Carly Portch: Unpacking life after Breakfast radio

Redundancy has done nothing to dampen Carly Portch’s enthusiasm for radio. Far from it.

Two weeks after the curtain came down on the regional Triple M WA Breakfast show she co-hosted alongside Robbie Von, Carly – who recently notched up fifteen years in radio – says she’s doing OK.

“Obviously when you do something for as long as I did and you love it, it is a loss that you feel,” Carly tells Radio Today.

The Hit Network’s Dan & Christie and Bronte & Lakey were also casualties in SCA’s latest round of cuts.

But Carly sees it for the business decision that it was.

“I was one of many talented people to go, so I’ve made peace with the fact that it wasn’t anything personal and I kind of just have to move forward now.”

And move forward she has – this week launching a new daily podcast called Unpacked and Oversharing.

The title is a reference to the fact Carly has moved around a lot!

“I think a lot of radio people can relate to this,” she smiles.

Unpacked and Oversharing started out a passion project at the beginning of the year. But Carly says now that she’s got a bit more time on her hands, she’s taking things up a notch.

“It’s just going to be a quick little fifteen minute morning podcast where I get to yap about what’s going on in pop culture and I give my opinion. It’s just a way to kind of stay behind the microphone still, and hopefully connect with people.”

Carly says it’s also a great excuse to keep scrolling and checking the news sites.

“Because honestly, I need to do something with all this stupid information that I still care about, and hopefully I’m not the only one!” she laughs.

“I’m just someone who’s always loved pop culture. I’m always talking about it. So rather than annoying the people in line at Woolies, I hopefully get to channel that into an audience that cares.”

Episodes will drop daily.

“When I say daily, I’ve probably oversold it,” says Carly. “I am going to at least have a sleep in on Saturdays!”

Carly began her radio journey as a receptionist.

When it comes to radio shake-ups, this isn’t her first rodeo. The last one saw her move from Breakfast  to a Workday shift in a smaller market.

But Carly says this ultimately led her to landing the Breakfast radio gig in WA.

“I think sometimes you’ve got to do what you have to do to stay in the industry, and I’m so lucky I did that, because at the time, a lot of people questioned it.”

“I had to swallow my ego … if I really wanted to stay in radio, that’s what I had to do.”

Carly is keen to continue working in radio – whether it be on-air or off.

“If I have to go back to my panel opping days, then I absolutely will,” she says.

“It doesn’t mean that I think I’m going to get some big brekky radio gig at the end of it, but I do truly love radio, so if I can just somehow keep a foot in the door – I’d absolutely love that, and I’m still very passionate about it.”

“I don’t know what that looks like, but yeah … if anyone has any casual work going, I’m all ears!”

Carly feels deeply for every single person who’s been impacted by radio job losses.

“It’s obviously a really hard time for the industry and a lot of talented people are out of work.”

“I know that a lot of these situations are things that are forced because of monetary reasons, which you can understand, but it doesn’t mean that the audience and the listeners aren’t there. I think that’s the saddest part.”

Carly’s a big believer that when life hands you lemons – you make lemonade.

“I don’t know if this is stupid optimism, but there are so many talented people who I hope find their way back behind the microphone.”

Carly feels encouraged by the increasing number of former radio hosts going on to host their own podcasts.

“I saw what Dan and Christie are doing and I love that,” she says. “I’ve been tuning in.”

“I think sometimes when you lose the platform of radio it can be a hit to the confidence.”

“But it doesn’t mean you can’t build your own audience and still create things that people hopefully like.”

Unpacked and Oversharing is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Images: Instagram