The “Gellerisation” of ABC radio has taken firm root, if yesterday’s Crikey is any guide. An ABC insider from Melbourne had this to say about the crude ham-fisted way in which BC is trawling for a replacement for Virginia Trioli: “Mannix identified the two most important characteristics of the station’s eventual drive presenter: the ability to engage with the audience, and a great love of and familiarity with Melbourne.”

Well, guess who’s been paying attention in his “Gellerisation” classes, run by Ms Valerie Geller, US radio consultant to the world? Ian Mannix (ABC manager in Victoria) is well known inside the ABC in Melbourne for his devotion to the Geller word.

On Geller’s website, under the sub heading “GOING LIVE, BEING REAL AND TAKING THE LISTENERS WITH YOU!” it bravely states: “Describe everything. If you realize it’s all about the imagination, you are already ahead of the game.”

Geller urges her clients to open their personality to the audience to get a direct emotional contact and that’s the mantra Mannix was uttering on 774. But the more you read on her website, the more you have to wonder why Geller is so attractive to the ABC.

There’s a cultural cringe about employing an American radio consultant. Australian commercial TV networks have employed US consultants (Channel Ten in particular) without much success. The most successful broadcast news services are those that are determinedly Australian and local.

On Monday, the new ABC breakfast presenter on Sydney’s 702, Julie McCrossin, had her first shift air checked by Geller. But it’s believed Geller wasn’t in Sydney for this important event: the question of who to put in the breakfast slot has tormented ABC radio management in Sydney and nationally for ten weeks. Geller is believed to have been in Melbourne (according to an insider at 774). If that’s the case then her advice ain’t worth the $500 an hour she’s being paid.

Don’t you think ABC radio management in Sue Howard or one of her senior reports could have arranged for Geller to be in Sydney on Monday and Tuesday to help Ms McCrossin? Anyway, James O’Brien, the program boss of 702 could have done the air check quite capably according to someone who worked with him in years gone by.

And, the other point Mannix made, that the new 774 Drive presenter be familiar with Melbourne is a bit rich. Why is it that here in Sydney we are having Melbourne’s Virginia Trioli imposed on us in mornings? She’s no knowledge or familiarity with Sydney, which is the biggest and toughest radio market in the country.

Being familiar with Sydney is obviously a lesser requirement for 702 listeners than for the precious folk who tune in to 774 in Melbourne, or who run ABC radio. So how do Valerie and Sue Howard justify this little contradiction, or are they still bending spoons?