Guy Dobson the latest senior executive to quit Southern Cross Austereo

• Who are the internal and external candidates to replace the radio legend?

Guy Dobson, one of Australia’s most successful and highest paid radio executives, has stepped down from his role of chief creative officer and will leave his post at SCA effectively immediately.

Dobson is the third member of the senior leadership team at SCA to depart in the last six months. In the second half of 2018, SCA saw both head of regional media Rick Lenarcic, and head of regulatory affairs and corporate communications Creina Chapman, depart the business. Lenarcic later turned up at Grant Broadcasting and Chapman is now deputy chair and CEO of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

Dobson has been at SCA/Austereo for over 20 years. He has also worked internationally in radio and also spent time at radio consultancy esp.

He has been the highest-paid radio programmer in Australia with a 2017/18 remuneration of $825,000. Dobson is also co-founder and co-owner of Australian regional broadcaster Resonate Broadcasting, which also owns radio assets in Hawaii.

Internal candidates to replace Dobson at SCA would include Mike Fitzpatrick, Dave Cameron and Gemma Fordham.

External candidates on any SCA head-hunters shopping list should include ARN’s Duncan Campbell and Nova Entertainment’s Paul Jackson.

In a statement yesterday, Guy Dobson said, “I’m calling time on the SCA phase of my career. It’s a wonderful company with an amazing leadership team, great radio people and is set up well for a big year ahead. After 10 years in some high-level roles, I feel it’s time to move on and chase down other adventures and opportunities. To everyone who’s helped shape my career at SCA I thank you wholeheartedly. You’ll all get a mention in my game changers podcast later in 2019! Vaya con Dios amigos.”

SCA’s CEO Grant Blackley said, “Guy has had a long and illustrious career at SCA starting in radio as announcer and working in a number of key leadership roles. He leaves SCA in a strong position for future growth and we thank him for his enormous contribution and the development and growth of our Triple M and Hit Networks.”

A spokesperson said SCA wishes Dobson every success in the next phase of his career.

Dobson has achieved much in a long and successful career in radio. However he and his colleagues have been frustrated by the performance of their Sydney stations in recent times.

“It’s the biggest market in Australia and the saying is that if Sydney coughs, Australia gets a cold,” Dobson told Mediaweek just days before the launch of 2DayFM’s fourth breakfast show in two years. The station is now about to launch its sixth breakfast line-up in four years.

When asked about his change of title three years ago, Guy Dobson told Mediaweek: “The last title was chief of content (COC) and I found that acronym quite hard to swallow. The new title is something Grant Blackley and I agreed on. We are not overly concerned about titles, it is more about the job itself. I don’t think I have handed out a business card in 20 years. At the end of the day we want to be a creative company again and I am working on the creative side of everything from front of house to programming FM radio stations to digital to working with the creative side on the marketing.”

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