The kings and queens of Sydney radio are costing networks so much money that they are scrambling for ways to cut costs, according to a new report.
A collective $35 million dollars a year is spent to keep the likes of Kyle Sandilands, Jackie ‘O’ Henderson, Ray Hadley, Deb Knight and Ben Fordham on the air, the Daily Telegraph claimed this weekend.
The report places KIIS FM star Sandilands’ salary at $10million a year, while his co-host Henderson is touted as earning the same amount.
It goes on to claim 2GB host Hadley brings in $3million, while station mate Fordham is on around half that at $1.5million.
Hadley will leave the network at the end of the year as he retires, which is set to save 2GB much of their expenditure on talent.
Knight is at the bottom of the pile but still paid a sizeable $300,000 a year for both work on 2GB and Channel Nine, the report claims.
A collective $35 million dollars a year is spent to keep the likes of Kyle Sandilands, Jackie ‘O’ Henderson, Ray Hadley, Deb Knight and Ben Fordham on the air, the Daily Telegraph claimed this weekend. Kyle and Jackie pictured
The top earner at ABC is said to be Craig Reucassel, who is at $220,00 for Breakfast on ABC Radio Sydney.
The costs of keeping such a pricey stable of stars has some stations looking for ways to trim the fat, The Daily Telegraph reports.
KIIS star Mitch Churi was recently made redundant while over at Triple M, Gus Worland and Jude Bolton are among those who have departed.
He will finish up at the end of the year, the Daily Telegraph claimed last month.
He has hosted The Night Show with Mitch Churi since 2019, and co-hosts The Pick Up with Brittany Hockley and Laura Byrne.
The decision was made for ‘financial reasons’ the paper alleged.
‘Mitch is shattered and completely blindsided,’ the publication quoted a ‘colleague’ of the radio star as saying.
It comes after Sandilands made a shocking confession about his eye-watering radio earnings.
The report places KIIS FM star Sandilands’ salary at $10million a year, while his co-host Henderson is touted as earning the same amount. It goes on to claim 2GB host Hadley (pictured) brings in $3million, but he is set to retire
During an episode of Kyle & Jackie O show earlier this year, the 53-year-old shock jock revealed that his annual salary is much higher than his reported $10million.
While the initial reports of their recently-signed contract suggested Kyle and his co-host Henderson would make $200million over the next ten years, Kyle said their contract will actually see the duo earn $300million – meaning they will each take home approximately $15million every year until 2034.
‘I can’t live with the lie, it’s under-reported. It’s actually about another $50 million dollars each,’ he said of their 10-year contract.
Kyle was unashamed about revealing his salary negotiations, taking aim at his radio rivals by saying, ‘We get that because we’re good [at radio].’
Meanwhile, the radio duo revealed the surprising amount they were paid for their first industry gigs.
The pair were discussing radio announcer salaries when they compared how little they made in their first jobs.
Kyle recalled how he took his first job for less than the government benefits he received while he was homeless.
‘When I first started in Townsville, I had to take a pay cut from the homeless allowance. So the government were paying me a homeless allowance. I took a pay cut for an $11,000 a year job to get my foot in the door,’ said the shock jock.
Hadley’s station mate Fordham (pictured) is on around half that at $1.5million, the report alleges
The costs of keeping such a pricey stable of stars has some stations looking for ways to trim the fat, The Daily Telegraph reports. KIIS star Mitch Churi (pictured) was recently made redundant
Co-host Jackie, 49, revealed that she had a similarly paltry salary when she signed her first radio deal.
‘I took it for 10 grand. It was because you loved the job,’ said Jackie.
Reflecting on their early career, Kyle also explained why people like him and his co-host would take such a low salary when they started out.
‘You’re limited because people like me and Jackie, there’s not many other options. Talk s**t for a living or be on the dole,’ Kyle said.
Jackie agreed, but suggested she might have pursued another profession.
‘Oh no, I could have been a prostitute!’ Jackie joked.
‘Probably, you’re right,’ said Kyle, ‘Low end, $300.’
In November 2023, the Sydney-based radio duo signed a record-breaking $200million, 10-year deal live on-air – keeping them on the airwaves until 2034.
Along with the 10-year radio deal, it’s been reported one unique clause in the contract gives them the ability to broadcast the show from ‘anywhere on the earth’.
Kyle has often worked on the KIIS FM show from Los Angeles and other places, so the new contract will give the flexibility to continue broadcasting from wherever he chooses.
In a statement to celebrate the historic contract renewal, Sandilands said, ‘Fans of the show will be stoked to hear that this 10-year deal is the longest radio deal in Australian history.
‘Love us or loathe us, Jackie and I will be continuing with our politically incorrect nonsense for a long, long time.’
He added, ‘We want to thank the listeners. Staff. All the clients. Even senior management, I’ll give a nod to. They actually did something brilliant.’
The duo are hoping to dominate markets outside their Sydney-based audience and extended their reach into Melbourne for the first time.
