Price to 2GB, Wilshire shafted
It has been rumoured for weeks, and has now been confirmed. Steve Price, formerly of Melbourne’s MTR, will replace 2GB’s long-term night announcer Brian Wilshire (left).
Due to his daughters being in high school, Price will remain living in Melbourne and commute each week to Sydney for the show, which commences on Monday 30 April.
Notwithstanding Price’s abilities, he was MTR’s highest rating announcer, the decision was undoubtedly helped by the fact that he had a contract with MTR, which the Macquarie Radio Network are responsible for honouring.
Price commented “I still had three years to go on my contract and they obviously wanted to keep me on board and Sydney and 2GB was the only option…..GB thinks they should have night-time programs of the same standard as they’ve got between 6am and 6pm. It’s great for me”
The move is signficant for 2GB on two fronts.
Firstly the tone and substance of Steve Price is a major change from Brian Wilshire, and secondly talk listeners are famous for reacting adversely and at times aggressively to change, particularly when an announcer of 30 years standing in the one shift has been displaced against his wishes.
Price’s new on-air hours will be 8pm-midnight, and he will be joined by MTR collaborator and Channel TEN host Andrew Bolt for an hour each night. Wilshire has been the evenings host since 1979, and has been offered a new role on the midnight-dawn shift, however is yet to agree to the new contract and is presently on long service leave.
We miss Brian, he was so switched on about the future of our country and the world!