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Kicked off the air

Friday 25 April, 2008 12:01am

THE radio announcers at Kick FM have been kicked out of the station.

Jason Bouman, Kerry Denten, Lindsay Fisher, Ross Hutchison and David Archer, who have 100 years of experience between them, have been replaced with staff from the Penrith-based newspaper Western Weekender.

The owners of Kick FM also own the Western Weekender.

Bouman told the Press he was negotiating his new contract with Kick FM when he was fired.

"On the 31st (of March) I was just given a letter by Sheena (Evans, Kick FM office manager) saying my contract was terminated that was it," Bouman said.

"I just got a letter from Greg (Evans, Kick FM director) saying he was changing the direction of the station.

"I have got it in writing that Greg said what a wonderful job I did and it wasn't because of my performance.

"I have been sacked before, but you can sack someone without treating them like this."

The management of Kick FM were contacted by the Press on Wednesday but declined to comment.

The new announcers made their first broadcasts on April 7.

While Bouman's image was still being used on the back of buses to promote Kick FM, his breakfast shift has been given to Weekender editor Bernard Bratusa.

Bouman said the announcers were told the terminations were a board decision.

Denten announced the sackings during his last broadcast for Kick FM on Friday, April 4.

"Earlier this week, in their infinite wisdom, the management decided to not only cease contract negotiations with me, but to also terminate my services, along with those of Lindsay Fisher, Ross Hutchison, David Archer and Jason Bouman," he said in the broadcast.

"That means you're losing a combined 100 years of broadcasting experience and, as of Monday (April 7), inexperienced employees of the Western Weekender many of whom do not even know how to operate the equipment to keep a show alive will be taking over the programs here on Kick.

"I'm hoping that what's left will be worth listening to, and that you're not hearing the end of a what, 18 months ago, was a promising future for radio in Penrith."

Bouman said he doesn't blame the Weekender staff members who are now on the air.

"A lot of them are really nice people," he said. "They're not experienced radio people.

"It would be like me coming to do your job.

"If something happened to me down the street, it's about presenting it so it's interesting and works on the air. They've never been on the air."