‘We’ll have to wait and see, won’t we?’: Russel Howcroft on his radio longevity and unexpected first survey results
In August, there was a shake up at 3AW. Renowned adman Russel Howcroft started as its latest talkback host, opposite Ross Stevenson in the breakfast slot. The switch up paid off for Nine Radio in the first survey, but Howcroft tells Mumbrella’s Brittney Rigby why the result was unexpected, explains why talkback radio deserves more ad spend, and addresses whether he’ll still be at 3AW in 20 years.
Russel Howcroft is in the process of converting his reputation as a most successful adman into one as a successful talkback host. It’s not exactly duplicative – although he sees no difference between speaking to the C-suite at PwC and the people of Melbourne at 3AW “because, in the end, it’s all about ideas” – but so far, it’s going well. Better than anyone – including Howcroft – expected, in fact.
To describe his first survey (and the industry’s first, since April) as John Burns’ replacement, and Ross Stevenson’s partner, is to use a cliche that has become shorthand for 2020 itself: unprecedented.
Howcroft: “What is difficult is your body clock”
