Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) has entered 2025 with clear momentum, delivering a strong national performance in the first GfK radio ratings survey of the year.
Amid a period of widespread breakfast show change and brand refreshes, SCA has seen audience growth in key markets, especially in cume, indicating its reinvention is piquing listener interest across the country.
“We’re feeling pretty good. I mean, the big, broad piece is that we’ve changed a lot. In the last three to six months, a lot of our lineup has changed,” says Dave Cameron, SCA’s chief content officer.
“One of the most exciting figures I looked at today was our national cume going up by 432,000. That shows people are entering, not exiting, our stations, and they’re coming in to trial new shows.”
Cameron acknowledged that new shows require time to establish themselves, but he adds that “for the most part, the big shows we’ve launched have either grown quite rapidly, or held steady while growing cume”.
Understanding cume vs. share
For those uninitiated in radio land talk, the difference between cume and share can seem daunting and confusing, but for Cameron the distinction between the two is key for understanding the survey results.
“The standard measurement that the industry talks about is share, that’s the share of listening. Cume, on the other hand, is the unique listeners. Share is the total time spent listening and is how stations are ranked. Cume shows how many listeners tuned in, even briefly. So when launching new shows, cume is especially important because it shows there’s interest.”
He emphasised the importance of cume in attracting new listeners during trial periods.
“Even if listeners only came in for 15 minutes or three hours, it means we’ve attracted new ears. That’s the trial period. Then it’s on us to convert them into more loyal, longer-staying listeners.
“When I look at Sydney, and see 119,000 added on Triple M and 101,000 on 2Day FM, it means a significant portion of new listeners weren’t there three months ago, they’re curious to see what all the fuss is about,” he explains.
2DayFM Breakfast hosts Jimmy, Nath and Emma Chow
Sydney’s hunger for something new
Cameron believes the cume jump in Sydney, specially relating to both station’s new breakfast shows: Triple M’s offering with Beau Ryan and Aaron Woods, and 2Day FM’s The Jimmy and Nath Show with Emma, is because the city is “craving fresh content”.
“Many line-ups in that market haven’t changed for 15 to 25 years. So I’m not surprised by our team’s cume spikes on both stations. There’s a genuine curiosity from existing radio listeners and that’s pretty cool,” he says.
Cameron believes the challenge in Sydney is about revolution, not evolution. “We’re trying to reach audiences that haven’t tuned into these stations before. These are redesigned products, not just refreshed ones. Growth will come from those who didn’t previously have us on their radar.”
He went on to outline SCA’s strategy for growing its audience in Sydney saying the network’s redesign was inspired to entice audiences “that hasn’t engaged with us in a long time”.
“Of course, our loyal listeners are important, but real growth comes from reaching those who didn’t previously consider us,” he says.
Melbourne’s Fifi, Fev & Nick on Hit 101.9
Local talent wins in Melbourne
Melbourne remains a key battleground in the FM radio wars, with Nova’s Jase & Lauren holding their own against KIIS 101.1’s newly transplanted Kyle & Jackie O Show, which launched in January following a high-profile, $200 million contract. While Kyle & Jackie O delivered a lift in cumulative audience, they were yet to translate that into dominance in share.
Meanwhile, SCA’s Fifi, Fev & Nick on Hit 101.9 remained steady, benefiting from their long-term presence and deep connection with local audiences.
“The last 12 months, and again in today’s results, have shown that Melbourne listeners want local content from local talent,” says Cameron. “They want people who understand the city and can talk about what’s going on as Melbourne wakes up. You just can’t fake that from Sydney. I’m sorry, but Melbourne has spoken, and the results are clear.”
Cameron said the data proves the power of relatable, local voices. “We’ve got very good evidence that when local women lead, and really speak to the market, it works.”
SCA’s biggest radio coup in Melbourne may be on its rock-focused sibling station, Triple M, where Mick in the Morning posted the station’s best breakfast result in six years.
Mick just speaks Melbourne’s language,” Cameron says. “He gets the religion that is AFL. He’s one of those people you’d chat to in a front bar, he just fits this city.”
With co-host Nick Riewoldt bringing AFL insights and Rosie Walton rejoining the station, the show is expected to become a destination for footy fans once the season kicks off.
“We haven’t even hit the footy season yet,” says Cameron. “I think it’ll be one of those shows that catches people by surprise with its success, just as it already has in its first six weeks.”
Brisbane and Adelaide’s consistent strength
Outside of the competitive Sydney and Melbourne markets, SCA’s performance in Brisbane and Adelaide remains rock solid. In Brisbane, Hit’s B105 and Triple M posted number one and two positions overall, anchored by long-running, well-loved breakfast shows.
“Brisbane is one of our most stable markets,” says Cameron. “Both shows speak the language of the city. They work hard to bring Brisbane to life every morning. So I wasn’t surprised by those results, Brisbane is a powerhouse duopoly for us.”
The story is similar in Adelaide, where SCA’s brands continue to dominate the market.