Paul Murray listens to regions

PAUL Murray could talk underwater. It's a skill that comes in handy, not literally of course, in his line of work. The conservative radio broadcaster turned award-winning TV host helms Paul Murray Live, Sky News's popular weeknight current affairs and commentary program.

The show is regularly in Foxtel's Top 10 most watched programs and, as Murray proudly points out, it has been pay TV's second most-watched program several times this year.

He plans to keep the momentum going with Sky News's regional road show that will feature its flagship programs including Paul Murray Live criss-crossing the country each month to broadcast from suburban and regional communities.

Murray doesn't want to just pay lip service to his regional viewers; he wants them to "turn up and fire up”.

"I hate when big media people rock into town and say we want to give you a voice. Well, breaking news, you already have one,” he says.

"It's up to us to listen to it and broadcast it and send a message straight back into the belly of the beast.

"We're on in every politician's office. When we do live shows and someone's firing up about an issue, big or small, it's broadcast straight into their offices. Often a pollie will ring us up and ask about it.”

His next stop is the Maroochydore RSL on the Sunshine Coast on Thursday and he promises hard-hitting conversations about local issues.

"I want to hear locals' thoughts on Malcolm Turnbull. It shouldn't just be the inner Sydney audience at Q&A who get to have an opinion,” he says.

"We want to sell the region, but we're not filming an episode of Getaway. Plus I don't think anyone wants to see me in a bikini.”

Future road show locations and dates are yet to be announced, but Murray plans on visiting half a dozen more regional centres across Queensland this year.

"The closer we get to the Queensland election, we'll be back up there. Pauline Hanson's a rock star and we want to cover how she's doing,” he says. "I want to see whether it's hype or real. That's the funny thing about a rock star, you don't have to like their music or buy their albums but you have to recognise their star power.”

Paul Murray Live airs Sundays to Thursdays at 8pm Qld, 9pm NSW on Sky News.