ABC local radio has recorded a strong survey 4 result in Australia’s two biggest radio markets, with 702 ABC Sydney and 774 ABC Melbourne posting the largest share gains in their respective cities.
On 774 ABC Melbourne, the station is up to a 5.5% share (+1.4) this survey and was the only network to record double digit growth. The survey captures the departure of Ali Moore and the first month of Charlie Pickering in Drive, with the program registering a 5.2% share, an increase of +2.5.
Afternoons with Brigitte Duclos doubled its share this survey to 5% (+2.5), while Mornings with Raf Epstein also saw a significant bump to 6.2% (+1.4).
702 ABC Sydney recorded a 5.3% overall share (+0.7), the largest increase in a market undergoing significant change. All dayparts recorded a lift, including double digit increases for Mornings with Hamish Macdonald 5.2% (+1.1), Drive with Tom Oriti 4.9% (+1.3) and Evenings, which captures Evenings with Renee Krosch and Nightlife with Philip Clarke, 7.2% (+1.3).
“The recovery we began to see in Sydney and Melbourne last survey has translated into strong results in survey 4, with both 702 ABC Sydney and 774 ABC Melbourne recording significant lifts across the day,” ABC Director Audio Ben Latimer said.
“These results are a credit to our teams and show audiences are responding to the distinctive, local radio we are delivering in two highly competitive markets.”
In GfK survey 4, ABC’s overall network share is up from 16.3% last survey to 16.4% (+0.1), while overall reach remains stable survey on survey at 4.86 million, a +6% increase year on year. The ABC remains the number one digital live streaming network with 28.8% Share. It is also the #1 Network (Total Radio) for audiences 40+ 18.2% (Metro)^.
Southern Cross Austereo: #1 Network 25-54 metro – 40 surveys in a row
Triple M: #1 Network Men 25-54 – 28 surveys in a row
Hit Network: #1 Network Women 25-54 – 4 surveys in a row
Triple M: #1 AFL and NRL broadcast
Triple M Adelaide: #1 station, #1 Breakfast
B105 Brisbane: #1 station, #1 Breakfast
Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) has continued its unrivalled leadership in the Australian radio industry, recording its 40th consecutive survey win for People 25–54. In the fourth Gfk metro radio survey of 2026, SCA has marked five consecutive years as the number one network in the all-important ‘Audience That Matters’.
This milestone reinforces SCA’s sustained growth and momentum, with the SCA and ACE Radio partnership delivering a combined commercial 36.5% share among People 25–54 (8.4 share points in front of the nearest commercial competitor). SCA also continues to reach more than 9.2 million Australians each week, further strengthening its position as Australia’s largest audio network.*
Triple M has extended its national network leadership with a 28th consecutive survey win among Men 25-54, while once again claiming its position as the Number 1 AFL and NRL broadcaster.** Roo, Ditts & Loz strengthened their long-standing dominance as Adelaide’s Number 1 Breakfast show, growing to a 14.8% share (up 1.9 points), to win 27 of the last 28 surveys commercially. In Sydney, Beau, Cat & Woodsy continue their positive results, delivering Triple M’s largest Breakfast audience since 2005 with 365,000 weekly listeners and increasing for the fifth survey to secure a share of 6.6%.
The Hit Network continued its strong national momentum, claiming Women 25-54 for a fourth consecutive survey. In Brisbane, B105 remained the city’s Number 1 station and Number 1 Breakfast show, with Stav, Abby & Matt growing to a 13.9% share (up 0.5 points). In Melbourne, The Fox’s Fifi, Fev & Nick proved their consistency, reaching a 10.0% Breakfast share (up 0.5 points) and retaining their position as the Number 2 FM Breakfast show in one of Australia’s most competitive radio markets. In Perth, Pete & Kymba secured another top-two Breakfast finish on Mix94.5, underlining the Hit Network’s continued strength across the country.
