Josh Arthur: Why it’s important for radio to invest in future talent

Some mornings, Josh Arthur will stop and ask himself “Do I really get to do this for a living?”

As Josh can certainly attest, when you work in radio, there’s no such thing as a typical day.

Case in point: Josh and his 95.3 Triple M Breakfast co-host Nick Feain recently found themselves trying to sink a hole-in-one at a local golf course during an outside broadcast in Victoria’s sprawling Goulburn Valley.

For Josh, it was a bucket list item and – as he nears a decade in the industry – one of many memorable radio experiences.

He also fondly remembers the live broadcast he once did from a tiny dinghy during his announcing days in Ballarat.

Josh tells Radio Today “We developed a story arc of flying some tiny, cheap drones a client had given us across Lake Wendouree.”

“It was probably the most fun I’ve ever had at work.”

Growing up as an only child in Coffs Harbour, Josh made his own fun.

Luckily, he had a big backyard in which to fulfil all of his imaginary adventures.

“Creativity and imagination were big for me when I was young,” says Josh.

“Even when friends came over, we’d spend the whole time pretending we were soldiers in the jungle or WWE wrestlers on my trampoline.”

Josh once even asked his dad to buy him some particle board so he could throw his friend through it and pretend it was a table.

“Nobody was injured in the making of that memory,” laughs Josh.

Local radio was always there in the background.

“On the way to school in the car I’d listen to Star FM (later rebranded to Hit) with Sammy and Jay, then Jay and Tulles, then AB and Ben,” Josh recalls.

But he’d never really considered radio as a possible career option.

As it turned out, radio found its way to Josh, who happened to go to the same school as the son of the local radio station’s GM.

“She saw me perform at the high school and asked me afterwards whether I’d be interested in doing some street team work,” says Josh.

So, in 2015, Josh started his radio journey as a promotions assistant with the Hit Squad in Coffs.

From there, Josh completed a Communication degree at university, before landing in Ballarat at PowerFM, starting out as Workday announcer, then later taking on the Breakfast shift.

It’s been a rocky road at times and in 2021, Josh – an enthusiastic ambassador for mental health – opened up about his own personal struggles.

“It was a big year for me,” Josh says. “I was becoming a father and started on my very first Breakfast radio show.”

“It was especially trying for me because my daughter was born premature, so there was a heap of stress with that as well as in the lead up to the birth there being a heap of complications and issues as well. It was not a fun time.”

For a while, Josh pursued a career in real estate before returning to radio.

“Looking back, I wouldn’t change anything,” he says.

“The stress I endured made me work better under pressure. I learnt how to deal with difficult people – sometimes unkind people – and also figured out who I was really going to be when it came to my career and fatherhood.”

Josh reaches out to other industry people on a weekly basis, who’ve helped him navigate his own career.

“Recently, Jay Mueller has had some great advice for me which I have very much appreciated. I respect Jay so much, so it’s great to get to chat to him.”

“During my time in Coffs, Moffee on the Triple M Breakfast show helped me a lot.”

2024 heralded some significant changes for SCA’s regional Breakfast teams.

Josh was paired with Feain, who tells Radio Today it helps that they share a similar sense of humour.

“Being thrown together this year, you never know who or what you’re getting, but having similar values  both on and off air have made him great to work with.”

“Having someone opposite you who can riff and improvise in the same way I do has made me enjoy coming in to work,” says Feain.

As to what the future holds, Josh is taking a wait-and-see approach.

“The industry is a little light on at the moment in terms of career opportunities and talent development opportunities,” he says.

“So, we will see if that changes. Because radio has no future unless people decide to invest in the future talent!”

Josh says his life today – keeping the local community of Shepparton entertained – is pretty darn good.

“I’m loving the show I’m doing now.”

“I enjoy talking to people and hearing their stories.”

“I also enjoy the fact that sometimes, hopefully, I put a smile on people’s faces on their way into work.”

*Nick & Josh for Breakfast can be heard 6-9am Weekdays on 95.3 Triple M Goulburn Valley.