Jon Faine announces ABC exit plan after 23 years with public broadcaster

Controversial ABC morning radio presenter Jon Faine has announced plans to leave the public broadcaster after 23 years.

ABC Melbourne radio presenter Jon Faine.

Controversial ABC Melbourne morning radio presenter Jon Faine will leave the public broadcaster at the end of the year after 23 years.

Faine, who has copped criticism for some of his on air comments, including an ethnic slur against Indian NBN technicians and an inappropriate interview with a disabled woman last year, announced his decision on air this morning after returning from his summer break.

The 62 year-old told his morning show listeners that he didn’t expect to have a lengthy career in broadcasting after joining the public broadcaster in 1989.

“Thirty years ago this week I joined the ABC to make the Law Report in what I thought would be a brief detour from lawyering. And now I find myself presenting the morning show on ABC Radio Melbourne now for the 23rd year, but it will be my last this year,” Faine said.

Faine’s show, Mornings with Jon Faine, was the second most popular morning show in Melbourne at the end of last year. It rose 0.5 percentage points to 12.1 per cent, trailing 3AW’s Neil Mitchell, according to GfK’s eighth and final radio ratings survey of 2018.

Mitchell also attracted more listeners, up 0.4 points to 16.1 per cent, according to the survey, which covered the period from September 30 to December 8.

ABC acting director of regional & local, Judith Whelan, said Faine had indicated late last year he was wanted to leave at the end of 2019.

“It is a decision that is hard to live with. Jon is a unique broadcaster and one who will be extremely hard to replace,” she said in a statement.

The ABC last year apologised on behalf of Faine over his out-of-character ethnic slur against Indian NBN technicians, and his interview with a disability activist last year in March was labelled insensitive and bizarre.

Faine also criticised then managing director Michelle Guthrie for failing to defend the ABC against the federal government last year.

Faine’s show, Mornings with Jon Faine, runs each morning during the working week for 2.5 hours. No other ABC morning show is hosted by just one person.

Faine hasn’t indicated what he plans to do next, an ABC spokesman said.

The ABC will announce Faine’s replacement later in the year.