Crikey

Only at Our ABC.

Roger Summerill, the manager of the ABC’s successful Sydney radio station 702, is about to retire. He steps down next month and true to form, the ABC can’t quite decide on his successor. So the Melbourne-based head of ABC Radio, Sue Howard, has okayed a three-way trial to find a replacement. The three candidates — James O’Brien, program director at 702; Mike McCluskey, manager of the ABC local radio station in Newcastle, and the program director at 774 in Melbourne — will all get the chance to manage 702 for a month each and the choice will then be made. O’Brien has been as much responsible for the success of 702 as Summerill, so insiders think he should get a chance to show if he can make the next step up. At least the ABC has candidates — over at SBS Radio I hear the selection process for the new senior executive team is running very late, with a shortage of candidates. —