Matthew O’Reilly, SCA’s Head of Broadcast Content, said: “Today’s results reflect the consistency of our strategy and the strength of our teams, with growth across both the Hit and Triple M Networks in key markets across the country.
“Nationally, SCA won the core 25–54 demographic for the 40th consecutive survey with a 27.3% share. From a network perspective, Triple M marks 28 consecutive surveys as the number one network for men 25–54 with a 13.8% share, and the Hit Network secured the number one spot for women 25–54 for the fourth survey running with a 17.2% share.
“SCA continued to dominate in Brisbane with a station duopoly that saw B105 and Triple M number one and two respectively, while Stav, Abby & Matt are Brisbane’s number one breakfast show with a 13.9% share. In Adelaide Triple M extended their lead as the number one station and has the number one breakfast show with Roo, Ditts & Loz.
“In Melbourne The Fox’s Fifi, Fev & Nick continued its consistent performance, securing the number 2 spot, their best result since survey 7, 2024 while Pete & Kymba delivered another strong survey as number two breakfast show in Perth.”
“Triple M continues to lead as the number one AFL broadcast in metro markets, reaching 785,000 people aged 10+ across the weekend in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.
“Today’s results demonstrate that our consistent live and local approach, and the hard work by our teams across the country, continues to resonate with audiences.”
John Kelly, Southern Cross Media Group’s Managing Director, Audio, said: “Today’s ratings highlight the ongoing success of our audio strategy and the growth we are driving across the network. Securing the 25–54 demographic for the 40th consecutive survey with a 27.3% share proves that SCA consistently wins the audience that matters most to our partners.
“Even with a challenging broader advertising market, our ability to expand our audience share and scale gives advertisers reliable, unparalleled access to Australia’s most valuable commercial demographic. This is backed by the sustained strength of our core brands, with Triple M leading as the number one network for men 25–54 and the Hit Network holding the top spot for women 25–54.
“Furthermore, our joint SCA and ACE Radio footprint delivers dominant reach and impact, capturing the number one commercial share for 25–54s at 36.5%. Delivering these results survey after survey underscores the clear advantage of building long-term value through brand safe content and talented teams.”
Southern Cross Media Group (ASX:SXL) (Southern Cross) is one of Australia’s most prominent media companies, with a market-leading presence across broadcast television, audio, publishing and digital.
SCA audio assets include the LiSTNR digital audio app, offering free and compelling digital audio content including SCA’s FM, AM, and DAB+ radio stations, live AFL, NRL, and international cricket coverage, over 50 music playlists, local news and over 800 podcast titles from leading Australian and global creators. With more than 2.5 million signed-in users on the LiSTNR app and with a total LiSTNR Audience Network that reaches an estimated ten million* people each month.
SCA owns 104 radio stations across FM, AM, and DAB+ radio under the Triple M and Hit network brands and provides national sales representation for 56 regional radio stations, with more than 9.2 million listeners across the Hit and Triple M networks nationally.
Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) has welcomed the GfK Metro Survey 4, 2026 results. Commercial radio reaches 12.8 million Australians weekly – up 356,000 listeners year-on-year (YOY).1
Lizzie Young, Chief Executive Officer at CRA said: “We continue to see the same trend – despite fragmentation, economic uncertainty and ever-increasing competition for attention – record numbers of Australians continue to choose commercial radio for news, information, sport, entertainment from their favourite hosts, and community connection. On the one hand I feel a bit like a broken record, on the other I know the consistency we deliver survey after survey compounds into a strong case for marketers.
“As Professor Mark Ritson pointed out recently at Cannes – audio is the secret to profit and trust for brands. The case for audio’s effectiveness is unequivocal; in every market we’ve studied globally audio is the catalyst that makes your whole campaign work harder.”
