Gavin Flanagan and Mike Byrne at CRN. Image: LinkedIn.
In radio, things rarely work out the way we expect. But this happy snap of Gavin Flanagan and Mike Byrne is evidence that they can work out for the best.
Neither could have guessed that, after their unexpectedly short-lived stints at the Super Radio Network, they’d soon be standing side-by-side as colleagues again, this time at Capital Radio Network HQ, Flanagan as Group GM of Canberra and Goulburn and Byrne as CRN’s new Group Content Director.
Byrne – who swore off radio for good earlier this year – is still very much a glass-half-full kind of guy.
Chatting to Radio Today before he officially starts his new CD role, Byrne says “I think in life generally, when things aren’t going so well for you, you’ve got to look beyond that.”
“Things usually happen for a reason. Even if, at the time, it doesn’t appear to be that way.”
“But in this case, it’s absolutely worked out for the best.”
That’s radio for you.
“As they say, once it’s in your blood, it’s in your blood.”
Byrne says he has long admired the Capital Radio Network from afar.
“It’s an exciting time to be joining the company, particularly with Rick (Lenarcic) at the helm now and some really interesting projects in the pipeline – which I can’t go into – but I’m really pumped.”
Byrne previously worked with Lenarcic at both SCA and Grant Broadcasters.
“I’ve got a lot of time for Rick as a CEO. He’s somebody who really understands regional radio better than most, and I think for that reason alone this job was a very attractive proposition.”
Byrne has certainly been put through the radio wringer.
Less than two years ago, the industry was left shaking its collective head when – mere days after steering Sydney’s WSFM to #1 in the ratings – his position as Content Director was made redundant.
No-one could blame him for feeling a little bitter and twisted.
But that’s not the way he rolls.
“It just doesn’t make any sense to be bitter,” Byrne says.
“I’ve been around long enough to know that decisions are always made for a reason. They’re generally made for business reasons. It’s rarely personal. Even if at the time it might feel it.
“I’ve said this so many times … this is a cottage industry, with not a great deal of people who can do these roles well, but also, not many of these roles. So I think you just have to accept that sometimes time isn’t on your side, or things don’t work out for whatever reason.”
“Shake yourself off, move on … and try to be a good human about it.”
Byrne laughs hard as he adds “Leaving somewhere and setting fire to the bridge as you go, I tend to find is fairly short-sighted and counter-intuitive.”
He now looks forward to seeing what life has to offer in the nation’s capital.
“There’s a whole new world to explore around the Canberra region, along with the broader Capital Network into the Snowy Mountains as well,” he enthuses.
“I’m a mad snow skier. Which reminds me … I really need to speak to the Blyton guys about getting some free lift tickets to Charlotte Pass.”
“That better be part of the deal!”