Sydney, 15. November 2024
Day: November 15, 2024
Richard Glover and ABC Radio Sydney deliver strong results in GfK survey 7
As he calls time on an incredible 26 years, ABC Radio Sydney Drive host Richard Glover is the number 1 talk program in the Sydney Drive market according to GfK survey 7 released today.
His strong result helped boost ABC Radio Sydney to their highest share result in 2 years adding +2.3 share points for an audience share of 7.4%.
ABC Director Audio Ben Latimer said: “After giving his heart and soul to ABC Radio Sydney and his faithful drive audience for 26 years, it is fitting and greatly deserved that one of our most cherished broadcasters will finish his run at the top.”
Richard’s final program will be on Friday 29 November.
ABC Radio Melbourne Breakfast host Sammy J also announced this week he would depart his program at the end of the year after 5 years.
This morning, Sammy welcomed journalist Sharnelle Vella and former AFL captain Bob Murphy onto the program to announce them as the new program hosts for 2025.
“It is a community of listeners that listen every single day and I just want you to know we’re going to take care of them,” Sharnelle told Sammy.
“It’s a privilege to join the ABC and to be able to have a conversation with the city that’s been my home my entire life.”
Bob referred to the role as that of “custodians”, adding their “patch to the great quilt of Brekky on ABC”.
Sharnelle and Bob will start on the program in January.
Sharnelle Vella and Bob Murphy take on ABC Radio Melbourne Breakfast
Award-winning journalist Sharnelle Vella and the Western Bulldogs’ favourite son Bob Murphy are ABC Radio Melbourne’s new Breakfast duo.
The new team promises to serve up a Breakfast packed full of all the big Melbourne stories – from politics to sport – as well as smart conversations and a big side helping of fun.
Sharnelle and Bob will replace Sammy J, who announced yesterday that he is stepping away from Breakfast next month after five years in the chair.
Sharnelle Vella has been a regular guest on Melbourne radio. A popular reporter for Channel 7 in Melbourne for the past seven years, she has covered some of the state’s biggest court cases and has been state political reporter since 2020.
Bob Murphy played 312 games for the Western Bulldogs in the AFL. He was appointed captain in 2015. He has previously hosted Drive on 1116 SEN and is a regular columnist in The Age. He has also appeared regularly on ABC Radio Melbourne.
“It’s a privilege to join the ABC and to be able to have a conversation with the city that’s been my home my entire life,” Sharnelle said.
“I’m fiercely proud of Melbourne and want to use this opportunity to advocate for Victorians while discussing news and issues that are important to listeners and I look forward to having some fun along the way.”
Bob Murphy said he was excited to return to Melbourne following a stint with Fremantle Football Club.
“As a young boy, I grew up listening to ABC Breakfast. It was the soundtrack to family life, and all of the laughs and arguments around the kitchen table. Alongside Sharnelle, I can’t wait to add our style to the ongoing choir of ABC Brekky in Melbourne,” Bob said.
“I was walking through Fitzroy Gardens when the call came through that Sharnelle and I would be adding our patch to the great quilt of Brekky on ABC. A Melbourne moment I’ll never forget.”
ABC Radio Melbourne Acting Manager Shelley Hadfield said she was thrilled to welcome Sharnelle and Bob to the team.
“Sharnelle and Bob are down-to-earth, relatable and playful. Our audience has already told us they love hearing each of them whenever they’re on the station,” Shelley said.
“Sharnelle is a news junkie and she understands what makes this city tick. Bob has long been regarded as the thinking man’s footballer. He has a terrific connection with the audience and a unique take on the world.”
About Sharnelle Vella
Sharnelle Vella is an award-winning journalist. Sharnelle has covered major events both in Australia and overseas for 7News Melbourne. Sharnelle Vella’s versatile reporting style placed her as part of the Seven Network’s Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and Tokyo Olympics Games coverage teams. Sharnelle has also reported from London, Los Angeles, Florida, China and New Zealand covering breaking news.
