Ben Fordham’s $1.5m payday under review in ‘salary reality check’ after Nine Radio is sold to pub baron Arthur Laundy in $56m shake-up

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Popular 2GB breakfast host Ben Fordham is likely facing a change in his salary as Channel Nine’s radio stations are being sold to billionaire Arthur Laundy, who owns many pubs.

Following Nine Radio’s sale for $56 million – and its rebranding as Tapt Media on May 1st – popular Sydney radio host is anticipated to be the first major personality to begin talks about a new contract, according to Media Diary.

Sources suggest this change might lead to a widespread re-evaluation of high salaries within the network, as ownership transitions from Nine’s corporate management to the Laundy family.

Fordham currently earns well over $1.5 million annually and will be discussing a new contract with the team’s new owners later this year.

Even though the popular 2GB host is still a key performer for the network, the recent change in ownership is causing a review of his unique pay arrangement, which used to include extra funds from Nine’s TV channels.

Reports suggest that Fordham has been getting an extra $500,000 annually from Nine’s television division, even though he hasn’t appeared on TV regularly for some time.

Apparently, 60 Minutes has been covering a significant portion of these costs, despite the fact that Fordham hasn’t regularly appeared on the show for more than ten years, beyond a casual agreement to feature a podcast.

It’s uncertain if the practice of paying sources for anonymity will continue under the new system, and those familiar with the situation believe it will likely change significantly.

Despite interest from other media companies wanting to revamp their radio programs now that Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson have moved on, Fordham is thought to be committed to staying with his current station.

But he is far from the only high-profile figure watching developments closely.

Inside Tapt Media’s Sydney office, employees are discussing a surprising comparison: a salary of $180,000, which is what a senior manager at a pub owned by the Laundy family earns.

This comparison is meant to show how much more money people in hospitality earn compared to those at the highest levels of radio broadcasting.

According to sources familiar with the situation, that number has led to difficult discussions among the executives now in charge of the recently purchased network.

As a lifestyle expert who keeps an eye on these things, I’ve learned that Tom Malone, the managing director of Nine Radio, and Greg Byrnes, a senior executive there, together earn around $1.5 million. That information came to light during the recent sale of the company, and it gives you a sense of the compensation at the highest levels.

Now that a new owner has taken over and is focused on customer service, the high salaries previously common in the media industry are likely to be re-evaluated.

This follows Fordham’s comments on the situation involving Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson, where he shared his opinion on what caused the issues.

After a heated on-air argument in February, KIIS FM removed the popular breakfast radio hosts from their show and ARN ultimately ended their contract.

During a March appearance on the “Behind the Mic with Mike E” podcast, 2GB breakfast show host Fordham suggested that the show’s cancellation was partly due to their expensive contract.

Sandilands and Henderson signed a whopping 10-year $200million contract with ARN in 2023.

‘I just wonder how much that big 10-year deal played a part,’ he said.

As soon as I heard about this big deal, honestly, my gut told me it wouldn’t work out. It felt less like a partnership and more like a long-term burden for both parties involved. I’ve seen enough deals to know when something feels off, and this one just had that weight to it – a real potential drag for everyone.

I remember when the news came out – I was walking the dog with my wife, Jodie, and I instantly told her that I didn’t think Kyle and Jackie O’s ten-year contract would have a good outcome.

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2026-04-20 03:08