Kennedy Molloy hosts Jane Kennedy and Mick Molloy have been hosting their Triple M drive show for close to 18 months in Melbourne and just over a year nationally.
Last week they had good reason to feel they are making significant progress.
The radio stars and their SCA colleagues had been a little frustrated with their ratings to-date.
No one was expecting overnight success, but the audience acceptance they’d hoped to build was taking the slow road.
Not any more. Recently promoted SCA Triple M national head of content (metro and regional) Mike Fitzpatrick, told Mediaweek after the survey one results, the brand’s dive show is now “a pretty good story”.
The show ticked over a major milestone last week too – 1,000,034 listeners around Australia’s five metro markets.
“The show also had its equal strongest result in Melbourne and when you breakdown their timeslot they are #2 on 9.9% to Nova’s 9.6%.”
Triple M is hoping the new numbers hold as the year progresses as survey one has a reputation for being, um, different. “At the start of the year a lot of people try new shows and people punch around the stations sampling other programs. This is probably the most competitive drive market I’ve ever heard. There is lots of great talent – Kate, Tim and Marty is obviously an excellent show and Hughesy and Kate also, and they have so much heritage. There is an audience that is just finding Mick and Jane so I think there is room to grow.”
Fitzpatrick said there had not been any specific changes to the content at the start of 2019. “They are just doing more of what they do best, it is just that people are sampling their show for the first time.
“We have also had a strong marketing campaign in every market for the first book. That continues in survey two and we have consistent strong marketing out of the blocks with the great Top Gun campaign. The Fleetwood Mac campaign is very timely.”
Triple M is keeping the message very simple – two radio greats having some fun. “Mick is one of the most recognisable radio performers and entertainers in Australia. People who are seeing Jane for the first time are remembering her. She hasn’t done a lot of onscreen content for some time apart from her work on Have You Been Paying Attention?”
Molloy has the persona of someone who bums along from gig to gig, but he is very invested in anything he does – from radio to his Seven program The Front Bar. Radio is a real passion.
“Mick is very interested in the numbers and how the show is resonating with the audience. You can’t be a successful performer on radio and not care about the numbers. However he has been very realistic, saying during last year, ‘It will come.’ He is great self believer.”
Fitzy on Triple M’s east coast breakfast shows
The Hot Breakfast Melbourne
“Everybody knows Wil Anderson, but like when we put Eddie and Mick on, it took three years [for the audience to respond]. After we put Wil on it has taken people 16 months to realise Wil is on and connect with him.
“We have increased the amount of music on the show this year and added contests. When you tighten the show up people realise how funny it is. The show does two things – it connects you to the city and it gives you a great laugh.
“It’s a great result and all are pleased. Eddie and Wil aren’t happy to be #2 FM of course and they will continue to work until they are #1 again.”
The Big Breakfast Brisbane
Triple M might have lost top spot in the market, but to doubters who didn’t think the show was a regular contender, it remains a strong #2.
“Some people have expressed surprise that without Moonman the show has remained #2. I remind them he was only one third of the show. Don’t forget that Marto has been doing breakfast on Triple M for over 10 years and Robin is so well known and loved in the market. The program has strong bones and newcomer Nick Cody is such a great young comedian who’s star really is on the rise. He is very laconic – I don’t think it is too much of a stretch to suggest that he has connected really early with the audience. They have been really smart how they are using him. They grabbed the Townsville opportunity and he went to Townsville with a whole group of Brisbane comedians. He is loving being on radio for the first time and he sees this as a huge opportunity that he doesn’t want to let go.”
Moonman In The Morning
New executive producer Laura Bouchet has started on breakfast at Triple M Sydney.
“Laura has connected with the Sydney breakfast team really quickly. She is no nonsense and will be a very good executive producer for that show.”
Fitzpatrick admitted anything better than a 4% share for his first survey would be a good result. “To get 4.7% I was happy. There was a lot of the core audience who were there because of Matty Johns and football. They may have sampled the new show and found it not to their liking and they will drift away. Many of them should come back because there is not really anywhere else for them to go. Some of them may go to Macquarie Sports Radio in which case they probably shouldn’t have been on Triple M anyway.”
Fitzpatrick said there could well be some more up and down movement before the Sydney Triple M breakfast audience settles.
Fitzy also mentioned the “sensational” survey result from Mix 94.5 in Perth and the growth in breakfast at 5MMM Adelaide.
Read more about those results here:
Adelaide: Nova and Mix the biggest movers, Cruise & Fiveaa dip
Perth: Mix 94.5 only station up with Clairsy, Matt & Kymba back on top