She covered several of the biggest court cases in Victorian history including the trial and sentence of Cardinal George Pell, Bourke street attacker James Gargasoulas, school girl killer Sean Price and the Christmas Day terror plotters.
About Bob Murphy
Bob Murphy grew up in Gippsland, played for Footscray and calls Melbourne home.
Married to high school sweetheart, Justine, and with a brood of 3 children, (Jarvis 17, Frankie 15 & Delilah 10), Bob has subtly carved out a public life that includes writing for The Age as a columnist, penning his own memoir and appearing on various radio and television programs and for 18 years playing for his beloved Western Bulldogs.
A self-confessed romantic, Bob has a bent for nostalgia, vintage t-shirts and songs about trains.
SCA WINS THE AUDIENCE THAT MATTERS AND IS AUSTRALIA’S #1 25-54 RADIO NETWORK
B105 Brisbane: #1 STATION and #1 BREAKFAST SHOW
Triple M is Adelaide’s #1 BREAKFAST SHOW
THE FOX is Melbourne’s #1 DRIVE SHOW
SCA continues to win the ‘audience that matters’, having secured a record-breaking 27th consecutive win^ of the key 25-54 buying demographic to maintain its position as Australia’s no.1 25-54 radio network* in today’s GfK Radio360 Metro Survey #7 2024 results. In addition, SCA’s Hit Network was again no.1 for women 25-54, while the Triple M network was no.1 for men 25-54.
SCA’s Hit and Triple M metro station wins for Survey 7 include:
#1 Brisbane Station and #1Breakfast show – B105 and Stav, Abby & Matt
#1 and #2 Brisbane radio stations – B105 and Triple M Brisbane
#1 Melbourne Drive show – The Fox’s Carrie & Tommy
#1 Adelaide Breakfast show – Triple M Adelaide’s Roo, Ditts & Loz
SCA Chief Content Officer, Dave Cameron, said: “Today sees more stunning results for SCA Brisbane, with both B105 and Triple M remaining the city’s number one and two stations and Stav, Abby & Matt achieving seven out of seven number one Breakfast results in 2024.
“In Melbourne, Australia’s most competitive radio market has seen The Fox and Triple M both increase their share, with another extraordinary growth result for Fifi, Fev & Nick up once again in Breakfast as Melbourne listeners continue to insist on family-friendly fun and intensely local and loved personalities to wake up to. And now with the local laughs being dialled up even more with Mick Molloy’s return to Breakfast radio on Triple M with Nick Riewoldt, Titus O’Reily and Rosie Walton, 2025 in Melbourne is going to be an unbelievably exciting year for local shows to fire.
“In coming weeks, we will announce our exciting Sydney approach that will see SCA delivering Sydney-based Breakfast shows that are super focused on our local listeners, as SCA proudly leads the charge of driving new voices for the industry. With so little change in two decades, Sydney is a market that is simply screaming for a fresh approach to Breakfast entertainment.
“Triple M’s Roo, Ditts & Loz continue to dominate Adelaide with their 17th consecutive win as Adelaide’s number one FM Breakfast show, and we are excited to now deliver a fun and fresh approach to SAFM Breakfast in 2025 with Bernie & Emma G.
“We are well advanced with our plans for 2025 on both Triple M and the Hit network. Many changes are already announced and on-the-air, and we will have other key announcements over coming weeks to maintain our domination in the 25-54 audience that matters right across the country.”
SCA Chief Commercial Officer, Seb Rennie, said: “Today’s results once again prove that SCA remains Australia’s no. 1 radio network as the home of the audience that matters – 25-to-54-year-olds.
“SCA’s extensive understanding of this commercially critical buying demographic is further evidenced by our recent market update, which showed that both our metro radio and digital audio have delivered three consecutive quarters of share growth. Furthermore, SCA’s Total Audio revenue for Q1 FY25 of $100.4 million was up 4.8% compared to Q1 FY24, driven by growth of 48.2% in Digital and 1.1% in Broadcast Radio.”
