The Australian Radio Network is saving most of its new programming announcements for early in the new year, but Paul Holmes let one of the cats out of the bag today while standing in on WSFM breakfast.
He will be moving to Melbourne to present Mix 101.1 breakfast. Smart money is betting that he will be teamed with Jane Marwick, who has been filling in at ARN Melbourne recently.
ARN is also expected to unveil new tv campaigns in the new year for its gold and mix streams, as well as a new TVC for The Edge in Sydney.
One ARN station that won’t be getting an image makeover is 5DN, which (as reported earlier on radioinfo) is about to go to an all-sport format as a result of being leased to SEN.
During the year, the network took significant rebranding steps at its Mix network, launching a new look for Mix 106.5 in Sydney, Mix 101.1 in Melbourne, Mix 102.3 in Adelaide, 97.3 in Brisbane and Mix 106.3 in Canberra, with the key message – ‘Feel Good’.
CEO, Bob Longwell, at the time, described the new brand as “a better reflection of the stations’ listeners and the existing programming and music focus.”
Holmes only joined WSFM just over four months ago to present drive, with the classic hits’ station returning to more traditional shifts and shuffling hours across the day to accommodate him.
Apart from filling in in recent weeks on breakfast for Jonesy (Brendan Jones), Holmes – since 2 August – had been doing ‘The Holmestretch’ from 4-7pm.
Holmes – close to veteran status these days – left 2Day FM late last year after the demise of the breakfast crew of Wendy Harmer and Greg Fleet (and, firstly, Peter Moon).
On joinign WSFM, after 12 years on breakfast, Holmes said he was looking forward to normal hours and the chance to go solo. “This is a chance for me to so something I live or die by on my own and there’s no gang or crew around – just me.”
Holmes said he had no problem with WSFM’s classic hits’ format: “That’s the music I grew up with. I was never a big Britney or Whitney fan.
“While I enjoyed my six month break, radio is my passion and I’m very excited to be back. After driving people to work for 12 years, it will be nice to get them home – it’s a much nicer destination.
“ARN has come a long way in the past few years and it’s on the rise. There’s a lot happening and I think it’s going to be a really exciting place to work.”
Holmes’ impressive radio career spans 25 years. After working at Fox FM breakfast in Melbourne, he moved to Sydney to join 2SM in the 1980s, worked with Triple M in the Mulray years and, most recently, spent 12 years on breakfast at 2Day FM.