I'm not exactly the target demographic for John Laws' morning program, but this job requires a certain amount of talkback radio time. I've listened to the "golden tonsils" on occasion - he's made me fume, made me smile, made me gasp in amazement at his outlandish comments. At 71 years of age, John Laws is more than with it, he's witty.
So I was surprised when the Sky newsroom started getting phone calls from colleagues at other media outlets, telling us that John Laws was set to retire. He seemed so passionate about his 55 year career, it was strange to imagine him switching off the golden microphone. Sky News broke the story before Lawsy himself and the media frenzy forced him to make the announcement earlier in his show than planned.
Immediately the buzz around the newsroom was; did he jump or was he pushed? It's no secret the ratings for Laws' morning timeslot have struggled in recent times, but 2UE management said it wasn't their call. "The staff is sort of shocked and stunned.
.. it was totally John's decision," 2UE's general manager Simon Ruhfus told Sky.
To see the legend in person, I went to the 2UE studios along with a large media pack, to hear what Lawsy had to say when his shift finished. The first question: "Why did you choose to announce your retirement today?" "Because I thought about it yesterday" Laws retorted.
But Laws told his listeners he'd been contemplating retirement for about 5 years. He insisted his declining ratings had nothing to do with his decision. "I don't look at them, I never look at them" he said.
Predictably, Laws was also asked to name the highlight of his career. "This," he said, motioning to the crowd of cameras and journalists hanging on his every word. "I'm flattered" he told us sincerely, "thankyou for coming.
" But John Laws' career hasn't always been as golden as his microphone. The last time he attracted major news coverage, Laws was a central figure in the "Cash For Comment" scandal. An inquiry found he failed to reveal his sponsorship deals to his listeners, but it's a point he still hotly contests.
"My opinion cannot be bought" he's said on a number of occasions. The scandal didn't immediately affect his loyal listeners or his ratings. That would come later, when his arch rival Alan Jones and former fill-in Ray Hadley switched to competitor 2GB.
While Laws isn't the great he used to be, his opinions clearly still matter. Upon hearing of the broadcaster's retirement, the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader wasted no time calling in to express their sadness. Actor Russell Crowe wondered out loud how Sydney's airwaves would cope.
Laws, with his estimated wealth of over $100 million, will cope fine. He told us he'll read, write, and spend time with his family.
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