ABC Radio Adelaide have won the coveted #1 spot in the ratings, but not in the way you might think.
Over the last few weeks, Adelaide’s radio hosts have gone to war for the right to claim the top spot on a suburban Dad’s car radio.
Stand-up comedian and style icon, James Donald Forbes McCann, put up an Instagram post that gave Adelaide’s radio stations the opportunity to snag the coveted #1 spot on his 2003 Camry’s digital radio and says “It was a spur of the moment thing. I wondered, idly, could I get some free stuff from radio stations? Never in my wildest dreams could I have anticipated this response. I’ve had offers of merchandise, money, and even sexual favours.”
“You can’t see how many likes these posts are getting,” says James, referring to Instagram’s new policy of blocking ‘like’ counts in Australia. “But trust me, it’s absolutely huge, the likes these posts are getting. It usually takes a murder for Adelaide to get this interested in something.”
Yesterday, ABC drive host and media luminary Jules Schiller pulled out all the stops to make sure his station took out first place in the AM band, and says he couldn’t be prouder. “It’s a huge win for me and the taxpayer.”
The elated drive time host won the day by offering James exclusive, live, on-air traffic reports, and additionally, in an act of heroic desperation, he quite literally gave James the sweat stained shirt off his back.
Schiller faced stiff competition as rival station SEN gave James two visors, an offer of a ride in the SEN car, a stubby holder, and even left open the possibility of James doing colour commentary on a game of football.
“It was really hard to decide on a winner,” says James, “especially since Andrew Hayes [SEN breakfast host] is one of my favourite broadcasters. It was a tough decision, and I hope SEN take great pride in having come second.”
A result for the FM band is expected early next week.