2GB’s Chris Smith in talks with Macquarie Media over future

Macquarie Media is in talks with 2GB’s afternoon talkback host Chris Smith about his future.

Souths supporter Chris Smith receives a tattoo of a Bunny from Tony Cohen on air during his 2GB radio show at Pyrmont. Picture Craig Greenhill

Macquarie Media is in talks with 2GB’s afternoon talkback host Chris Smith about his future, less than a month after securing its top star Alan Jones for another two years.

Smith told listeners live on-air that he was “in discussions with management about his future” following a report in Sydney’s The Daily Telegraph that he was to be dumped from his 12 to 3pm slot, and moved to the evening slot, currently occupied by Steve Price.

He said the “pretty long article” had its “fair set of assumptions and inaccuracies”.

“What I can tell you though is that I am in discussions with management at the moment about my future, and I really do hope to have some good news soon.

“But in the meantime it is just business as usual,” he said.

Smith said he was going away next week for three weeks with his daughter and 100 listeners, crossing the Atlantic on the Queen Mary II.

Smith said he will have a “little bit of leave” on his return and hopes to be able to update listeners “on what could be happening” by then.

“In the meantime it is business as usual,” he said.

Smith also thanked his listeners for their support and messages, which he said has been “incredibly humbling.”

According to 2GB’s website, Smith’s Monday to Friday show is the top-rating program in his timeslot

Smith has worked in news and current affairs on radio and television for more than 30 years, and also appears on Channel 7’s Sunrise and Channel 9’s Weekend Today Show and Mornings.

Macquarie Media chief executive Adam Lang and national executive produce Michael Thompson remained tight-lipped on the newspaper report when contacted by The Australian.

Macquarie locked-in Alan Jones, who dominates the breakfast radio airwaves in Sydney, last month on a $4 million a year contract for the next two years.

Jones’s deal paves the way for advertising veteran John Singleton to sell his 32 per cent stake to Macquarie’s biggest shareholder, Nine Entertainment, for close to $100 million.

Smith was reportedly told of the slot changes last week, and went into the office on the weekend “to clear away his trophies and celebrity photographs from the walls of his office,” The Daily Telegraph said.

The report said Smith stormed out of Macquarie Media’s Pyrmont offices after a meeting with management on Monday morning, with temporary host Luke Grant covering for Smith for the day.

However Smith returned to the airwaves on Tuesday afternoon.