George & Paul celebrate their 10^th anniversary this weekend at 2UE

The highest rating show on 2UE is on the weekend, hosted by George Moore and Paul B. Kidd. It lasts five hours, from 9 am – 2pm both Saturday and Sunday. Although Survey 6 brought in the lowest result they’ve had for some time, it’s still a very respectable 8.6, according to Paul, which is almost double the station’s average share of 4.9.

They’ve actually been as high as a 13 share. And out of the six books of 2012, they’ve been number one in Sydney in their timeslot four times. George & Paul have been easily the station’s best and most consistent performers over the past decade. So, why haven’t management given them a weekday shift?

“It’s up to them to decide who they want on their programs. If they want us they can ask us. They’ve never asked us. It’s as simple as that.” says George.

Surely they’ve asked management at some stage…

“We don’t ask. They know where we live,” he insists. “They can turn us on any time and hear us. You’ll have to ask them.”

So we did. 2UE General Manger, Chris Parker is quick to lavish praise upon his weekend warriors but agrees with the old adage, You don’t strengthen a weakness by weakening a strength. “They are just perfect where they are,” he says.

“To be blatantly honest,” says Paul, “We are happy where we are. We really love what we are doing.  We work bloody hard though. George does editorials during the week and On this Day. I do Crime File. We work three days during the week and for 10 hours on the weekend.”

It’s no secret that 2UE has been undergoing ‘generational change’ ever since Adam Lang took on the CEO role at Fairfax Radio which has precipitated many high-profile departures, the latest of which, just days ago was program manager, Peter Brennan.

“Every time they make a major change,” says Paul, “They made a point of calling us in and saying we are not touching you- we are just leaving you alone.”

George adds, “The most beneficial thing is that when your ratings are good, they leave you alone. When they’re bad, everyone’s an expert.”

Now in his 40^th year in radio, George Moore started his career at 2WG, Wagga Wagga, and quickly progressed to Sydney where he served as a jock (no shock) on 2SM, then 2Day, Mix, 2GB and now 2UE.

While still at the predominantly music station, 2SM, Moore cut his teeth on talk in the mid 1970s when he was partnered with Mike Gibson. It was a cutting edge show for its time and reached number one, but after it had run its course, Moore swore that he would never work with a partner again.

But, as they say, never say never. About 20 years later 2UE invited him to take over a weekend show. George recalls, “I was in between jobs. I’d just left Mix and I got a call from 2ue who said ‘we are putting together a panel show for the out of football season. There will be a whole lot of experts on it and we need a host.”

As it turned out, the panel consisted of an astrologer and crime writer and fishing expert, Paul B Kidd. That was it. Although Paul was only contracted to do Saturdays, George invited him back for Sunday just to beef up the “panel.”

Paul says, George calls me, “the guest who never left.”

The relationship is close. Both men have a genuine like and a respect for each other. And that’s what it sounds like on air.

George recalls, “When we first started we did a month of nights – and  that’s not our area – but we were fairly new as a team and we thought this was a good idea. We actually split the salary would you believe! That’s how tight 2UE have always been and we did a month of nights.”

These days George and Paul have their own rusted on audience. Says George, “We just  had a meet and greet with 120 of our listeners that we are taking to China with us. Or they are taking us. And we were simply blinded- no bullshit- we were simply blown away by the warmth and affection.”

Paul says, “It was like a big love in.”

“It really was, No seriously! And you forget that you are on the air every week and there are people who can’t wait to hear you and that is a big responsibility,” says George.

In the meantime, they remain too good at what they do to do something better.

The irony is not lost on George, “We’re hoping that one day they come to us – cap in hand – saying we want you guys to do breakfast. That’s the day we’ll say, funny you should mention that, we’re both retiring.”

Peter Saxon