SCA’S LIVE AND LOCAL STRATEGY DELIVERS WITH 41ST CONSECUTIVE ‘AUDIENCE THAT MATTERS’ WIN 

  • Southern Cross Austereo: #1 Network 25-54 metro – 41 surveys in a row
  • Triple M: #1 Network Men 25-54 – 29 surveys in a row
  • Hit Network: #1 Network Women 25-54 – 5 surveys in a row
  • Triple M: #1 AFL and NRL broadcast
  • Triple M Adelaide: #1 station, #1 Breakfast,
  • B105 & Triple M Brisbane: #1 & #2 station, #1 & #2 Breakfast

Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) has solidified its national leadership of the ‘Audience That Matters’, recording its 41st consecutive survey win for People 25-54 in today’s GfK Survey 5, 2026.

The strength of SCA’s live and local strategy is reflected across key markets, with Brisbane delivering a complete SCA station and Breakfast show duopoly while Triple M Adelaide continues its remarkable run as the market’s Number 1 station and Number 1 Breakfast show. Sydney is also showing strong momentum, with 2DayFM delivering the market’s biggest share and cume increases across Breakfast and the workday.

These results continue SCA’s momentum across the Hit and Triple M networks, reaching 9.18 million Australians nationally across its P10+ audience* and delivering a 36.3% commercial share among People 25–54 in partnership with ACE Radio.

The Hit Network has seen share increases in Breakfast across key markets, including Sydney, Brisbane, and Adelaide. In Sydney, 2DayFM’s Nath & Emma had the biggest share jump in market, growing 1.1 share points (to 4.7% share) and 79,000 listeners (up to 389,000), following major show moments: Really Cool Ride to School and Bring Back the Cross. SAFM’s Bel, Bernie & Emma G held strong in Adelaide on 8.7% share (up 0.1 point).

B105’s Stav, Abby & Matt is the Number 1 Breakfast show in Brisbane with a 14.2% share (up 0.3 points). The great results continue in Brisbane with Triple M’s Marto, Margaux & Dan the Number 2 Breakfast show, demonstrating the strength of the duopoly.

Triple M has been led by consistent results across AFL and NRL broadcasts, maintaining its position as the Number 1 audio broadcaster across all metro markets. Triple M has grown its NRL audience to 484,000 listeners (up 29,000) and continues to resonate with AFL audiences with 768,000 cume ahead of finals to come in September.**

Triple M has won a 29th consecutive survey for Men 25-54, with its strong programming on display around the country. Triple M Adelaide has achieved its biggest ever audience (10+), since records began in 2004, with 341,000 listeners. The station is headlined by Roo, Dittz & Loz, who continue their juggernaut run, winning 27 of the last 28 surveys and increasing to a 15.2% share (up 0.4 points). With exclusive footy interviews and the city’s insider for footy news, Roo, Dittz & Loz’s resultsexemplify the importance of live, local, and engaging content.

Triple M’s Xav & Katie has been given a boost as Perth’s Number 1 Breakfast show for P25-54 on a 21.2% share (up 2.6 points), and the Number 2 Breakfast show 10+ on 11.4% share (up 1.2 points). Footy audiences continue to listen through to Drive, as The Rush Hour with JB & Billy grows to a 9.7% share – complimented by their Number 1 Drive result in Adelaide.

Matthew O’Reilly, SCA’s Head of Broadcast Content, said: “Consistency builds momentum, and Survey 5 demonstrates the impact of that approach across SCA’s Hit and Triple M networks. We’ve well-established our network’s market leadership in the Audience That Matters, and that leadership is on full display as Triple M wins a 29th consecutive survey for Men 25-54 and the Hit Network secures a fifth consecutive survey for Women 25-54.

“There are strong results right across the country, including another dominant performance from Triple M Adelaide and audience growth across all day parts for Triple M Perth. The common thread is consistency: great talent, strong local content and teams who know their audiences. We’ll keep backing them and building from here.

“Brisbane is another great example of what consistency can deliver, with our duopoly back in full force: B105’s Stav, Abby & Matt are Number 1 in Breakfast and Triple M’s Marto, Margaux & Dan at Number 2.

“It’s also particularly pleasing to see the progress in Sydney. Nath & Emma have delivered the biggest Breakfast increase in the market, growing both share and audience, while 2Day FM recorded the largest share and audience growth of any Sydney station. We’ve backed our teams, stayed focused on the strategy and given our shows the time and support to build — and we’re seeing that translate into results.”