Last month, Professor Mark Ritson presented a session titled ‘Audio: the secret to profit and trust’ at Cannes Lions. The findings proved campaigns with audio outperform those without on profit (+75%), trust (+81%), price insensitivity (+81%) and customer acquisition (+19%) – with an average uplift of 22% across 14 measures.2
In an economic climate where budgets are under pressure, this is the power of audio in action. Audio doesn’t ask brands to spend more – it makes everything else in the media mix work harder.
Sources: 1. GfK Radio 360 Ratings, SMBAP S4 2026. All people 10+, Mon-Sun 12mn-12mn, Cume (000’s), unless otherwise stated. All numbers refer to commercial radio results unless otherwise stated. Historical results available on request. 2. The Secret to Profit and Trust: Audio, presented by Mark Ritson at Cannes Lions, 2026. Based on the Effie x System1 Databank (1,262 UK, Ireland, Europe and US campaigns, 2007 – 2023).
Renowned broadcaster Francis Leach has been introduced to audiences in the early hours of today as the new presenter of ABC Overnights, replacing Trevor Chappell who will retire from the program at the end of the month.
A familiar voice for ABC audiences, Francis started his broadcast career on air at triple j before dedicating decades to sports journalism and has worked for Grandstand and on ABC TV’s Offsiders.
He has spent nearly a decade in public policy and federal government roles but says he is returning to his one true love – radio. “I have had a lifelong love affair with radio and it’s wonderful to be given the opportunity to return to the microphone.” Francis said.
“The ABC Overnights audience is as passionate about radio as I am. It’s a community of great people from all walks of life and experiences, and I feel very privileged to be joining them each morning. Trevor has left an incredible legacy, and it’s my job to continue it in a manner that gives the audience the listening experience and connection with one another that he made his trademark.”
ABC Head of Capital City Network Anthony Frangi said: “Francis is a natural broadcaster with a deep love of radio and a natural ability to connect with audiences,”
“Overnights is a very special program, built on companionship forged in the quietest hours. We’re delighted to welcome Francis back to the ABC and look forward to hearing him bring his warmth, experience and energy to listeners across the country.”
Francis will start on Overnights on Monday 3 August, nationally on ABC Local Radio from 2:05am AEST, Monday to Thursday.
Southern Cross Media Group has announced the appointment of Chris Jones to the newly created role of Director of Sport – TV, Audio and Streaming. Effective immediately, this company-wide position will lead sports strategy across the group.
In this new position, Jones will oversee the strategic direction of Seven and SCA’s combined sport portfolios. He will be responsible for driving a unified sport strategy that scales and grows the group’s footprint across broadcast television, audio, digital, publishing and social platforms, establishing an unmatched competitive advantage in the Australian media landscape. In addition, Jones will lead sports rights negotiations on behalf of the entire group, creating cross-platform deals that maximise value across the entire network.
A highly accomplished sports media executive, Jones brings more than two decades of industry experience to the position. Most recently serving as Director of Network Sport at Seven since July 2024, Jones has spent more than 16 years with the network in senior leadership and production roles, including six years as Executive Producer of 7Cricket. Throughout his career, Jones has been instrumental in delivering ratings successes and managing broadcasts for major sporting events, including the AFL, the Australian Open, the US Masters, the Rio Olympic Games and the Spring Racing Carnival.
This role brings together the respected assets of 7Sport, Triple M and LiSTNR under a single aligned structure establishing a combined sports content powerhouse. The complementary audience reach of the business is already delivering massive results. Cross-promotion on Seven has unlocked historic scale for Triple M and LiSTNR, while Triple M’s unique audience has fuelled year-on-year streaming growth on 7plus across Cricket, the AFL, and Horse Racing.
Uniting these operations unlocks significant scale and resource efficiencies, driving more original programming and snackable content across all platforms to meet the needs of the modern sports consumer.
Chris Jones said: “It’s a privilege to lead this merged team of some of the country’s most talented on and off-air broadcasters. Working closely with Ewan Giles and the SCA sport team, we now have an incredible opportunity to capitalise on our strengths, allowing us to share talent, resources, and ideas seamlessly while protecting what makes each brand distinctive.
