Duncan Campbell: “I wouldn’t have networked Kyle & Jackie O into Melbourne”

Duncan Campbell. Image: ARN

Duncan Campbell has broken his silence on Kyle & Jackie O’s disastrous launch into Melbourne – saying they were a Sydney Breakfast show, and that’s where they should have stayed.

In a candid interview with Wade Kingsley on The Quarter Hour podcast, ARN’s former Chief Content Officer reflects on his experience with Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson, and where it all went wrong.

Campbell says it’s a shame things ended the way they did.

“I mean, it was one of the best shows in the world really for a long, long time. I used to sit in my office at North Ryde when we were there at ARN (and they were at SCA) and think How the hell are we going to beat these guys?”

“That was in probably 2012 and then in 2014 he (Kyle) gave me a phone call. They were one of the best shows that we’ve ever, ever heard.”

“Jackie O has one of the best female voices for radio. I think it’s at times it’s very seductive and it’s just a very nice voice. And Kyle is a master at, you know, reflecting what listeners are really thinking.”

Campbell says Sandilands and Henderson really understood radio.

“Their chemistry was just amazing. At times at their very best, it seemed like their minds were joined together with a cable or something because they were just in sync brilliantly.”

“They weren’t always an easy manage, but they were very passionate about radio and they knew the craft better than most.”

Asked about K & J’s mammoth, multi-million dollar deal, Campbell says “Well, the big contract, I didn’t really handle that one. I handled all the previous contracts since they came across in 2014. That was Ciaran (Davis) and the Chairman (Hamish McLennan) – that was their baby.”

“So they did a good job in terms of the wooing them to sign. But I guess it was a long time. Ten years was a long time, and there was no performance-related sort of clauses in there.”

“I wouldn’t have had the networking to Melbourne”.

“I mean, that was obviously part of the deal. To make the numbers work, that had to be there. But knowing what we know now, I wouldn’t have networked them into Melbourne at all.”

“But at the time it was a bit like survey day, you get caught up in the euphoria of the moment and we said, ‘Yes, let’s go and do it.’ And Kyle wanted to do it. So, yeah, that’s probably the big one, networking. But we had to do that to make the numbers work.”

“So damned if you did, damned if you didn’t.”

Campbell doesn’t necessarily think networking into Brisbane first would have been a better bet, either.

“No, I don’t think so now. I was never a real fan of the networking, really. The ability for a Breakfast show to reflect the nuances of the city in very subtle ways that the audience can’t articulate in a focus group, but they know when it’s not there just means that they listen less.”

“And I mean, Melbourne didn’t work for a whole lot of other reasons, but I don’t think it would ever have actually worked to be honest.”

“I think they were a Sydney Breakfast show. That was where their great strength was, and that’s where they should have stayed.”

As for his thoughts on Sandilands’ planned new subscriber-based show, Campbell says if anyone can make it work, Kyle can.

“But I guess the disappointing thing is that we’ll probably see more people like that move off into a subscriber model if it does work. And that provides a another platform of competition or another level of competition for, for radio.”

“I think he will succeed. He’s a great talent, so good luck to him.”

Campbell hopes Australian radio hasn’t heard the last of Jackie Henderson.

“I don’t think she’ll do breakfast again, but a lifestyle type show or interview type show.”

“I’d love to hear Kate Langbroek and Jackie O together. I think they’re two of the very best.”

Asked who would be his ideal choice for KIIS Sydney Breakfast, Campbell says “I haven’t really thought about that. That’s the honest answer.”

“I don’t think there’s a ready-to-go Breakfast show. I don’t think putting two high-profile people together is going to work either unless there’s real chemistry there.”

Campbell believes that when 2DayFM lost Kyle & Jackie O, it would have been better to invest in one show and keep growing it, rather than chopping and changing.

“I hope that’s the mistake KIIS don’t make in terms of just putting people together and trying them out and then changing again.”

“I think they’ve got to invest in a show and it’ll take probably five, six years for it to work properly, but that’ll pay great dividends in the long run.”