MediaWorks axes Marcus Lush for Paul Henry

RadioLIVE breakfast host Marcus Lush will be forced to vacate his seat in favour of Paul Henry in 2015.

MediaWorks plans for Mr Henry to move from his late night Paul Henry Show to host a cross-platform breakfast programme for TV3, RadioLIVE and digital - "a New Zealand first" according to the broadcaster.

Cross-cancellation
The crossplatform show will also replace Firstline on TV3. Reporters Sacha McNeil and Michael Wilson joined the news show less than a year ago.

MediaWorks head of communications Rachel Lorimer says, "it’s too early to be able to say what will happen with Marcus.  He is in discussions with us about other potential opportunities, and is a very talented broadcaster."

She says it is also too early to say what will happen to Mr Lush's co-host Hillary Barry.

"When the format of the new programme has been established we will be talking with current staff about changes and opportunities.

"The changes are not about the existing shows or people, but a consequence of us seeing a major opportunity at breakfast – a unique Radio/TV show with a unique audience proposition," says Ms Lorimer.

MediaWorks chief executive Mark Weldon says the new programme will be a major shift for the delivery of news and entertainment.

“Hosted by one of the country’s most talented and popular broadcasters, Paul Henry, the format will allow viewers/listeners to move effortlessly between their bedrooms, living rooms and cars in the morning, with uninterrupted access to news, information and entertainment wherever they are," he says.

Earlier in the year MediaWorks launched the Edge TV - an extension of the popular youth Radio Station. But Ms Lorimer says Paul Henry's new breakfast show is designed to work both on Radio and TV (and online) and be broadcast simultaneously on TV3 and RadioLIVE.

RadioLIVE breakfast is lagging behind in the radio ratings according to the latest Radio Bureau survey at number eleven. However, the radio station improved its ratings since the beginning of this year, with around 100,000 listeners in the 5+ demographic.

cgibson@nbr.co.nz