Ben Fordhams $1.5M Salary Under Review After Sale

Veteran 2GB breakfast presenter is set to be at the centre of a major pay shake-up as Channel Nine's radio arm transitions into new ownership under billionaire pub baron Arthur Laundy.

The shock jock is expected to be the first big-name talent to enter contract negotiations following the $56million sale of Nine Radio, according to Media Diary, which officially changes hands – and rebrands to Tapt Media – on Friday, May 1.

Insiders say the move could trigger a broader 'salary reality check' across the network's top earners as the business shifts away from Nine's corporate structure and into the hands of the Laundy family empire.

Fordham, who is understood to be on a deal worth well in excess of $1.5million a year, is due to renegotiate his contract later this year under the new ownership.

While the long-time 2GB host remains one of the network's most bankable stars, the change in ownership means his unusual dual-income arrangement – previously topped up by Nine's television division – is now under scrutiny.

Sources claim Fordham has been receiving an additional boost of around $500,000 a year from Nine's TV arm, despite not being a regular on-screen presence for years.

Much of that cost has reportedly been carried by 60 Minutes, even though Fordham has not been a fixture on the program for over a decade, aside from a loosely associated podcast arrangement.

Whether that so-called 'cash for no comment' component survives under the new structure remains unclear – and insiders suggest it is unlikely to continue in its current form.

Fordham, however, is believed to be keen to stay put, despite attracting attention from Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson landscape.

But he is far from the only high-profile figure watching developments closely.

At Tapt Media headquarters in Sydney's Pyrmont, staff are already talking about a benchmark figure doing the rounds internally – $180,000 – which is the salary of a senior pub manager within the Laundy family business. 

The comparison is reportedly being used to highlight the stark difference between hospitality earnings and the salaries at the top of the radio food chain.

That figure, insiders say, has prompted some uncomfortable conversations among executives now steering the newly acquired network.

At the top end, current Nine Radio managing director Tom Malone and senior executive Greg Byrnes are believed to collectively earn around $1.5million, according to details that surfaced during the sale process.