As radio king John Laws brought the curtain down on his 55 year old career yesterday 2UE is left considering its future with no confirmed breakfast, morning or night show for 2008.
Laws has left, Peter Fitzsimons has quit, Stan Zemanek is dead and Mike Carlton’s future is still uncertain. Stuart Bocking has never been confirmed as the official night time host and without Laws he will be praying his latest ratings have been on the increase.
Yesterday Carlton made some remarks which are sure to disgruntle management publicly stating that the current management had no idea how to run a radio station compared with that of John Conde (former 2UE boss).
Andrew Denton was John Laws preferred replacement, but Denton denies he wants the gig. Glenn Wheeler has put up his hand, Tim Webster is chomping at the bit but both are inexperienced and won’t deliver for 2UE.
Whoever succeeds Laws must not be judged in Laws terms but given his or her time to develop their own style and show. 2UE would be wise to consider two co-hosts for the morning show and change the stations style and sound.
Weekend Breakfast presenters George More and Paul B Kidd are two candidates that could deliver for 2UE. More’s easy listening speaking voice and Kidd’s general quirky knowledge compliment the popular weekend magazine program.
Their combined salaries would be less than Carlton’s and their enthusiasm would be a welcome ‘breath of fresh air’.
It is a worry however that 2UE have not confirmed their major programming for 2008. We are now only six weeks away from the new ratings season and the airwaves are changing.
2UE must be hoping Alan Jones gets the Wallabies coaching position because that will give them the window to re-invigorate the brand. The problem is that there are no obvious, proven or capable replacements in the radio world if Carlton walks then 2UE will be banking on inexperienced presenters to lift the stations ratings and ensure that 2UE can still be an alternative AM commercial radio station to 2GB.
