Veteran content director Irene Hulme has seen radio partnerships thrive, fail, and evolve under pressure.
But in the wake of Bob Murphy’s controversial on-air comment about his ABC Radio Melbourne breakfast co-host Sharnelle Vella, she believes there’s an unlikely silver lining, one that could actually fast-track their on-air connection.
“It was a brand new show. They’d been on the air for a short while,” Hulme told Mediaweek. “They were developing chemistry, I don’t think they had chemistry yet. But this moment, as unpleasant as it was for Sharnelle and as inappropriate as it was for the ABC, might help them get real. It might create an opportunity.”
Her view points to the heart of the matter. Now that the comment, the apology, and the backlash are on the record, the real story becomes what happens next?
Sharnelle Vella and Bob Murphy
From awkward beginnings to potential turning point
Murphy’s on-air remark, joking that Vella used to work in a strip club landed poorly. Vella swiftly called it “gross” in real time, and the station responded with an immediate apology. But as the noise settles, Hulme suggests the incident could push the co-hosts into a more honest working rhythm.
“It’s like a new relationship or a first date,” she said. “This might take them from a nervy, cautious dynamic to something more genuine. Maybe now, they can agree that it happened. It wasn’t ideal. But they can work through it together.”
That emotional honesty, Hulme says, could actually make the show better. “You can always tell whether co-hosts are pretending to get on. The audience picks up on that. But if they’re vulnerable, if they commit to making it work, listeners will hear that too.”
The audience is still listening … just more critically
GfK’s latest radio ratings show ABC Radio Melbourne dropped again, delivering just a 4.3 percent audience share, its lowest ever. The new breakfast show hasn’t yet resonated with listeners, and now, it faces the added challenge of rebuilding trust after the controversy.
“I think the audience may be listening with different ears, with more critical ears now,” Hulme said. “But having said that, the media moves so quickly. This story is going to be forgotten.”
And yet, the impression lingers. In the increasingly crowded Melbourne radio market, new shows rarely get second chances. Whether it’s for breakfast advertisers, news-hungry audiences, or public trust, perception is power.
Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O
Kyle and Jackie O’s reaction: an industry divide
The incident also drew unsolicited commentary from commercial heavyweights Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson, who implied Vella overreacted and questioned the backlash.
“This isn’t freedom. This is control,” Sandilands said on his KIIS breakfast show. “Tell her how to respond or how she should feel?”
Jackie O added: “They don’t know each other. They’re trying to get a connection.”
But Hulme believes that’s an unfair take. “They know firsthand how long it takes to build an audience. I would’ve hoped they’d say something more like, ‘Hang in there, it takes time,’” she said. “Give them some optimism.”
Rebuilding on-air: what’s next for Bob and Sharnelle?
Internally, sources say the ABC responded quickly with meetings and strategy sessions after the incident. But success now depends on what Murphy and Vella choose to do with the moment.
“They’ve got a shared understanding of the pressures that come with breakfast radio,” Hulme said. “If they try to turn this into an opportunity and not a stumbling block, they might find a stronger rhythm, something more real.”
For brands and media buyers watching ABC Melbourne’s performance, the question is no longer just about audience share, it’s about tone, culture, and how a public broadcaster connects with its listeners.
In a political year where ABC’s journalistic credibility will be under a microscope, trust on-air matters just as much as trust in content.
“There’s an intimacy to radio,” said Hulme. “And loyal listeners, especially ABC ones, are smart. They know when something’s off. But they also know when it’s getting better.”