Radio bosses at Southern Cross Austereo are preparing to slash costs and dump staff in a desperate bid to raise at least $20 million to pay for a breakfast rescue package — Operation Get Kyle Back.
Fuelled by a disastrous two years that has seen its radio ratings drop to an all-time low, SCA is forensically analysing ways to amass a package, tipped to reach at least $10 million each, to lure back Kyle Sandilands and Jackie Henderson, aka Kyle and Jackie O, as they prepare to come off their KiisFM contract at the end 2016.
The Daily Telegraph reports should they pull it off, it will undoubtedly be the biggest about-face in Australian radio history, one which could help revive the flailing Hit Network (formerly 2Day) that has lumbered from one breakfast radio disaster to the next since the famous duo jumped ship in 2012.Currently, the breakfast slot is being filled by Rove McManus and Sam Frost, a flop formula attracting just a 3 per cent audience share but costing the network more than $4 million per year over three years. Kyle and Jackie O hold a 10.1 per cent share for Kiis FM.
However, Sandilands has flatly ruled out returning to stuttering rival 2Day FM, amid reports Austereo is lining up a $20m bid to lure him and Jackie Henderson (Jackie O) back to their former home.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports while admitting he was flattered, in typically hyperbolic Sandilands style he said they could offer him the entire business and he still wouldn't be interested
"Let me just go on record saying I would never go back to Austereo even if they gave me the radio station," he said on air. "If they said, 'Here: You own it now', I would say, 'No, thanks'."
Henderson echoed her sidekick's denial, saying she had had no contact from Austereo.
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