Sources:
* GfK Radio 360 Metro Survey #7 2024. P10+/P25-54/M25-54/F25-54, Mon-Sun ROS/Mon-Fri 05.30-09.00/Mon-Fri 06.00-09.00/Mon-Fri 15.00-18.00/Mon-Fri 16.00-19.00. Total Radio. Market Share/Commercial Share/Cume Reach.
^ 27 surveys since Survey #5, 2021, FM & DAB+.
** GfK Radio Ratings. Metro Survey 7, 2024. Melbourne – Friday 1800-2230, Saturday 1200-2230, Sunday 1300-1930. Adelaide – Friday 1730-2200, Saturday 1130-2200, Sunday 1230-1900. Perth – Friday 1745-2030, Saturday 1000-2030, Sunday 1100-1730. P10+. Cume / Market Share %
^^ GfK Radio Ratings. Metro Survey 7, 2024. Sydney / Brisbane. – Thursday 1900-2200, Friday 1800-2000, Saturday 1200-1700, Sunday 1200-1600. P10+ / People 25-54. Cume Reach / Market Share %
About SCA (Southern Cross Austereo) Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) is one of Australia’s leading media companies reaching more than 95% of the Australian population through its radio, television, and digital assets. Under the Triple M and Hit network brands, SCA owns 154 stations across FM, AM, and DAB+ radio. SCA also provides national sales representation for 56 regional radio stations. SCA broadcasts 96 free to air TV signals across regional Australia, reaching 3.6 million people a week, with Network 10 programming and advertising representation across Australia’s East Coast, Seven Network programming in Tasmania and Darwin, and Seven, Nine and Ten programming in Spencer Gulf. SCA also features Sky News Regional in 17 markets across regional Queensland, southern NSW, and Victoria. SCA has an exclusive national sales representation agreement with WIN in northern NSW (including the Gold Coast) and TDT (Tasmanian Digital Television). SCA operates LiSTNR, Australia’s free, personalised digital audio destination for consumers featuring radio, podcasts, music, news, and sport. SCA provides Australian sales representation for global open audio platform SoundCloud and Sonos Radio. SCA’s premium brands are supported by social media, live events and digital platforms that deliver national and local entertainment, news, and sport content. www.southerncrossaustereo.com.au
DIGITAL GROWTH AND CROSS-GENERATIONAL DEMOGRAPHICS FUEL COMMERCIAL RADIO
Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) welcomes the latest GfK Survey 7 data for 2024, with commercial radio continuing to reach a weekly audience of 12.3 million, highlighting its enduring popularity amid shifting listener habits.
Commercial radio’s share of listening continues to climb, reaching 75.3%, the highest it has been in a decade.
“Radio remains an indispensable medium for delivering timely news, entertainment, and connection. The continued growth we’re seeing speaks to its deep engagement with Australian audiences,” said Lizzie Young, CRA’s Chief Executive Officer.
Notably, nearly half (49.9%) of commercial radio’s audience is now under 40 – an increasingly valuable demographic for advertisers seeking to reach the next generation.
Time spent listening (TSL) at-work for commercial radio saw a significant increase, with listening up by 1 hour and 27 minutes YOY, now averaging 12 hours and 42 minutes per week. Over 10 million listen in car each week, a 2.7% YOY rise, representing 81% of the total commercial radio audience.
Industry focus on delivering a content distribution strategy to meet audience needs means that whilst listening on AM/FM devices is still the dominant platform and accounts for 69%* of radio listening, streaming continues to surge, now reaching 3.3 million commercial radio listeners and representing over a quarter (27%) of that audience. It’s particularly resonating with younger audiences, with 33% of listeners under 25 accessing commercial radio through streaming.
