Adelaide radio: 10 years of behind-the-scenes drama
You’re only as good as your last ratings survey result in radio – and the fallout from a bad one can be absolutely brutal. We go inside 10 year of behind-the-scenes drama.
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If, like Pat Benatar warned us back in the 1980s, love is a battlefield, then radio is a minefield.
It is a highly volatile landscape, where shows live or die by the ratings.
Especially in the crucial breakfast shift. That is the timeslot where advertisers spend big bucks, and it is also a catalyst; as one switched-on industry insider told us, “get the listeners at breakfast and you’ve got them for the rest of the day”.
Let’s revisit the past 10 years of Adelaide radio, to see who was – according to market share – No. 1 in brekky when.
And, while we’re there, we’ll take another look at some of the comings and (explosive) goings that were happening on the local scene.
2013 – NOT-SO SHY AND RETIRING
Back when Lorde won the Song of the Year Grammy for Royals, ABC Adelaide radio hosts Matthew Abraham and David Bevan were the undisputed kings of Adelaide breakfast radio.
Well, almost. The year actually started with a commercial station in top spot.
Mix 102.3’s brekky crew Mark Aiston, Jodie Oddy and Jason “Snowy’’ Carter were at No.1. Just.
The first survey for 2013 was an extremely close contest in the brekky timeslot; Mark, Jodie and Snowy scored 15.5, followed by Matt and Dave with 15.4 and FIVEaa’s Keith Conlon and Jane Reilly, on 15.3. After that, Matt and Dave won the remaining seven surveys, with FIVEaa and Mix in either second or third place.
Breakfast Monday-Friday: Rank Order Market Share (People 10+)
And, of course, the big news in radio that year was Bob Francis announcing in August that he was hanging up his microphone, after 57 years. Affectionately known as “Big Bad Bob”, the talkback host – who did the 8pm to midnight weekdays shift at FIVEaa – was a legend of the industry who was instrumental in bringing The Beatles to Adelaide.
In 2009, he was even singled out as the ``most shocking shock jock’’ in Australia, on SBS TV’s Dave in the Life, for his OTT exchanges with callers.
Bob also had a big heart – he was awarded an Order of Australia medal for his services to charity – and was No. 1 in his timeslot for close to a decade; before Sunday Mail columnist Peter Goers won the final evenings survey for 2012, saying: “He’s had an incredible run but I’ve slayed the dragon.”
2014 – SERVING UP A DOUBLE WHAMMY
This was the year Mix was well and truly in the breakfast mix. In February, Mark “Soda” Soderstrom replaced Mark Aiston, who defected to FIVEaa. Soda, Jodie Oddy and Jason “Snowy” Carter were in third spot with 13.5 in the first survey of the year. They were behind the ABC’s unchanged line-up of Matt and Dave, on 19.1, and FIVEaa’s new team of David Penberthy, Jane Reilly and Mark Aiston, on 16.5.
But the shake-up worked for Mix; in the second ratings results for 2013 the FM commercial station was in second place between the ABC and FIVEaa, and, by the third survey of the year, Mix was at No. 1 with 15.5, ahead of the ABC, on 15.2 and FIVEaa, on 13.2.
What followed was a rollercoaster ride for Soda, Jodie and Snowy. They tied with ABC for the No. 1 spot in survey four and finished runner-up to Aunty in surveys five and six.
But by the end of the year the Mix trio were back on top, winning survey seven and sharing being No. 1 with FIVEaa in the final survey for 2014. It was FIVEaa’s first win for the year, even if they had to share it. Still, as they say in the classics, a win’s a win.
All that said, if you look at the official rankings, Mix was No. 1 in both surveys four and eight. That is because when you drill down the market share point figures to the absolute N'th degree, Mix was ahead by a whisker.
As for the biggest news in Adelaide radio circles in 2014, it had to be this double whammy; by the end of the year both Snowy and Sean Craig Murphy were out of the mix at Mix.
Snowy left to focus on family and other business opportunities, while Sean – who had been doing the afternoon shift at Mix – defected to rival station Triple M, telling The Advertiser: “It was the toughest decision of my life but it was an incredible offer. It had to be to entice me to leave Mix three months short of qualifying for long-service leave.”
2015 – NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
For the record, the needle was stuck on ABC at No. 1, FIVEaa as runner-up and Mix in third place, in the brekky timeslot for the first four ratings surveys of 2015.
But survey five showed ABC’s Matt and Dave at No. 1 with 14.1, followed by Mix’s Jodie & Soda show, on 13.6, and FIVEaa, on 13.4.
BTW, by then Mark Aiston had left FIVEaa’s brekky team and David Penberthy and newbie Will Goodings were now a duo in that timeslot at the talkback station – but also on air with Jane Reilly prior to her retirement at the end of the year.
Mix won both surveys six and seven, albeit sharing the top spot with the ABC in the latter survey. And, for the record, when the figures were drilled down, Aunty ranked No.1.
But, at the end of the year it was as though someone had pressed rewind; the ABC trumped survey eighty with 17.8, followed by FIVEaa, on 12.8, and Mix, on 12.7.
