The unanimous election of Kylie King to Albury's mayoralty on Monday followed her 2AY on-air partner Kev Poulton being chosen as Wodonga's leader in 2020 and being re-elected in November.

The situation has drawn criticism from media ethics academic Denis Muller who believes they cannot do their jobs as broadcasters properly due to conflicts of interest.

Station manager for 2AY Andrew Harrison responded by saying the mayors' show was "really light" and not about ventilating "contentious" issues involving councils.

"We're in the entertainment space," he told The Border Mail.

That may be so, but the breakfast program is also about information and politics.

Federal and state MPs are regular guests, along with other council mayors and it has played a role in keeping residents well abreast of COVID restrictions and chronicling Border closures and related fallout.

Previously, it has addressed Cr Poulton's dual hats by sidelining him in relation to Wodonga or Victorian political interviews and Cr King taking the lead.

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A vice versa approach is now expected, but it will be harder to navigate conflicts with both announcers being civic leaders.

The audience may wonder how much information might be being withheld from them because of council confidentiality and an unwillingness to canvass matters for fear of tripping over a line.

Yes new council policies are not breakfast radio fodder, but there are more general issues like a new Albury-Wodonga hospital or cinema plans for Junction Place which warrant frank discussion on the show.

The situation means 2AY's new journalist Monique Taylor has a duty to report council news omitted from the breakfast show and air views of other councillors.

Most Wodonga councillors and all of their Albury counterparts are clearly comfortable with Cr Poulton and Cr King being leaders, given their respective mayoral votes.

How at ease their radio audience is with their dual caps will now play out and be tested when a hot-button council issue explodes.

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