Radio star salaries leave TV in the dust
ARN's $200 million bet.
The commercial heyday of radio may be in the rear mirror, but there are still at least 18 Australian radio presenters on annual salaries of $1 million or more, with the medium’s biggest names far out-earning those on television.
On Sunday, The Australian released its inaugural Television Rich List, featuring the country’s 35 top-paid television personalities. Of these, just nine commanded salaries of over $1 million, with the top earner, Karl Stefanovic, earning $2.8 million.
Radio’s two biggest-name stars, Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson, are currently on year two of a mammoth $200 million, 10-year contract with ARN, meaning they each net $10 million each year. They are by far the highest-paid radio stars in the country – and in the history of Australian radio.
ARN’s $200 million bet.
According to insiders who spoke to Mumbrella on condition of anonymity, there are a number of presenters on huge annual salaries across the commercial radio sector, despite the recent decline in advertising within radio and a broader downturn across the entire sector. Here are the rankings based on the numbers given to us by the insiders.
ARN is also paying its GoldFM breakfast star Christian O’Connell the big dollars – with the UK radio veteran netting a cool $5 million a year, after being lured to the Australian radio market in 2018. He returned to the top of the Melbourne radio ratings last survey, after ruling the roost throughout 2023, so it’s money well placed for ARN.
Nova is paying its Sydney breakfast duo Ryan ‘Fitzy’ Fitzgerald and Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli $2.5 million each – notably, co-ost Kate Ritchie is on considerably less, taking in ‘just’ $1 million a year.
Amanda Keller, one half of GoldFM’s (former WSFM) Sydney breakfast team Amanda & Jonesy, makes $2.5 million (her co-star Brendan Jones makes $1.5 million), on par with Ross Stevenson on 3AW’s AM breakfast juggernaut.
Fifi Box commands a $2 million salary as leader of SCA’s Fox FM breakfast team, while Triple M’s Mick Molloy is on $1.5 million. Hit Network’s drive team Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little are also each on $1.5 million.
Earning $1 million annually are 2GB’s breakfast host Ben Fordham — given his constantly winning ratings, he’ll be looking to renegotiate soon with Nine Radio — as well as Chrissie Swan, Jase Hawkins, and Tim Blackwell, all on Nova, and Tom Elliott on Nine’s 3AW Mornings.
Also earning big bucks — but not yet in the million-dollar radio club, are The Fox’s Brendan Fevola, Triple M’s Beau Ryan, and Ray Hadley’s 2GB Mornings replacement Mark Levy.
Irene Hulme has worked in various content director roles across the Nova Network and SCA, and is co-host of the popular radio podcast Game Changers. She writes about radio for Content This.
She tells Mumbrella the “obscene” salaries Australian radio talent are earning is “wildly out of step with the current realities of the industry”, listing off the sector’s shrinking share of voice, and increasing commercial pressure.
“In some cases, these exceptionally high salaries paid to radio talent appear to be disproportionate to their actual impact,” Hulme continues.
“Historically, talented radio personalities have always been paid well, for instance, Hamish & Andy, but their dedication to the show, the team, the station, and the overall success of the business made it justifiable.”
The times are changing, but the salaries aren’t.
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CEO’s who are poor negotiators, sign off on insane talent deals, then cost cut by redundancies/offshoring roles across the rest of the business. Thats how you radio!