pm — 6pm): Kevin Bartlett and John Rothfield

Time on with Sam McClure (6pm — 7pm): Sam McClure

The Sporting Capital with Jack Heverin (7pm): Jack Heverin

Originally published as Merry-go-round finally stops after Footy media’s summer of carnage