“Bringing our sports offering together marks a major evolution in content consumption. By elevating digital and social media alongside traditional TV and audio broadcasts, we will capture fans who engage with content far beyond our traditional assets. Every platform matters, every audience matters, and everyone on our team plays a role across all assets.”
“This team will heavily support, promote and launch our diverse scale of assets across the merged company – including our Western Australian products, 7NEWS, Sunrise and our entertainment slate across audio and TV, into every market around Australia.”
“Sport audiences want great coverage whenever and however they consume it. By bringing together 7SPORT, Triple M and LiSTNR sport, we are building Australia’s most complete sports media operation, delivering engaging content wherever you are, throughout the whole day.”
Managing Director – TV and Streaming, Angus Ross said: “Seven and SCA’s dominance in sport is unmatched, and bringing both businesses together has provided a massive opportunity to maximise our footprint across broadcast and audio. Chris has an incredible track record with Seven and the broader sporting industry. Having worked closely with Triple M over the years, it makes perfect sense to extend his expertise across audio to lead negotiations across all pillars. Chris has live sport in his DNA and has spent over 20 years delivering every major sporting code across the country. He has the deep respect of the sporting codes and a proven history of delivering great outcomes for the game, and bringing all these assets together under one sports strategy is a massive win for our audiences and advertisers.”
Managing Director – Audio, John Kelly said: “Sport holds an unrivalled power to connect Australians, and this unified strategy delivers a massive competitive advantage. The SCA sports team already drives strong engagement through Triple M and LiSTNR, built on a legacy of passion, expert insight, and unmatched talent. By working closer with Seven under Chris’ leadership we are unlocking a powerful cross-medium ecosystem. For our audiences, it means the country’s most comprehensive sports coverage, and for our clients and partners, it provides an unprecedented scale to reach highly engaged fans at every hour of the day.”
Beyond dedicated sports programs, the unified sports division will play an active role in supporting, promoting, and launching entertainment and news assets across the entire company including 7NEWS, Sunrise, The Morning Show, Seven’s Western Australian assets, and the broader audio and TV platforms. For advertisers, the combined entity provides substantial scale and cross-platform synergy, offering the unique ability to reach diverse, highly engaged audiences at every hour of the day.
In his new role, Chris Jones will report to Seven’s Managing Director, TV and Streaming, Angus Ross, while working closely with Managing Director and CEO, Rohan Lund and the business’ core strategic pillars including Managing Director – Audio, John Kelly and SWM WA CEO, Maryna Fewster to drive the joint strategy. Head of Sport Content – Audio, Ewan Giles will report directly to Jones, driving seamless operational synergy across the unified SCA and Seven sports teams.
SBS unequivocally condemns antisemitism and affirms the right of Jewish Australians to live with safety, dignity and a true sense of belonging. Our submission to the Royal Commission highlights the vital role trusted, independent public service media plays in strengthening social cohesion.
SBS has invested significantly in reporting and programming that helps Australians better understand antisemitism and its impacts, with content available in more than 60 languages. Across all our platforms and services, we represent Jewish Australian stories and perspectives in a way that is respectful, accurate and inclusive.
Examples include multilingual SBS Examines explainers on antisemitism and misinformation, documentaries exploring Jewish Australian experiences, extensive reporting on the Bondi terrorist attack and its aftermath, the award-winning Dateline episode “Inside Israel: A Nation at War”, and SBS Hebrew’s coverage of international and domestic news and community stories for Australian audiences in both Hebrew and English.
SBS’s commitment to factual, balanced and impartial journalism is supported by strong editorial standards, independent complaints processes, and ongoing engagement with communities across Australia.
SBS is assisting the Royal Commission in its important work. Guided by our Charter, SBS will continue to provide trusted multicultural and multilingual services that strengthen informed public debate, cultural understanding and civic participation, helping build a more resilient, connected and cohesive Australia.
