Announcers set on leaving Radio Avon

Press, 12 April 1980, Page 6

Announcers set on leaving Radio Avon

A staff protest at Radio Avon has reached an impasse. Five announcers are still united in their determination to “walk out” on April 17: the station manager (Mr M. L. Ballantine) denies that the announcers' resignations have been accepted; and the chairman of the Radio Avon board (Mr P. L. Mortlock) expects the announcers to stay at their jobs. The five announcers who resigned on Thursday in protest against staff changes are Ric Ditchburn. Jon Campbell Lee Hanner, Kim Adamson, and Phil Darkin. Mr Ballantine said yesterday that he had not told the the five men that their resignations had been accepted. It was only the board that could handle" the matter and he could not by himself tell the announcers that the re-I signations had been accepted, he said.

The board of Radio Avon (was told bv the five announcicrs as a group on Thursday Imorning that they were reP "The" board will meet again (on Tuesday to consider the i resignations. j Mr Mortlock said late yesterday afternoon that _ the !board was giving the station’s ;management “some days to !resolve the situation. If it l were not resolver by’ Tuesday ■the board would come forward with its own oslution. ■ “People leave because they ! have a grievance,” Mr MortI lock said. "It is always pussI ible to some degree to satisfy ; that grievance and I don t ! expect that any of the 'five (will leave. At this stage 1 cannot say too much. If necI es'sary, the board will make (decisions to provide a solution.” The resignations had not I been accepted by’ the board, I Mr Mortlock said.

■ The longest serving *nI nouncer of the five. Lee Haniner, had been with Radio (Avon since it began trans- . mission more than seven {yearn ago. He started his ; radio career as an announcer |on Radio Hauraki when it (was still a “pirate” station i in the motor vessel Tiri, near ; Auckland. I Mr Hanner said he • was (“absolutely determined” to ! finish working for Radio I Avon on Thursday, even i though he had only recently’ i renewed his 12 month contract. ; Mr Wayne Garton, who_ ■was replaced as programme" (director of the station just I before Easter, said yesterday j that he had still not decided (whether he would accept a new post of operations man■iager. I The newl.v appointed programmes manager and for;mer 3ZM announcer, Mr Mori rie Shanahan, began work at • ‘Radio Avon yesterday.