- Ex-AFL star is battling in post-footy profession
ABC Melbourne’s breakfast radio program has copped another brutal ratings hit in another big setback for footy great Bob Murphy’s media career.
The former Western Bulldogs captain and footy favourite teamed up with journalist Sharnelle Vella in January, but unfortunately the prestigious show is losing listeners.
The latest ratings reveal that the duo’s share of Melbourne’s breakfast radio audience dropped to 5.5 per cent, down from 6.8 per cent.
The ABC is backing the high-profile pair, despite the steep ratings decline.
‘Our Melbourne breakfast show with Bob and Sharnelle is very different to what we were doing last year with Sammy and compared to what else is on the market,’ ABC head of audio content Ben Latimer said.
‘We have found two incredibly fresh voices who have already created strong rapport, based on audience feedback.
AFL great Bob Murphy’s media career is struggling as his breakfast radio show keeps shedding listeners (Murphy is pictured with co-host Sharnelle Vella)
Ratings reveal that Murphy and Vella’s share of Melbourne’s breakfast radio audience has dropped from 6.8 to to 5.5 per cent in the most recent survey
‘Changing the breakfast show always has a big impact and it will take time to build – the other shows on 774 sound great and we’ll just keep working with the teams to find the audiences they deserve.’
Murphy, 43, was a highly respected player during his 312-game AFL career.
Now co-hosting mornings on the ABC, his transition into media has not matched the success of his time on the field.
Earlier in the year, Murphy made headlines after he shocked audiences by making a sexually charged joke live on air about his co-host, insinuating Vella had once worked at a strip club.
Murphy later made an apology about the incident, saying his remark was a ‘gross and inaccurate off-hand quip’.
‘I promised Sharnelle that I’d never disrespect her and I did break that promise,’ he said.
‘Put simply, I’m really sorry.’
Murphy’s use of the term ‘AFLM’ in a newspaper column has also stirred backlash.
The ex-Western Bulldogs captain was a highly respected player during his 312-game career
He used the label to distinguish the men’s league from AFLW, but many viewed it as an unnecessary gesture.
3AW Mornings host Tom Elliott didn’t hold back on air, slamming the terminology as attention-seeking.
‘Does anybody else honestly want to call the AFL the AFLM?’ Elliott asked.
‘In America, you have the NBA and then the WNBA, that works fine. I think he [Murphy] is the only person who does this. He persists in calling the AFL the AFLM… that is wokeness.’