Read the SBS Submission to the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion here
The Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) has opened applications for its 2027 scholarships, including new accommodation support for students moving to Sydney to study.
At the centre of this year’s offering are five new Relocation Scholarships, providing $36,000 ($12,000 per year for up to three years) to eligible students. The scholarships are designed to assist with the cost of accommodation, improving access to screen and audio education, with a particular focus on First Nations students and those experiencing financial disadvantage.
The initiative builds on Australian Government support to improve access to affordable, fit-for-purpose student accommodation, helping more students from across Australia enrol in full-time, on-campus study at AFTRS.
AFTRS Director of Partnerships and Development, Mathieu Ravier, said the new scholarships would make a meaningful difference to students considering a move to Sydney.
“Sydney sits at the high end of the national market, and rents have increased significantly in the past five years. These Relocation Scholarships are an important step in ensuring that talented students from across Australia can access a world-class creative education, regardless of their background or financial circumstances. By easing cost-of-living pressure, we’re helping students focus on their creative development and fully participate in campus life,” he said.
“These scholarships are just one example of how AFTRS continues to work closely with industry partners and government to remove barriers to study, ensuring that Australia’s screen and audio industries benefit from a talent pipeline which represents the breadth of lived experiences across the country.”
Current Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production student Georgia Williams, a First Nations student from Cowra, NSW, is among the students whose pathway to AFTRS has been made possible through similar scholarship support. Georgia is the recipient of the 2026 OnBass Giant Steps Scholarship, supported by Gentle Giant Media Group and the OnBass Foundation, which returns for its seventh year in 2027.
“Receiving a scholarship has made a real and immediate difference in my life,” Georgia said. “It has eased the financial pressure of relocating from rural NSW to Sydney and enabled me to begin my studies at AFTRS this year, something that would have been very difficult otherwise given the cost of rent and living expenses. With this support, I have been able to fully focus on developing my skills, collaborating with other creatives, and growing my practice as a proud Ngemba storyteller.”
These scholarships form part of AFTRS’ broader commitment to equity and inclusion, supporting greater participation from First Nations students and those from regional, remote and low socioeconomic backgrounds. They sit alongside AFTRS’ established suite of scholarships supporting students across its courses.
Together, scholarships support emerging creatives across screen and audio disciplines, helping students develop industry-ready skills and build sustainable careers.
The AFTRS Scholarship program, made possible through the support of the Australian Government, industry leaders and AFTRS community, includes:
Relocation Scholarship – Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production Anita Jacoby Trailblazer Scholarship – Master of Arts Screen ARN Radio and Podcasting Scholarship – Graduate Diploma in Radio and Podcasting Constellation Creatives Scholarship – Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production CRA Regional Radio Scholarship – Graduate Diploma in Radio and Podcasting Equity Scholarship (supported by the Kenneth Myer Fellowship Trust) – across multiple courses First Nations Scholarship (supported by the Kenneth Myer Fellowship Trust) – across multiple courses Glenn Daniel Smooth FM Scholarship – Graduate Diploma in Radio and Podcasting Glenn Wheatley EON Innovation Scholarship – Graduate Diploma in Radio and Podcasting Netflix First Nations Pathways Scholarship – Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production OnBass Giant Steps Scholarship – Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production Pariya Taherzadeh Cultural Voices Scholarship – Graduate Diploma in Radio and Podcasting Women in Cinematography Scholarship (sponsored by Sony) – Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production (Year 3)
AFTRS offers about 40 scholarships each year. For more information see: Scholarships and Financial Support
Speaking at Parliament House, artists, authors and music creators alongside Australia’s creative and media leaders called on the Albanese Government to hold firm on its existing copyright framework
APRA AMCOS members Francois Tetaz, Hannah Cameron, John Collins, KLP, Warren H. Williams and William Barton attended the event alongside CEO, Dean Ormston
The creative and media industries gathered in Canberra yesterday to set out a clear position. Australian creative work is the fuel that powers the AI economy. Without it there are no large language models, no image generators, no AI products of any kind. Australian creators should be part of that success story, not locked out of it. The path is straightforward: ask permission and pay.
