Radio stations get pretty competitive for ratings, but this is something else.
Some of Australia’s top media personalities are battling it out for the opportunity to land the #1 spot on a suburban Dad’s car radio.
Over the weekend, an Instagram post on influencer and socialite James Donald Forbes McCann‘s page caught the attention of the radio world.
“I’d just purchased a 2003 Toyota Camry,” says James. “I went to set up my favourite radio stations and I thought, hold on, we could have some fun with this. Radio stations are always running competitions for listeners. What if one of the listeners held a competition for the radio stations?”
Almost immediately, famous Australian radio personalities began making offers:
- triple j‘s Ben & Liam agreed to send “two Frisbees and a bumper sticker your way… It’s as far as the public broadcaster is willing to stretch.”
- Fresh FM‘s Laura O’Callaghan, commented that “There’s a large storage facility just outside of Dry Creek filled with Fresh themed visors, whistles and over 3000 lip balms. I’ll give you the security codes you can have them all.”
- Jules Schiller, currently presenting the drive show on ABC Radio Adelaide, has offered “personalised traffic reports” live on air as James drives his Toyota Camry around town.
- Ex-Hit 107 presenter Amos Gill, who recently moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in stand-up comedy, offered $100 to tune the radio to static, “a reminder that there’s nothing worth listening to since I left.”
There have also been bids from Nova 919 and Life 1079‘s Aiden Grant, SEN‘s Andrew Hayes, and one unnamed radio presenter who has gone so far as to offer sexual favours.
“It’s so hard to choose,” says James, discussing the rabid battle royal being waged for his endorsement. “I feel like the prettiest girl at the dance.”
“I guess it just goes to show that even in these troubled times, within a rapidly disintegrating society, amidst horrifying technological disruption and the decay of moral decency, you can still get free stuff from a radio station”.