Sunday January 14, 2024 marks the official start of radio ratings – GfK Survey 1, 2024. Can it be here already? Seems like Survey 8, 2023 only just wrapped.
Some returning radio shows look more prepared than others, some more rested than others and some perhaps in a better headspace about the challenges in the year ahead.
ARN’s plans for 2024
You need a spreadsheet to keep up with the complicated web ARN is weaving as it moves to take control of the crown jewels at SCA. A few years ago that would have been the Hit (formerly Today) Network. These days it is the Triple M network.
But before that takeover plays out, ARN needs to successfully launch The Kyle and Jackie O Show into Australia’s biggest radio market – Melbourne.
The KIIS 101.1 website currently has no breakfast show listed following the departure of Jase and Lauren at the start of December. KIIS 101.1 socials are, so far, still silent about what’s happening at breakfast.
See also: Kyle and Jackie O – will they create a Melbourne storm?
101.1 listeners are being told Kyle and Jackie O are coming. In a press release issued today no start date is mentioned, with ARN saying K&J will start “very soon” on the station.
Elsewhere in the Melbourne market Triple M will be welcoming the return of Marty Sheargold on Monday. He’s been off air for several months after admitting he was exhausted. Last October he said: “I need to set aside some time to get my work/life balance back into something that feels better than it has over the last couple of years.”
See also: Marty Sheargold announces extended break from Triple M Show
How long he will have a show at Triple M remains to be seen. If ARN takes control of the network, it is anticipated Christian O’Connell will move from Gold 104.3 to Triple M (maybe in Melbourne and Sydney) as he is under contract to ARN, and not part of the chattels that would change hands when Gold finds a new owner. Which may or may not be Anchorage Capital.
2023 Radio Ratings highlights
• #1 metro breakfast AM: Ross and Russ 3AW Melbourne 18.5%
• #1 metro breakfast FM: Roo, Ditts & Loz Triple M Adelaide 16.9%
• #1 metro drive AM: Tom Elliott 3AW Melbourne 10.2%
• #1 metro drive FM: Ricki-Lee, Tim & Joel Nova Perth 15.9%
Source: GfK Radio Ratings Survey 8, 2023
No allowance made for higher shares in markets with fewer stations.
Life after Neil Mitchell
Nine Radio will get confirmation in the first few radio ratings surveys of 2024 of how strong their brand is versus the pulling power of Neil Mitchell.
The former talk radio morning host departed his 3AW weekday 8.30am-noon timeslot last year. Taking over the slot is Tom Elliott, while his drive show will now be in the hands of Jacqui Felgate with Tony Moclair moving from overnights to afternoon.
ABC Radio gets an early start
All eyes were going to be on Craig Reucassel from Monday January 15. But ABC Local Radio has slipped some of its new breakfast shows on air early to get some time in their new slots before they start to rack up ratings points and audience cume.
New Sydney ABC Radio breakfast host Craig Reucassel (below) started on air at 5.30am Thursday and joins some of his Chaser colleagues at the broadcaster. Until now Dom Knight had been leading The Chaser’s public broadcasting charge with time spent hosting evenings to now where he is a sort after fill-in host.
Let’s not critique a broadcaster before he officially starts. But Reucassel sounded good on his two breakfast outings this week.
The ABC was so pleased with the show podcasts of the first programs are available.
In Adelaide, it was still very much summer radio for most of the week with an item Thursday about returning(male) presenters and facial hair!
New breakfast co-host Sonya Feldhoff investigated the 2024 hairy transformation of afternoons presenter Nikolai Beilharz and mornings producer/presenter Paul Gough and the status of their relationships asking, “Is this a limiting decision?”
Feldhoff and her co-host Jules Schiller have been broadcasting this week, although Feldoff was solo at the end of the week as Schiller returned to Adelaide. They have started a 5.30am Club for the early risers. We are looking forward to an official ABC photo of the new Adelaide breakfast duo together in the same room!