The gathering at Parliament House included Andy Griffith, Anna Funder, Francois Tetaz, Hannah Cameron (Middle Kids), John Collins (Powderfinger), KLP, Mahalia Barnes, Mark Seymour, Paul Dempsey, Warren H. Williams and William Barton plus industry representatives from APRA AMCOS, ARIA, Australian Society of Authors, Australian Writers’ Guild, Australian Publishers Association, Mushroom Group, Australian Music Publishers Association Ltd, Gyro, Association of Artist Managers, Copyright Agency and Free TV Australia.
Lucy Hayward, CEO of the Australian Society of Authors, said: “Despite what tech might tell you, copyright is simple. If you want to use someone’s work, you need to ask permission. And copyright is also how authors earn a living. Instead of coming to creators and rightsholders to do deals, big tech is throwing money at lobbying in Canberra for solutions that would enable them to use creators’ work in exchange for chump change. For all intents and purposes that’s wage theft for the creative industries.”
Dean Ormston, CEO of APRA AMCOS, added: “Canberra Airport’s never been so busy with people flying out from the US, putting pressure on the government to say there needs to be some trade-off in relation to data centres and investment. Ultimately, we want to see the collaboration of tech industry and creative industries to the benefit of all Australians. Now’s the time for the government to double down on its investment in the opportunity for the creative industries in AI. The future’s bright, we need to hold firm, we’re open and ready to do business.”
Singer/songwriter, Mahalia Barnes, added: “This is not just data. This is truly art. This is our culture, it’s the essence of our nation. Artists can never be replaced by technology and AI because art is essentially about humanity.”
Anna Funder, award-winning author, said: “I’m a writer but I’m standing here before you today really as a victim of crime. My books have all been hoovered up in many editions in many countries, in many languages by big tech, broken down into parts and used for them to make money. We don’t want patrons, we don’t want a big tech fund, we want our rights.”
Bestselling author and Australian Children’s Laureate 2026-2027, Andy Griffiths, added: “I’ve written 43 books, 67 books have been scraped without permission. That includes translations. They are going for everything. There’s been no agreement reached on any of those books. Copyright is how art gets made and if we undermine that there will be no more art, not even to scrape.”
Warren H Williams, award‑winning singer/songwriter, concluded: “My people are the worst ones to get ripped off. Someone comes in from outside because they have sound or the music tracks already written and they ask the black fella to do songs in their language. They go away, mix it, never come back.”
In October 2025, following consultation with Australia’s creative and media industries, the Albanese Government rejected a proposed text and data mining exception that would have allowed AI companies to use Australian content without permission or payment. It was the right decision, and one that affirmed the Government’s commitment to Australian culture.
As AI companies intensify their lobbying in Canberra, Australia’s creative and media industries are calling on the Government to hold the line. Australian copyright law is fit for purpose in the AI era. What is needed is the Government’s continued resolve, and we need AI platforms willing to come to the table and do the deal with Australian creators and businesses. Australia is already a world leader in tech regulation. Licensing markets for AI training are already developing internationally. Australia should ensure our creators are part of that market and should not weaken protections that provide a return on the intellectual property of our artists, creators and businesses.
The creative, cultural and media sectors call on government to:
Hold firm on the existing copyright framework and resist pressure from AI companies to reopen or weaken it.
Continue to stand with Australia’s artists, writers, musicians, filmmakers, journalists, performers, songwriters, composers, broadcasters, producers, publishers and rightsholders.
Use government’s power to bring AI platforms to the table with Australian rightsholders for genuine licensing agreements built on permission and payment.
Position Australia as a world leader in AI development that grows the economy while protecting Australian culture, Australian content and Australian creative jobs.
