3AW presenter Derryn Hinch fired
Derryn Hinch: out after 10 years with 3AW
Derryn Hinch, a drive-time presenter on Melbourne’s most popular radio station 3AW, has been sacked.
A press release sent out this evening said that Hinch was told that his contract would not be renewed after he came off air tonight.
Hinch, a New Zealand born former police reporter, TV show host and novelist, brings to an end a 10-year stint with the Fairfax-owned talkback station.
The news comes a fortnight 3AW’s 4-6pm drive time slot lost some ground in the ratings, slipping to 12.6% share – but still held on to its market lead.
The station said that it had stood behind Hinch through a series of controversies. “Only last Friday 3AW gave the broadcaster the day off to fight in court a charge of failure to vote,” the company said.
3AW general manager Shane Healy said: “Life will not be the same without Derryn around but we believe listeners will react more than favourably to the changes we have in mind.”
A replacement for Hinch is expected to be announced within the next few days.
Healy added in a press release: “Derryn has been part of the fabric of Melbourne’s no.1 radio station for many years and we are immensely proud and grateful for his efforts over this time.”
“However, like all branches of the media it is impossible to stand still in a world of ever-accelerating change. Radio has withstood the immense challenges of the digital revolution much better than any other traditional media. But we, like print and television, cannot afford to stand still.”
“3AW, Melbourne’s most successful radio station of the modern era, must position itself to take advantage of the exciting possibilities opening up in the digital world and changing audience expectation.”
Hinch will not reappear on air after December, but 3AW said it hoped to find another role for him within the Fairfax network.
please be Steve Vizard!
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I have listened to Derrin since he started and I love him, I am sad and don’t feel like I could give someone else a go. Missing him already!
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That’s life.
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I don’t understand why? Wasn’t he rating well?
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End of an error?
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Good on Derryn for defending his right to vote (or not vote in Derryn’s case). Compulsory voting is only enforced in 10 countries in the world. Our voter turnouts are only 81% because about 10% are not registered to vote. And that 81% includes high numbers of donkey votes, invalid votes and blind guesses so our real turnouts could be as low as 60%. Who knows? But even at the inflated 81% we still have lower turnouts than many countries where voting is voluntary including Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Malta, etc.. They should use peaceful means to encourage voting – not threats of fines enforced with threats of violence… that is far from democratic.
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Just wondering how he is fired, when a contract isn’t renewed. It would be different if he was longer on air but he finishes in December…
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Thanks for that David
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3AW is part of the Fairfax Group and maybe this sacking is part of their cost cutting.
Hinch’s replacement is reported to be Tom Elliot (son of once high flyer John Elliot) who is sure to be less expensive than Hinch’s salary of $300,000 pa.
It certainly will not be the end of Hinch as Fairfax may well re-hire him, at a lesser salary, to be presenter of short, sharp editorials to be syndicated on Fairfax stations.
Alternatively, and out of left centre, Hinch could well take over as Presenter on TEN’s pitiful Breakfast show.
Watch this space.
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He wasn’t sacked as reports claim…his contract simply was not renewed. Leave the sensationalist journalism for the likes of the human headline.
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One less social commentator sitting behind a microphone who claims to know more than everybody else, just because he speaks confidently and has a profile.
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Spot on mediaman.
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I agree with Whatever; his contract has simply not been renewed. DH will definatly turn up elsewhere not long after contracts’ end. Oh, and Derryn, if you’re reading this, please keep up the voting argument; high time someone did.
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I’m a long time listener of Hinch, going back to the 80’s. He is one of the few who speak sense when they speak their mind and fights for what he believes in. I hope Melbourne’s loss is Sydney’s gain. If rumours are true that he’ll be fronting breakfast in Sydney that will put an apple in John Laws oily cart. Hinch is a good bloke. I wish him well.
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@Whatever. Hinch himself on Twitter and his blog said he was sacked.
http://www.humanheadline.com.au/Hinch-Says/Sacked
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