Nine Radio’s stronghold on Sydney and Melbourne has slipped, with its flagship talk stations 2GB and 3AW both knocked from the top of the metro radio ratings for the first time in years. The latest GfK survey shows audiences shifting away from AM talk and toward FM music-led formats, specifically Smooth 95.3 in Sydney and GOLD104.3 in Melbourne.
But Nine Radio’s Head of Content, Greg Byrnes, is pushing back on the suggestion that the results signal a long-term concern. While acknowledging the downward movement, Byrnes says the fundamentals remain strong.
“Well, we’ve pretty much remained stable,” he told Mediaweek.
Smooth leads in Sydney as 2GB dips across all dayparts
In Sydney, 2GB dropped two points in overall share, landing on 11.6%. That decline opened the door for Smooth to take the lead with 12.3%, despite the station recording a slight 0.1-point drop itself.
Even in breakfast, typically a pillar for 2GB, Ben Fordham’s program slipped by two points, although it remains Sydney’s top breakfast show with a 14.7% share. Kyle and Jackie O on KIIS FM lifted 1.4 points to 13.9%, continuing their FM winning streak with 52 consecutive survey wins.
Ben Fordham
Byrnes backed Fordham’s position as market leader, despite the tightening race.
“Number one in breakfast… and Ben’s been undefeated all year,” he said. “Clearly number one in that slot. Tough slot. And he’s well clear of number two.”
Elsewhere on 2GB’s weekday schedule:
• Mornings with Mark Levy dropped 2.5 points
• Afternoons with Michael McLaren fell 2.1
• Drive with Clinton Maynard slipped 2.2
Still, Byrnes said the audience hadn’t disappeared.
“Mornings and Afternoon Drive are down, but we’ve had a pretty strong start to the year, and ratings are probably stabilising a little,” he said. “I can’t see where the audience has gone, so we’ll focus on time spent listening, our rundowns and our content each day.”
2GB Mornings host Mark Levy
Levy’s transition faces first real test
After a strong start in the Mornings shift earlier this year, Mark Levy’s most recent numbers show a dip, but Byrnes isn’t rattled.
“Levy had a really strong start to the year. He had an unprecedented run: three strong surveys in a row,” he said. “He’s down a little today, but still sitting on a 13, which is really good for a brand new show.”
“We’ve been clear all along, those early numbers were incredibly strong, and we expected a slight dip. That’s what we’ve seen today. But it just shows what he’s capable of, and he’ll be determined to get back there. In the talk market, he’s unparalleled.”
Levy’s efforts across the footy season were also noted.
“Mark works six days a week this time of year. He’d work seven if we let him, but we don’t,” Byrnes joked. “On Fridays, he does his regular morning show, then backs up for the football, including live game commentary. He hosts the program and calls the game. Then on Saturdays, he’s hosting from 1pm through the evening game at 5.30. He’s a machine.”
Gold hits number one in Melbourne for the first time in 33 years
In Melbourne, 3AW slipped 0.6 points to 11.9%, the largest percentage drop in the market. GOLD104.3 rose 0.3 points to 12.1%, reclaiming the city’s top spot for the first time since 1992.
Byrnes said the result should be read in context.
“It’s not like people have left 3AW in droves,” he said. “Their cume is fairly stable.”
He noted that key shifts remain competitive and, in most cases, ahead of rivals.
“We’re still number one in breakfast and mornings. I think breakfast is still about seven points clear of its nearest rival. Mornings is a bit tighter, but Tom’s [Elliott] still number one. Jackie’s gone up in drive. Football’s number one across Thursday to Sunday. Nights is number one. Some really good results on 3AW.”’
3AW Breakfast with Ross and Russ
Competition rises, but the focus remains on content
While Nine’s lead has narrowed, Byrnes pointed to wider shifts in audio consumption as a factor that all networks are now facing.
“It’s a really challenging time, there’s never been more ways to consume audio,” he said. “There’s rival radio, and there’s a lot of noise out of Melbourne right now, plus all the podcasting and streaming platforms. People can go anywhere to access audio.”
Rather than overcorrect, Byrnes said the network is refocusing on what it can control, creating strong, consistent content and maintaining listener loyalty.
“It’s probably just time to refocus on rundowns and how each show flows,” he said. “Are we carrying a listener from the beginning to the end of a show? It’s hard to do, but that’s what we aim for.”
He also highlighted the collaborative culture between presenters as a strength of the network.
“We always like to think of ourselves as a family,” Byrnes said. “I know it’s a little corny, but that’s how our listeners think of us. They’re letting our presenters into their homes, often at very personal times.”
“There’s nothing better than when Levy joins Ben in the studio, then Michael joins Levy, and it flows right throughout the day. They’re genuinely pleased for each other and happy to see their colleagues do well. And it’s genuine.”