TV resignation a gift for radio

Paul Henry. Photo / Greg Bowker

Paul Henry's departure from our TV screens could prove a lifeline for breakfast radio.

In the week that Henry left the TVNZ show Breakfast following his comments about Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand, latest radio ratings showed the loss of thousands of morning radio listeners.

Speculation is rife that Henry could return to RadioLive, where he has worked, and that might reverse the trend of increasing morning TV viewership over radio listenership.

Sussan Turner, group managing director at MediaWorks, which owns RadioLive, said they "may have a chat" with Henry. A move to radio could mean that Henry's fans - about 206,600 Breakfast viewers aged 5 and above - will leave TVNZ with him.

Ron Sneddon, media director at Auckland advertising agency Mr Smith, said it was fair to assume radio listeners had been lured over to breakfast TV because of Henry's reputation, and his fans were likely to follow him as he moved on.

He said both Henry and RadioLive would be "mad" not to consider the move and that current breakfast host Marcus Lush was essentially a "dead duck".

It is understood there is no trade restraint stopping Henry from making a move to radio. "It would be a great result to have [Henry] up against Mike Hosking," said Sneddon.

"Paul Henry is a bonafide superstar in a New Zealand context. When you get someone as good as him on board, the audience grows. Never get rid of that talent - it's the cardinal rule."

The latest radio ratings make dire reading for the industry. Ratings for Lush at RadioLive have stagnated at 84,000 listeners nationally since the last survey in April. But Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking has lost 16,500 listeners. Other stations, including The Rock, Classic Hits, More FM and Radio Hauraki, have also lost a significant number of morning listeners.

The results, taken from a sample audience between August and September, compare poorly with the growth in viewers for Breakfast, which has been increasing steadily in the last two years.

Last January, Breakfast pulled in an average audience of 108,200 viewers - a number which has grown to a whopping 206,600 viewers. The majority of Breakfast's growth has been within the last year.

Where do you think Paul Henry should go next? Email rebecca.lewis@hos.co.nz