Melbourne’s 3AW dominates while Sydney sister station 2GB struggles against Smooth FM

Sydney talkback station 2GB continues to lag market leader Smooth FM, but its sister station 3AW remains well ahead in Melbourne in the sixth radio ratings survey of the year.

The result marks the seventh straight survey since 2GB led the Sydney market overall. Pokies and pubs mogul Arthur Laundy and his family bought 2GB with a suite of talkback stations, including 3AW, this year from Nine (the owner of this masthead) for $56 million, creating the new radio business Tapt Media.

In the latest result, 2GB slumped to a 10.8 per cent market share, down 0.4 percentage points from the last survey in September. Lachlan Murdoch’s Smooth FM, which also fell 0.3 percentage points, has a 13.2 per cent share, slightly increasing its lead over the AM station.

In the hard-fought Sydney breakfast slot, 2GB star Ben Fordham is still king, ahead of Smooth FM with a 13.9 per cent share, down 0.9 per cent, compared with Smooth FM’s 11.8 per cent share, a drop of 0.4 per cent.

In the morning slot, Smooth’s Ty Frost has taken over 2GB’s Mark Levy’s claim on the morning slot with 14.2 per cent, compared with Smooth’s 14.2 per cent share, in further losses to the Laundry station.

In Melbourne, 3AW’s Russel Howcroft and Ross Stevenson continue to dominate with 18.3 per cent market share. The duo is down a staggering 1.2 percentage points, but remain well ahead of Gold’s 10.5 per cent share, a drop of 0.5 per cent.

While still clearly Melbourne’s No.1 station, 3AW also fell 0.7 percentage points to a 13.4 per cent total market share, with Gold FM second with a 10.5 per cent share. Smooth FM is a close third with a 10.4 per cent market share, up 0.1 percentage point.

KIIS FM’s overall share rose slightly by 0.1 per cent to 4.9 per cent in Melbourne, and another 0.4 per cent in Sydney to 7 per cent. The beleaguered station last month announced new Sydney breakfast show hosts Dr Chris Brown, Amy Gerard and Jack Charles following the dramatic exits of Kyle Sandilands and Jackie “O” Henderson.

In Melbourne, just over a week ago, KIIS announced Ash London, Isaac Smith and Elliot Garnaut as its new breakfast hosts as the station shifts back to local talent after the failure and then departure of Kyle and Jackie O in that market.

ABC’s local stations in both Sydney and Melbourne had minor losses. In Sydney, the station fell from 5.5 to 5.3 per cent overall, and in Melbourne, it dropped 0.3 percentage points to 5.7 per cent share.

Craig Reucassel’s breakfast slot fell slightly by 0.1 percentage points to a 7.7 per cent share, while Melbourne’s show hosted by Bob Murphy and Richelle Hunt rose 1 percentage point to 6.7 per cent.

Meanwhile, ABC News Radio improved in both states, with a 1.7 per cent share increase in Melbourne, up 0.1 per cent, and a 1.9 per cent market share bump in Sydney, an increase of 0.4 per cent.

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