If you think that there’s rivalry between the talk stations of Fairfax and the Macquarie Radio Network, it’s nothing compared to the enmity that exists between the Fairfax Press and the News Ltd papers belonging to Rupert Murdoch. Hardly a day goes by without one scribe or another in one camp questioning the journalistic integrity of those in the other. Only recently has that had the potential to have any impact on Radio. While Fairfax, owners of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age in Melbourne has also owned 2UE, 3AW, 4BC and 6PR since late 2007 it has only been recently that News Ltd has unofficially lined up on the MRN side with the launch of MTR 1377. Given that PD and breakfast presenter Steve Price also writes for the Hearld Sun, and that that paper’s highest profile columnist Andrew Bolt is a major signing for the radio station, it is little wonder that much of the tabloid’s editorial in regards to the fledgling Melbourne talker is positive.
Not so positive has been The Age. A quick search finds several articles by Karl Quinn who wrote: Melbourne’s latest talk radio station has debuted this morning with a predictable mix of fear-mongering and bureaucracy bashing as it makes its pitch for the heart and mind of the ”outraged of Melbourne”.
It was also Quinn who questioned MTR’s credentials as a local entity: There are 19 unique program slots in MTR’s line-up. Of those, only five will be hosted from Melbourne, though they do include the key slots of breakfast (Steve Price), morning (Steve Vizard) and drive (A Current Affair reporter Martin King).
Another Age columnist, Catherine Deveny wrote: Redneck radio has never worked well in Melbourne, so there’s no way it will now.
What is striking is that while the Herald Sun has done much to promote MTR the AGE has mostly concentrated on discrediting it rather than promoting its own station, 3AW.
How will these two giant news organisations impact upon 3AW and MTR? Will their influence be good or bad? If it were your station, which would you prefer to have on your side?