John Kelly, Southern Cross Media Group’s Managing Director, Audio, said: “Survey 5 delivers proof that our long-term live and local strategy is paying off across the network. By backing our talented teams and maintaining consistency, we continue to maintain our commercial advantage in the 25–54 demographic – strengthened by a 36.3% commercial share when combined with ACE radio – delivering the audience that matters to our agency and commercial partners.

“Reclaiming a strong Number 1 and Number 2 duopoly position in Brisbane, alongside ongoing growth for Triple M Perth and SAFM Adelaide, highlights the unparalleled reach of our Hit and Triple M combined footprint while our deliberate investment in long-term show development is driving momentum in Sydney. Even in a dynamic commercial environment, our live and local strategy and ability to engage Australia’s most valuable consumer demographic provides our advertisers with scale, impact, and certainty.”

Source: Gfk R360 Metro Survey #5 2026.  P10+/P25-54/M25-54/F25-54, Mon-Sun ROS/Mon-Fri 05.30-09.00/Mon-Fri 06.00-09.00/Mon-Fri/Mon-Fri 09.00-15.00, Market Share %/Commercial Share %/Cume Reach (000’s)/  *SCA National Network Reach:  GfK R360 Metro Survey #5 2026, Canberra/Newcastle/Gold Coast Survey #2 2026, P10+, Mon-Sun ROS, Cume Reach (000’s).  Xtra Insights SCA Regional Markets surveyed as at 1/09/2026, P10+, Mon-Sun ROS, Cume Reach (00’s). **Source: GfK Radio 360 Ratings. Metro Survey 5, 2026. Melbourne – Thursday 1800-2230, Friday 1800-2230, Saturday 1130-2230, Sunday 1300-1930. Adelaide – Thursday 1800-2200, Friday 1730-2200, Saturday 1100-2200, Sunday 1230-1900. Perth – Thursday 1600-2030, Friday 1600-2030, Saturday 0930-2030, Sunday 1100-1730. P10+ / P 10-69 / P25-54. Cume / Market Share %.  Source: GfK Radio 360 Ratings. Metro Survey 5, 2026.Sydney – Thursday 1800-2200, Friday 1800-2000, Saturday 1200-1700, Sunday 1200-1600.Brisbane – Thursday 1800-2200, Friday 1800-2000, Saturday 1200-1700, Sunday 1200-1600.  P10+ / People 10-69 / People 25-54 .  Cume Reach / Market Share %

About Southern Cross Media Group

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’s 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. 

TRIPLE M FEST GETS BIGGER IN 2026 WITH ICONIC ROCKERS BUSH TO HEADLINE

Triple M Fest is back for 2026 – and this year with an extended lineup and heading into the night! International rockers Bush will headline Triple M’s live music event, alongside Australian rock favourites The Superjesus and You Am I, at Melbourne’s Corner Hotel on Thursday 24 September.

Following the success of last year’s capacity crowd for the inaugural event, Triple M Fest will expand into the night for the first time, bringing together live radio, live music, and some of Triple M’s biggest names for a full day of entertainment, before Bush take to the stage to close out the festivities.

The day will begin with the beloved Mick in the Morning with Roo, Titus & Rosie broadcasting live from the Corner Hotel from 6am, alongside live performances from The Superjesus.

The live action continues with Deadset Legends with Kate McCarthy, Xander McGuire and Isaac Smith, followed by a special edition of The Grand Final Rub with Dale ‘Daisy’ Thomas and Jack Heverin.

Then, crowd favourites The Rush Hour with JB & Billy will take over Drive, with You Am I performing live before Bush headline the event into the night.

The extended evening format coincides with Bush’s Australian tour this month with fellow rockers Shinedown, bringing one of the world’s biggest rock bands to the Corner Hotel as Melbourne gears up for the AFL Grand Final.

Jay Mueller, 105.1 Triple M Melbourne Content Director, said: “Triple M Fest is exactly what Grand Final week in Melbourne should sound like – great footy chat, live music, and the biggest personalities coming together in one place. With Bush, The Superjesus, and You Am I performing, and our biggest shows broadcasting live from the Corner Hotel, it’s going to be an awesome way to celebrate Grand Final weekend.”

Listeners can tune in to 105.1 Triple M for their chance to win tickets to Triple M Fest or register to win via the Triple M website.

