Lauren Phillips is said to be claiming a huge reward after her Nova FM radio show beat rival breakfast program The Kyle and Jackie O show in the ratings.
Lauren and her co-host Jason ‘Jase’ Hawkins’ radio show was axed by KIIS FM last year to make way for Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson’s major expansion to Melbourne.
But the duo got the ultimate revenge after switching to rival network Nova FM, and their show continued to beat Kyle and Jackie O in the Melbourne radio ratings.
Lauren is now said to be asking for a ‘huge raise’ after the show’s success.
“Lauren Phillips is doing quite well in her market with her co-host Jase Hawkins, but she wants to compete with Kyle and Jackie O’s pay packages,” an insider told Ny Breaking Australia.
But the insider says Lauren is completely out of her league. In the pecking order, she is still relatively new to radio compared to Kyle and Jackie O, who have been on the air for almost two decades.
‘Opposition Sydney-based KIIS FM breakfast show has a $200 million dollar deal that dwarfs the Melbourne-based broadcaster. However, they are in different leagues,” the insider added.
“You can see how she’s drawn the line, but while Jase and Lauren are good talents, they’re just not on brand like Kyle and Jackie O. Nor are they well established like Hughsey and Kate.
Lauren Phillips is demanding a huge payday after her Nova FM radio show beat rival breakfast show The Kyle and Jackie O show
‘Nova also doesn’t have that much money to pay talent for their value.’
The insider added that the salary conversation has gotten out of hand and that radio has always been an uneven playing field.
‘You earn an average package, or you earn millions. The pay disparity is outrageous and always has been that way,” they said.
It has also become impossible to meet the expectations of other radio shows after Kyle and Jackie O made their salaries public.
“Trust Kyle to put his money where his mouth is, knowing that no one in the industry is even close to that kind of money. It is quite uncouth to talk about dollars and it used to be forbidden,” they added.
‘However, the laws have changed. Your contract used to state that you were not allowed to share how much you were paid, but now employers can no longer legally force you to stop talking about your salary.
“And on the radio, where wages vary so wildly, all this talk about money has set the cat among the pigeons.”
“Lauren Phillips is doing quite well in her market – with her co-host Jase Hawkins, but she wants to compete with Kyle and Jackie O’s pay packages,” an insider told Ny Breaking Australia. Pictured are Jackie O and Kyle Sandilands
Meanwhile, Lauren’s friendships with Hollywood stars like Chris Hemsworth and Matt Damon have given her the “confidence to ask for this kind of money.”
‘Lauren has a reputation for including famous names in stories. It’s almost a signature move, but it’s not very endearing,” the insider said.
“I’d say Lauren gets a raise, but it won’t be close to a million.”
However, Kate Langbroek and her old radio co-host Dave ‘Hughesy’ Hughes could be in for a huge payday if they reunite to create the same magic they had when they were at Hit FM.
The pair last hosted Hit FM’s Hughesy & Kate in 2019, before Langbroek stepped back from the program to move to Italy.
“There are several radio networks that are talking to Hughesy and Langbroek and want them to reunite,” the source said.
“They’re both really eager to start a new show and our radio insider thinks they could collect a huge paycheck to be back on the air.”
“You can see how she’s drawn the line, but while Jase and Lauren are good talents, they’re just not a ‘brand’ like Kyle and Jackie O. Nor are they well established like Hughsey and Kate,” the source said.
