Michael James Carlton, AM (born 31 January 1946)[2] is an Australian former media commentator, radio host, television journalist, author and newspaper columnist.

He formerly co-hosted the daily breakfast program on Sydney radio station 2UE with Peter FitzSimons and later Sandy Aloisi.

Carlton was known for his criticism of conservative public figures such as former prime minister John Howard, former Liberal leader Alexander Downer,[3] former radio announcer Alan Jones, and conservative governments, including the United States' Reagan and Bush administrations.

He later wrote a novel set at a London talk radio station called Off the Air, which became a best-seller in Australia in the late 1990s.

Carlton's former workmate, now rival, Alan Jones continued to dominate Sydney radio talkback.

Responding to a listener's question as to why he wouldn't attend Zemanek's funeral, Carlton replied that it would be "an act of sheer hypocrisy ...

The segment was well known for its fast-paced sketches, topical skewering of high-profile politicians, celebrities and sportspeople across the nation and around the world, and its extremely accurate voice-impersonations of the leading characters.

[12] Carlton was a columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald, initially being sacked from the position on 29 August 2008, for refusing to write his column during a strike by journalists at Fairfax Media.

[14] The Sydney Morning Herald published an article by Carlton entitled "Israel’s rank and rotten fruit is being called fascism" in July 2014.

Carlton said he believed the paper "buckled" to pressure from pro-Israel campaigners and from News Corporation newspapers, which, he said hated him "for all the usual reasons".