IT'S A RADIO LIVE BEAT-UP!

What happens when a struggling radio station just can't get its ratings up?

That's been the question that has been occupying the minds of the those-who-make-the decisions at talkback station Radio Live.

In the eighteen months or so since its birth, Radio Live has fired presenters, re-arranged timeslots, consistently attacked talkback favourites such as beneficiaries and solo mothers - but nothing has worked. The station is still hovering around the 3-4 percent mark - somewhat of an embarrassment for a station whose stated goal, according to station manager Mitch Harris, is to out-rate the leader of the ratings pack, NewstalkZB - which consistently rates at around the 13 percent mark.

But there's another ratings sweep on the go and another set of dismal figures will be further bad news for Radio Live, a station that hired former breakfast host Martin Devlin on a reported three year million dollar contract - then got rid of him after a year of poor ratings .

So what's the new plan?

This time afternoon hosts John Tamihere and Willie Jackson have been hauled in to save the sinking ship that is Radio Live.

Hey, both hosts are standing for different mayoralties in the Auckland region. What a jolly wheeze!

The theory is of course, although Radio Live will deny it, is that the election campaign will attract more listeners to Radio Live.

And to aid the cause TV3 (also owned by the same people as Radio Live), has been wheeled in to aid the cause. Tamihere and Jackson appeared on the John Campbell show - pretending that their mayoral campaigns were entirely serious.

Believe it or not! We don't.