DMG Radio Australia has announced the appointment of Mike Perso for its new FM station to be launched in Melbourne within months.
Perso has a long history as an announcer and programmer, and returns to DMG after a period as Group Program Director for the company’s regional network from 2003 until it was sold late last year.
His on air shift is yet to be determined.
Perso’s signing comes less than two weeks after the appointment of Francis Leach to 91.5 FM.
DMG’s Executive Producer for the new Melbourne and Sydney stations, Paul Clarke, said at the time: “Francis is an excellent announcer, with a finger on the pulse of music, popular culture and sport.
“He has one of the most diverse backgrounds in Australian radio. How many other announcers in Australia have interviewed Martin Scorsese and Bono, and can also call a footy match?”
Leach most recently worked at SEN, but has had stints at Triple J, Radio National and 774 ABC Melbourne.
Leach says: “I’m damn excited! This is the station I’ve been waiting for, and it will be really inspiring to be involved from the start.”
In Sydney, DMG is reportedly close to announcing Wendy Harmer as its latest signing for the soon be launched 95.3 FM.
According to Sue Javes in The Sydney Morning Herald’s The Guide, Harmer will be slotted into mornings and will go head to head with 2UE’s John Laws, 2GB’s top rating Ray Hadley, 702 ABC’s Sally Loane, Mix 106.5’s Bogart Torelli and 101.7 WSFM’s Ron E Sparx.
The former 2Day FM breakfast co-host is set to join Angela Catterns (breakfast) and Tony Squires and Rebecca Wilson (drive) at 95.3.
Mornings had always been considered the perfect vehicle for Harmer, who had made it clear breakfast was not an option for a return to radio, after more than 10 years of early starts at 2Day FM. She is also juggling motherhood with a successful career as an author.
Adding fuel to the Harmer-DMG reports is the fact that her close friend, Helen Thomas, has resigned from Radio National and looks certain to be her producer on 95.3 mornings.
Recently, DMG Chief Executive, Paul Thompson, said while the much anticipated names had been locked in for both new FM stations, they would not be announced until a week out from the launch of 95.3.
Still unclear, of course, are the respective actual launch dates, the remainder of the on air line ups and the formats.
Thompson said the Sydney station would go to air late next month, but rejected reports of a September launch for the Melbourne station, saying: “We honestly don’t have a date yet.”
While it is clear the new stations will target a 40+ audience, the amount of talk and the type of music are yet to be revealed.