“This strong performance across demographics and devices demonstrates radio’s unique ability to adapt to changing consumer preferences, maintain loyalty and grow our listener base in the demographics that matter to advertisers,” added Ms Young.
Source: GfK 360 Radio Ratings, SMBAP S7 2024, All people 10+, Mon-Sun 12mn-12mn, Cume (000’s), unless otherwise stated. Weekly Time Spent Listening (hh:mm). All numbers refer to commercial radio results unless otherwise stated.
*Calculated based on Average Audience (000s)
Nine Radio No.1 Melbourne, No.1 Sydney Talk, No.1 streaming nationally
TOTAL RADIO
Melbourne’s 3AW has solidified its No.1 position as the city’s go-to station, while Sydney’s 2GB dominates the talk scene in today’s GfK Radio 360 Survey 7.
Ross and Russ reign supreme across Melbourne’s airwaves in 3AW Breakfast with a commanding 20.8 share, while Tom Elliott maintains his lead in Mornings with a winning 15.7. The station overall remains unbeatable, achieving a 14.0 share.
In Sydney, 2GB retains the top spot as the city’s No.1 in Talk, delivering a 9.8 share. Ben Fordham continues to dominate in Talk across Breakfast with a 12.3 share (up 0.1), and Ray Hadley is also No.1 Talk in Mornings with 11.1.
Nine Radio’s Head of Content, Greg Byrnes, said: “Survey 7 highlights the dominance of 3AW and the trust that’s linked to talk radio at a time when the audio market has never been more competitive, particularly in Sydney.”
“Ross and Russ are unrivalled. Today’s breakfast result is extraordinary, and when you combine that with Tom Elliott, Tony Moclair and Jacqui Felgate across the day, 3AW has a rock solid foundation.
“Right across the country we aim to deliver the best news, information and opinion each and every day and are set for a strong finish to the year.”
| COMMERCIAL RADIO SHARE | TOTAL RADIO CUME |
| 15.4 (4 markets) |
1.801 million listeners each week |
STREAMING
Nine Radio is the undisputed No.1 destination for live audio listeners nationwide, achieving a commanding commercial streaming share of 28.1 and a cume audience of 415,000.
Sydney’s 2GB and Melbourne’s 3AW continue to dominate overall commercial streaming, securing shares of 29.5 and 28.7, respectively.
Breakfast remains a powerhouse for both stations. Ross and Russ on 2GB hold the top spot with an incredible 53.6 commercial streaming share, while Ben Fordham strengthened his No.1 position in Breakfast streaming at 2GB with a remarkable 38.7 share.
Mornings also delivered outstanding results, with Ray Hadley leading with a 34.7 commercial streaming share on 2GB, while Tom Elliott tops Melbourne with 27.0.
These results reinforce Nine Radio’s position as the nation’s premier platform for streaming live and local news, sport, entertainment and opinion.
Greg Byrnes, said: “We’ve seen big increases in listener numbers across digital devices survey to survey and year-on-year. It’s the best way to stay connected with our live and local content and the results across all sessions, but particularly in breakfast, show streaming is now part of the daily listening habits for the talk audience.”
| COMMERCIAL STREAMING SHARE | STREAMING CUME |
| 28.1 | 415,000 |
PODCASTS
The Nine Podcast Network recorded over 1.52 million listeners and 3.8 million downloads in October 2024.
The network’s latest investigative series, Rotten Apple, debuted strongly, landing in Nine’s top 10 podcasts with 79,000 listeners and 124,000 downloads. Fan favourites The Missing Campers Trial and The Ultimate Sacrifice kept audiences hooked, attracting 64,000 and 56,000 listeners respectively. Adding to the success, Just Married: The Anthea Bradshaw Mystery earned the prestigious Best Podcast Series award at the South Australian Press Club.
Nine’s radio podcasts also delivered stellar results, with Ben Fordham Live reaching 165,000 listeners and 366,000 downloads, while The Ray Hadley Morning Show recorded 57,000 listeners and 129,000 downloads. In Melbourne, Breakfast with Ross and Russ hit 95,000 listeners and 164,000 downloads, and Mornings with Tom Elliott achieved 61,000 listeners and 144,000 downloads.
