The radio partnership of Brendan Jones and Amanda Keller has been entertaining Sydney breakfast radio audiences on WSFM for 16 years. Jonesy and Amanda recently saw their breakfast share jump 2.0 in the radio ratings to again be #2 FM in the market.
Mediaweek recently gained access to the breakfast show studio where Jonesy and Amanda talked about the secrets of breakfast radio, their partnership, interest from another broadcaster and creating a “poo sandwich”.
Listen to the Mediaweek podcast here.
Sydney’s longest-running breakfast show
Brendan Jones (BJ): I have been with Amanda for 16 years and doing breakfast at WSFM for 16.
AK: It’s an all-consuming job, but that’s what I love about it. But it is hard work. We fill a three-hour run down every day with our content with our voices and our opinions. In some news cycles, like the one we are in at the moment, it is exhausting.
[The podcast then featured small talk about Amanda’s naked pool party and how often Jonesy was having sex. But we’ll skip that bit in the transcript and recommend you have a listen here.]
Revealing private secrets
This long-running breakfast show might not be perceived as revealing much about the private lives of the hosts…wrong. You get lots of intriguing information, some saucy, other bits not so much.
AK: We talk a lot about our families and perhaps the difference between us and some other shows is that we don’t include our families in the show. Yet they often provide things that we can share about their lives with our listeners. For example getting your first driving licence. That led to lots of calls from people about what happened in the days after they got their licence including smashing their dad’s cars and all sorts of stuff.
When trying what to decide what to talk about there are a million little switches in your head every few seconds saying yes, no, yes, no. But when it comes to family you do have to have the voice in the back of your head making sure you are not overdoing it. Or maybe breaking a confidence from home.
BJ: I’ve got into trouble for a few times with exactly that. The worst thing is when someone is talking to my wife and they say, ‘He was talking about this.’ One time in particular Helen was upset about something I said on the radio and I asked if she actually heard the break. She said no, someone had told her about it. Turns out it was actually fourth hand.
AK: My son came home once with lots of squashed sandwiches in the bottom of his school bag. I asked if I could put in on Instagram and he said, ‘Please don’t.’ The next morning we were chatting on air and I found myself saying it.
My husband Harley was in the car with Jack and he just closed his eyes. When I heard that, I sobbed and I sobbed. I apologised to him that night and told him his home should be his safe space where you can say anything. I should never break a confidence.
BJ: Did you say him, ‘Those school fees don’t pay for themselves mate’?
AK: When the kids were little you could say anything. It is harder when you have to ask permission and they say they would rather not. When I ask and they say no, I think I wish I hadn’t asked. [Laughs]
BJ: My philosophy it is easier to beg forgiveness than to ask for permission.
The multi-ACRA-winning Jonesy and Amanda
Can Jonesy be trusted?
AK: I don’t know. The bottom line is yes, but there have been a couple of occasions where I have not wanted to talk about things on air. He might bring those things up at 6am when he says maybe not many people heard that bit.
You get news stories too
AK: There is possibly a perception we don’t cover the big news stories, but we cover everything. We spoke about Christian Poster, also Brittany Higgins, the Suez Canal blockage, the Royal family, speed cameras – lots of diverse subjects that reflect the mood of our community.
BJ: We offer a forum for people to speak about what is happening in their lives and that has always worked well during disasters like the recent floods.
In 16 years, there’s been a few changes
BJ: I’ve been in radio for 31 years in total and in that time I have seen 31 program directors. I have worked with [current PD] Mike Byrne twice and I have seen even more general managers. During the time we have been on WSFM there has been seven program directors.
AK: We go through periods of incredible stability and then some staff turnover and another stretch of stability. In 16 years there has just been three executive producers of the breakfast show – Millie Michael now, before that Laura Bouchet and initially Ben Latimer.
How do guests get a spot on WSFM breakfast?
BJ: We have friends who will approach us and ask if they can come on and talk about a new album or a new book. I am always happy to help anyone from TV. I sometimes think it should be a two-way street and I feel it is often a one-way street with me in particular with some TV shows.
AK: We are not an interview show and we maybe have just one interview a day.
Delivering a poo sandwich
The hosts aren’t afraid to tackle a series subject, but then add a few gags along the way.
BJ: When we discuss a topic, we call it pat, pat, stab. We do maybe two pats and then a stab on a subject.
AK: It should be pat, stab, pat. A poo sandwich. You start with poo in the middle and wrap it with yummy bread. You get your comments in, but it’s not completely unpalatable.
Contract negotiations
AK: We are currently in the first year of a new two-year deal with ARN.
BJ: We are signed until the end of next year (2022).
AK: With these hours you just have to get up and do it every day. We are still enjoying it. We found Covid a challenge, but also a gift to be on radio every day and ride the mood of the city and get feedback about how people were feeling.
BJ: When Amanda first joined she said she might only do it for two years. I have never looked further ahead than our current contract. I know we can’t do this forever, but I never feel over it. In 2003 after I first started here it felt like the worst radio because this was such a different culture here (WSFM) after the previous one I worked at (Triple M). The hours were hard at the start. I used to sit on the side of the bed and I thought I would throw up. Now I can do the hours OK.
Offers to take Jonesy and Amanda elsewhere?
AK: There have been overtures.
BJ: We were approached a couple of years ago by a nameless network. They wanted to see where we would like to be in the future. It was nice, if you are not getting approached by people it is not a good thing. But this radio station has really evolved. I am very hard on WSFM, but I am also very grateful.
Listen to the complete 42-minute Jonesy and Amanda interview here with much more including a dissection of the Magnificent Seven Quiz and the quality of contestant. Plus Amanda on her marriage advice to famous friends.
Main photo Team J&A [L-R]: Jimmy Manning, Millie Michael, Jenna Benson, Natasha Fedele, Anna Crotti
Front: Brendan Jones and Amanda Keller