No presenter’s safe at Today FM after Anton’s departure
Dempsey stunned by axing of colleague
TODAY FM’S Ian Dempsey has told of his shock at colleague Anton Savage’s departure from the station and admitted no presenter is safe.
Ian, who hosts the breakfast show, was contacted by Anton and Today FM’S chief executive when the news broke.
He said: “I got a phone call on Friday at 4pm and then I got a call at five past.
“One was from the CEO and the other one was from Anton.
“I don’t know the full details of what happened.
“I thought they were trying to renegotiate a contract but it seems not.”
Ian insisted he has no idea who would take over the slot vacated by Anton.
He said: “I don’t know what the plans are for the future – we will have to wait and see.
“I would put myself in the same neck of the woods as Anton in terms of style of broadcasting.
“So obviously everybody has to watch their back.”
Although there are no plans to extend his show at the moment, Ian claimed everything could change.
He added: “We used to run until 10 every morning and then went back to 9am when Ray D’arcy arrived.
“I’m happy with the two hours now but everything is up for negotiation “I actually enjoy getting up in the morning believe it or not, I am naturally quite a lazy person but it does get me out of the bed. “I do still jump out of the bed and I still enjoy it. I haven’t started saying, ‘Oh God what am I doing this for?’
“And I like the idea of people’s brains being a bit empty and you can start building them up with stuff whereas in the afternoon they’ve heard everything.”
Ian also refuses to be ruled by quarterly JNLR audience figures.
He revealed: “They are for the advertising industry – it just so happens as a by-product we get listenerships. And we do OK.
“I concentrate on trying to put across a high-quality product – not high falutin’ or anything but something with a bit of quality and a bit of soul.”