Ben Fordham to walk in Alan Jones’s 2GB radio shoes
Ben Fordham has been given the most coveted, yet difficult job in Australian radio, taking over Alan Jones's popular 2GB radio breakfast show.
Ben Fordham has been given the most coveted and difficult job in Australian radio, taking over Alan Jones' popular 2GB radio breakfast show.
In a surprise move, 2GB’s owner Nine Entertainment announced on Tuesday morning that its afternoon radio host Fordham, would succeed Jones, instead of its morning radio host Ray Hadley, who was widely expected to take over from Jones.
Nine is entrusting the 43 year old, who started his media career at Sydney's 2UE and Sky News Australia, with its most treasured radio program, which attracts big advertising revenue.
However, Jones has also alienated some advertisers with some of his controversial comments, including last year’s offensive statements about New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Ben Willee, general manager and media director of ad agency Spinach, said it's a "huge change for 2GB".
"Regardless of if you like his politics or not, Alan Jones has dominated Sydney breakfast radio for a very long time," Mr Willee told The Australian.
"However, the controversy surrounding his program has not always been good financial news for 2GB and its owner Nine.
"It’s one thing to attract a lot of audience but if you’re alienating advertisers, and that audience isn’t being monetised it’s a real problem," he said.
"So Ben Fordham has some very big shoes to fill. He’s got to convince advertisers this is a ‘non-controversial’ environment and woo them back to the station and the show, all the while keeping huge volumes of listeners engaged."
Fordham had Jones on his show on Tuesday afternoon, with the young-gun gushing over Jones’s stellar radio career over the past 35 years.
“The score board showed Alan Jones has hosted the number one radio show in this country for 35 years, and after 35 years on top. He's leaving on top.”
Jones stressed that he had “nothing to do” with the appointment of Fordham, who worked on his radio show as a 15 year old work experience kid. But believes Fordham has what it takes to do a good job.
“You’ve got a young man here who has energy, ideas, ability and ambition, all those things you need. He’s got sensitivity for people in trouble and he’s got a seriousness about him for issues that require seriousness. All those things are the appropriate chemistry for success.
“That's not to say success can ever be taken for granted or can ever be assumed. Because what Ben is going to encounter now are changes to his life that he hasn’t yet experienced in a sense that he has a young family and the need and demand to be there everyday is heavy duty stuff.”
Fordham said it was “intimidating and exciting” to be taking over from Jones, but also doesn’t expect to replicate Jones’s long radio ratings success over 35 years.
Nine’s radio boss Tom Malone said Jones will be a hard act to follow.
“It’s very hard to capture the influence and success of Alan Jones on 2GB, the radio industry, and media, business and politics. He is without peer,” Mr Malone said in an staff email, seen by The Australian.
Mr Malone said Nine is “delighted” that Fordham, who he is very close with, is taking over from Jones.
“For decades 2GB’s breakfast show has set the agenda for Sydney and the country, and Ben will continue this great legacy and bring his unique energy to the show.”
Fordham has worked at Nine radio, previously known as Macquarie radio, since 2011, hosting the 3-6pm Drive shift. He also works at Nine's free-to-air television network, most recently as host of its reality TV show Ninja Warrior.
Over that time, Fordham has collected Australian Commercial Radio's best metropolitan talk presenter award five times and was voted best metropolitan current affairs presenter in 2017.
Fordham's promotion was publicly announced by Nine just minutes after 79 year-old Jones, who has had health problems for several years, told his listeners that he would step down at the end of the month following doctors orders after 35 years in broadcasting.
Fordham took to social media platform Twitter to congratulate Jones on his extensive radio career, but made no mention of his new role.
Huge congratulations to @AlanJones on a sensational breakfast radio career. Following advice from doctors, AJ has announced he’s giving the early hours away. His television and newspaper work will continue. There will only ever be one Alan Jones.
— Ben Fordham (@BenFordham) May 11, 2020
"Huge congratulations to @AlanJones on a sensational breakfast radio career. Following advice from doctors, AJ has announced he’s giving the early hours away. His television and newspaper work will continue. There will only ever be one Alan Jones."
Jones last month recorded the biggest audience jump in Sydney during the coronavirus crisis, extending his grip on the nation’s biggest radio market. His breakfast audience share jumped 3.1 per cent points to 17.9 per cent in the harbour city.
Jones told his listeners that he would wrap up on May 29,with Fordham to make his breakfast debut on June 1.
Bookmaker Sportingbet has Jones at $2.75 to be Fordham's first guest when he takes over 2GB's breakfast show, followed by Prime Minister Scott Morrison at $3.50, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian at $5 and former PM Tony Abbott at $5.50.
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