When ego is a dirty word

It has always been my personal experience that in radio, the on-air people with the biggest egos are the ones least justified in having them.

Constantly pandered to – and convinced they alone are responsible for the station’s overall ratings success – they become demanding, entitled and flat out rude.

Put simply, they start to believe their own bullshit.

But, whilst the size of a radio host’s pay packet might be directly attributable to the size of their ego, believe me when I say it is NO measure of their worth as a human being.

Once upon a time, whilst working in the newsroom of a cap city commercial FM network, I remember seeing a high-profile announcer stride purposefully down the hall, with a posse of eager beavers trailing behind him.

So, I held open the big heavy studio door for him. As you do.

He sailed straight through, completely oblivious not only to my act of assistance but to my presence in general.

I copped on pretty quickly that this guy clearly gets a lot of doors opened for him (how he manages to fit his head through them is one of life’s great mysteries).

Same goes for the celebrity on-air talent who stood there, resplendent in her vintage ballerina frock, as she waited for me to hold open the door for her, as if I were the hired help.

Then there’s the Sydney radio host who, for no logical reason, decided to scream obscenities at me, almost bursting a blood vessel in a rant so incoherent that to this day, I still have no idea what he was trying to say.

I’m sure none of these people would remember any of these interactions. Perhaps that’s because they weren’t on the receiving end.

Out-of-control egos have long been one of radio’s occupational hazards.

Some years back, Encore magazine explored the topic of inflated egos and their impact on the culture of commercial radio in Australia.

Merrick Watts told of his journey from the triple j airwaves to co-hosting Breakfast alongside Tim Ross on Sydney’s Nova 96.9.

As the show’s ratings increased, so did their profile. And, as Watts himself admitted, so too did his ego.

“I would describe myself as having been arrogant. I’ve always had the largest ego in the building – particularly during my time at Nova.”

“It wasn’t like I had anybody else challenging me. I’m sure there were lots of times that I would have been seen as completely arrogant and I reckon at times I was.”

Wendy Harmer won an astonishing 84 out of 88 ratings surveys during her eleven year tenure as host of Sydney’s 2Day FM Breakfast show. And when you’re rating well in brekky radio, the world is your oyster: A-list invites, overseas trips, first class travel – the works.

“You start to think it’s all about me,” said Harmer. “But it’s not.”

Those who worked there would remember that the old Triple M and Fox FM building in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road was unique for its atrium-like interior, and the glass bubble of an elevator which would silently glide between the floors.

I took many a ride in this elevator over the years, often in close proximity with various TV, radio and sporting personalities.

Some trips were more pleasant than others. Hence, I came up with my ‘Elevator Worthy’ list.

These are the people who acknowledge your presence and make elevator travel – however brief – an enjoyable experience.

Number 1 on this list is Melbourne TV news legend Peter Hitchener, who surely has the sunniest disposition of any human being on the planet.

Other Elevator Worthy people who spring to mind are Delta Goodrem, Brendan Fevola, James Brayshaw, Brigitte Duclos, Tony Moclair and Barry Bissell.

Conversely, there are certain of people I’d be quite happy never to share a lift (or an office) with again.

It’s true that being shy can sometimes be mistaken for being aloof. But there’s no mistaking entitlement.

Sometimes when we cross paths with someone who is a household name, we are pleasantly surprised.

Despite her high profile, Jackie O Henderson could not have been more down to earth and gracious.

It costs nothing to be a decent person.

Case in point: One day, I struggled to open the doors at Triple M Melbourne HQ whilst simultaneously balancing a tray full of coffees.

On the other side of the door was a group of people completely absorbed in their own conversation.

As I fumbled with my swipe card, one man noticed my plight. He dashed over, held the door open and – smiling broadly – wished me a happy day.

It was Shane Warne.

One of the great things about working in cap city Breakfast radio is that it is one of life’s great levellers.

By this I mean, the on-air talent, the producers and the newsroom all get to see each other up close through the same lens: tired, often grumpy, unkempt and unfiltered.

What begins as something of a novelty and a unique source of fascination for our friends quickly becomes our ‘new’ normal.

But when you strip away the gloss, we see ourselves as the ordinary people that we are.

As ongoing redundancies and cutbacks continue to tear at the heart of our radio industry, it’s a point worth remembering:

No matter where you sit in the station pecking order, you, as a human being, are no less important than the executive big wigs or the network stars being paid the megabucks.

Don’t let anybody tell you otherwise.

Sarah Patterson is a radio journalist of more than 30 years, former Breakfast News Presenter on Triple M’s Hot Breakfast with Eddie McGuire, WIN Television Bureau Chief, Radio Today Editor and former News Director at Air News.