Mia Stern, Head of Podcasts and Digital Content, said: “The Nine Podcast Network results go from strength to strength, with October highlighting an 18% year-on-year growth in listeners across the network. As we expand our Originals content slate and evolve our Radio podcast strategy, we’re thrilled to be driving audience growth in Australia’s fastest-growing media channel.”
| TOTAL DOWNLOADS | TOTAL LISTENERS |
| 3.8 million | 1.52 million |
Source: GfK Radio360 Ratings, Survey 7 2024, Mon-Sun 5.30am-12MN, Market Share % Total, Market Share Streaming %, Commercial Streaming Share %, Cume (000s) Total and Streaming, 3AW Breakfast Mon-Fri 5.30am-8.30am, 3AW Mornings 8.30am-12pm, AP10+, Nine Radio – 2GB, 3AW, 4BC, 6PR, unless otherwise specified.
Source: Triton Podcast Metrics, September 2024, Downloads, Listeners, Nine Entertainment, unless otherwise specified.
3AW dominates Melbourne’s airwaves as outright No.1
3AW leads Melbourne’s airwaves as the city’s clear No.1 radio station.
The release of GfK Radio 360 Survey 7 results today reveal 3AW has a winning audience share of 14 (up 0.5 year-on-year) and a dominant commercial streaming share of 28.7%.
Every week, the station’s engaging blend of live, locally-focused talk radio attracts a cumulative audience of 781,000 listeners across Melbourne.
In the 25-54 demographic, 3AW has a cumulative audience of 211,000 listeners – up 14.7% on Survey 6.
Ross and Russ lead Melbourne’s breakfast radio scene with a 20.8 share – a substantial 10.1 point advantage over their closest competitor. Each week, 516,000 Melburnians listen to this award-winning team. The duo also secured an impressive 53.6% share of the commercial streaming audience.
In his seventh survey in the morning slot, Tom Elliott has solidified his position as Melbourne’s top choice, capturing a leading 15.7 share and a cumulative weekly audience of 519,000. He also leads with a commercial streaming share of 27%.
Tony Moclair is the No.1 Afternoon talk program with a 9.5 share – 5.4 points ahead of his closest talk rival.
Jacqui Felgate has strengthened her standing as Melbourne’s No.1 Drive talk program, securing an 8.9 share – her best result since taking the helm of the Drive slot. Her fresh and engaging approach to talk radio attracts 297,000 Melburnians each week.
Denis Walter is No.1 in Melbourne’s evening radio listening, holding the top spot with a 17.1 share.
Weekend Breakfast hosted by Darren James also dominates the airwaves on Saturday and Sunday mornings. 3AW Football finished the 2024 season winning every timeslot – Friday, Saturday, Saturday night and Sunday.
3AW Station Manager, Stephen Beers said: “Survey 7 reinforces 3AW’s position as Melbourne’s top radio station. Ross and Russ remain unrivalled in breakfast, while Tom Elliott commands the morning slot. We’re especially thrilled to see Jacqui Felgate achieving her highest ever share and 3AW Football finishing number one across all shifts. These results reflect the hard work of our on-air talent and the incredible teams behind the scenes. We’re immensely thankful for our loyal listeners’ continued support – something we value greatly.”
Source: GfK Radio360 Ratings, 3AW Melbourne Survey 7 2024, Mon-Sun 5.30am-12MN, Mon-Fri 5.30am-8.30am, Mon-Fri 8.30am-12pm, Mon-Fri 12pm-3pm, Mon-Fri 3pm-6pm, Mon-Thurs 8pm-12MN, Weekends 5.30am-12MN, Cume (000s), Market Share % Total Radio, Commercial Streaming share %, AP10+ , unless otherwise specified.