About Triple M

For more than 40 years, Triple M has been one of Australia’s most recognisable radio brands, providing listeners with a unique blend of Greatest Hits, Sport, and Comedy. With 49 stations nationwide – including six digital stations – Triple M is renowned for delivering music’s greatest hits, alongside iconic talent and standout shows that lead the way in sport and entertainment. 

Reaching more than 4.9 million radio and on-demand listeners each week, Triple M is home to some of the country’s most respected sporting legends, beloved comedians, and music personalities, including Mick Molloy, James Brayshaw, Billy Brownless, Luisa Dal Din, and Jack Archdale – to only name a few! Triple M’s content is available live or on demand on the LiSTNR app.  

LiSTNR Powers Up Video Strategy with Major Flightcast Tech Partnership to Benefit Creators

Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) today announced a benchmark new technology partnership between LiSTNR and Flightcast, one of the world’s most sophisticated, video-first podcast hosting platforms. The partnership will enhance LiSTNR’s distribution infrastructure and service the rapidly accelerating market demand for multi-platform video, audio and social podcast content.

The agreement cements LiSTNR as Flightcast’s largest global network partner, bringing Australia’s biggest podcast network onto a unified, purpose-built platform for the modern era of video and audio publishing.

The move comes as LiSTNR continues to solidify its commercial dominance, maintaining its position as Australia’s leading commercial sales representation podcast network and delivering consistent double-digit digital revenue growth. Driven by over 2.8 million Australian signed-in users, LiSTNR has rapidly expanded beyond traditional streaming into a fully integrated digital ecosystem.

Central to this commercial success is SCA’s continuous investment in market-leading Adtech innovation. Through the award-winning LiSTNR AdTech Hub and its AI-powered evolution Precision+, LiSTNR provides brands with unprecedented dynamic targeting, real-time optimisation, and privacy-first data matching. By pairing world-class content co-creation with cutting-edge advertising technology, LiSTNR consistently delivers market-leading ROI for commercial partners while giving creators unmatched monetisation scale.

Flightcast is a video-first podcast hosting, distribution, and analytics platform built for the way modern podcasts are created, consumed and monetised. Co-founded by Steven Bartlett (The Diary of a CEO) and Rox Codes (developer and creator-tech entrepreneur), Flightcast allows LiSTNR to put the exact technology behind world-leading shows, directly into the hands of LiSTNR creators. Built from the ground up to power modern video and social publishing, the video-first CMS eliminates fragmented workflows by uniting cross-platform distribution including LiSTNR, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify – with single-dashboard, AI-driven analytics. Simplifying distribution and analytics, Flightcast allows Australia’s top podcast talent to focus purely on creating compelling content and driving commercial growth.

Sam Cavanagh, Head of Content – LiSTNR Original Podcasts said: “LiSTNR is Australia’s largest investor in our local podcast industry. As podcasting continues to evolve towards video, getting Flightcast in the hands of our creators will help them unlock creativity and growth. This is a game-changer for our creators and the future of our network.”

John Kelly, Southern Cross Media Group’s Managing Director, Audio said: “Since launching our digital transformation in 2021, LiSTNR has led the market through continuous innovation across content, AdTech, and platform infrastructure. As podcasting expands beyond audio, we are positioning our network to lead the industry’s transition into video.

“Our partnership with Flightcast ensures our talent has access to market-leading technology. By providing a single platform for seamless video and audio distribution alongside unified data and analytics in one place, we are giving Australia’s best creators the exact tools they need to maximise their reach and commercial growth.”

“Australia is an incredibly important podcast market, and partnering with SCA marks a major step in Flightcast’s international growth as well as our first expansion of this scale in the region. Bringing more than 150 shows onto Flightcast, including the LISTNR network, is a huge vote of confidence in what we’ve built. SCA was looking for a partner that could move quickly, push the boundaries of what podcast technology can do, and deliver the depth of data and analytics needed to operate a major network at scale,” said Rox Codes, CEO and Co-Founder at Flightcast. “That’s exactly where we believe Flightcast stands apart. We’re building technology for where podcasting is going next, and we’re excited to work alongside a team like SCA that shares that ambition and is equally committed to innovation.”

This partnership with Flightcast reinforces LiSTNR’s position as Australia’s leading digital ecosystem, placing video and social engagement firmly at the forefront of modern podcasting. By continuously advancing its AdTech and publishing hubs, LiSTNR is empowering creators with market-leading tools to streamline multi-platform workflows, expand their audiences, and maximise commercial returns.



About LiSTNR:

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 100 music playlists, local news and over  800 podcast titles from leading Australian and global creators. With more than 2.8 million signed-in users on the LiSTNR app and with a total LiSTNR Audience Network that reaches an estimated ten million* people each month.

*Triton Streaming Metrics, Triton Podcast Metrics, & Edison – July 2026

About Flightcast: 

Flightcast is a video-first podcast hosting, distribution and analytics platform built for the way modern podcasts are created, consumed and monetized. Founded by entrepreneur and The Diary of a CEO host Steven Bartlett and developer and creator-tech entrepreneur Rox Codes, Flightcast enables creators and media companies to publish and manage their content across YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and RSS from a single platform. Its infrastructure is designed specifically for professional video podcasting, with support for 4K video, HLS streaming, large-scale storage and dynamic advertising, giving shows the flexibility to expand into video without sacrificing quality, existing monetization or control over their content.

Beyond hosting and distribution, Flightcast brings cross-platform performance data together in one place, helping creators understand how audiences discover, watch and engage with their content across formats. The platform combines unified analytics with AI-powered tools for tasks including clip generation, metadata optimization and data analysis, reducing the operational complexity of running and growing a modern podcast. Built to support everyone from independent creators to large media businesses, Flightcast’s goal is to provide the technology and infrastructure creators need as podcasting increasingly evolves from an audio-first medium into a multi-platform, video-driven industry.

IT’S ON FOR YOUNG AND OLD AS COMMERCIAL RADIO REACHES 12.8 MILLION METRO LISTENERS WEEKLY

Commercial radio reaches 12.8 million Australians weekly across the five metropolitan markets – up 308,000 listeners, or 2.5% year-on-year.1 Weekly metro audiences have now held above 12 million for four years.

All age demographics, including younger and older audiences, recorded increases for reach and time-spent listening (TSL). With total audience growth in Breakfast, Mornings and Afternoons, and steady delivery in Drive, more Australians are tuning in and listening for longer.

Lizzie Young, CEO of Commercial Radio & Audio, said: “Audiences grew across every age group this survey, and they’re listening longer than they were a year ago. Audiences have now held above 12 million for four years. That kind of breadth and consistency is increasingly rare, increasingly valuable, and it’s an enormous opportunity for brands. 

“The CRA Audio ID – the industry’s unified identity solution – enables brands to take advantage of this scale by optimising their campaigns to maximise cross network reach. The benefits of ensuring audio is in your campaign mix are clear from the work Mark Ritson presented at Cannes.”

In June, Professor Mark Ritson presented ‘Audio: the secret to profit and trust’ 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 

Despite challenging market conditions across FY26, CRA members grew digital audio revenue 9.2% year-on-year3, outpacing total digital audio market growth of 6.6%4, and now represent 31.2% of the category.3 

Total commercial radio revenue for the June quarter was $291.7 million: $160.7 million metro broadcast, $101.0 million regional broadcast and $30.0 million digital audio.3

For the full 2026 survey dates and historical data, visit: https://cra.au/metro-ratings

GfK Metro Survey 6, 2026 results will be released on Thursday 8 October 2026.

Sources:  1.    GfK Radio 360 Ratings, SMBAP S5 2026. All people 10+, Mon-Sun 12mn-12mn, Cume (000s), unless otherwise stated. All numbers refer to commercial radio results unless otherwise stated. Historical results available on request. Age Demographics: 10-17, 18-24, 25-39, 40-54, 55-64, 65+ 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). 3.    CRA revenue results compiled by media analytics firm Milton Data. 4.    IAB Australia Internet Advertising Revenue Report (IARR), FY2026

Radio RatingsSurvey

Radio Audience Measurement Australia – Survey Summary Reports

Sydney, 1 September 2026

METRO MARKETS:

Sydney Radio 360 Survey 5, 2026

Melbourne Radio 360 Survey 5, 2026

Brisbane Radio 360 Survey 5, 2026

Adelaide Radio 360 Survey 5, 2026

Perth Radio 360 Survey 5, 2026

REGIONAL MARKETS:

Canberra Survey 2, 2026

Gold Coast Radio 360 Survey 2, 2026

Newcastle Survey 2, 2026

Archive:

Archive of Previous Surveys