2016 – FAREWELL TO A LEGEND
Being Adelaide’s No. 1 brekky team was as easy as ABC for Matt and Dave in 2016. Aunty’s duo topped the ratings for all eight surveys. Adelaide – and Australia – also lost a legend of the airwaves when Bob Francis passed away aged 77 in November. He was one of a number of much-loved radio personalties to make their way to the big studio in the sky during the decade.
2017 – ABC IS FOR ALI
The lads from Split Enz were right – History Never Repeats. While the ABC looked like dominating the brekky timeslot across all eight surveys – for what would have been the second consecutive year – it didn’t in 2017.
In the final survey of the year, FIVEaa’s David Penberthy and Will Goodings were at No. 1 with 14.9 share points, followed by Aunty, on 12.6, and Mix, on 11.8.
The big news of the year was Matt and Dave – who had hosted the ABC breakfast program together for 15 years – deciding to pull the plug mid year. As a duo anyway.
Making a comeback to brekky radio, Ali Clarke – who had been heard on Mix 102.3 and Triple M – took over the program. BTW, David Bevan, of Matt and Dave fame, started hosting ABC’s morning show from 9am, but also joined Ali from 8.30am for the last half-hour of breakfast.
2018 – WHEN SA MADE ALEX’S DAY
The year got off to a great start for Mix brekky duo Jodie and Soda, who were at No. 1 for the first two surveys. As for the other surveys – FIVEaa was in top spot for four surveys and the ABC won two.
Jodie and Soda’s brilliant survey one result – where they recorded a huge 3.3 share point increase to 15.1 – was helped along by Mix’s heartwarming #MakeAlexsDay campaign for a hero we all fell in love with.
The station and South Aussies rallied around eight-year-old Alex Tann, who was battling brain cancer, so he could fulfil his wish to be the “best firefighter ever”, while also raising funds for the Childhood Cancer Association.
2019 – BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN
This was the ABC breakfast program’s year, with Ali Clarke winning five out of the eight surveys, and FIVEaa finishing first three times. Well, sort of. In survey one FIVEaa tied for first place with Mix. Jodie and Soda ending up ranking at No. 1, thanks to that in front by a whisker phenomenon that happens with market share points.
The big news at the end of 2019 was that two homegrown talents, former Fresh FM and national Triple J breakfast hosts, Ben Harvey and Liam Stapleton, were heading back to Adelaide.
The duo were replacing Dylan Lewis and Hayley Pearson on Nova’s breakfast show.
2020 – WALKING THE TALK
There were only five surveys this year (no) thanks to Covid making it impossible for the good folk who collect the little books in which people record their listening habits – we know, how old school! – to do their jobs.
Of those five surveys, the ABC dominated brekky. Aunty took out four surveys, with – you guessed it – FIVEaa winning the other one.
As for the biggest shock of 2020, it just had to be Jodie Oddy’s surprise – nothing to see here, no explanation offered – swift exit from Mix. After 13 years with the station, no less. Taking over as Mark “Soda” Soderstrom’s brekky co-host was AFLW star Erin Phillips, who had filled in for Jodie while she was on maternity leave.
2021 – YOU’RE FIRED, YOU’RE HIRED AND I QUIT
In 2021 things got back to (the new) normal and we had a full year of radio ratings again. The ABC won seven out of the eight surveys in the breakfast timeslot, with – surprise, surprise – FIVEaa winning the other.
Speaking of FIVEaa, in March its veteran announcer Jeremy Cordeaux was shown the door after referring to Brittany Higgins as a “silly little drunk girl” and saying “she deserves a smack on the bottom.”
The station manager released a statement: “The company has apologised unreservedly to Brittany Higgins for comments made by Jeremy Cordeaux on his breakfast program on Saturday morning. Jeremy Cordeaux has had his contract terminated with NOVA Entertainment.”
This was also the year Jodie Oddy gave the Sunday Mail an exclusive interview about her future plans, before she made a much-anticipated radio comeback. After making guest appearances on Nova 919’s Ben & Liam brekkie show, in August she was given her very own program. Broadcast on Saturday mornings, The Jodie Oddy Show, was co-hosted by two of her Ten colleagues, Max Burford and Tiffany Warne.
And 2021 was a year Jodie’s former Mix 102.3 brekky co-host Mark “Soda” Soderstrom would probably rather forget.
On Christmas Eve it was announced that Soda had decided to leave the station, where he co-hosted breakfast with Erin Phillips.
Trouble appeared to have been brewing for quite some time; in March, Erin and Soda were mysteriously absent from their show for a week.
At the time, Mix said Soda was unwell – this was despite him rocking up on TV for all to see at his other media gig, as 7 News Adelaide’s sports presenter.
2022 – OLD FACES IN NEW PLACES
After saying she was leaving ABC Adelaide to spend more time with her family, Ali Clarke was suddenly in the mix at another radio station. Not that anyone was surprised, really – there had been, to quote Womack & Womack, whispers in the powder room.
Actually, make that word on the street, that Ali was heading to Mix, where she kicked of her radio career in 2003.
Ali had signed on to host breakfast with fellow new recruit, Irish-born comedian Eddie Bannon – who she had worked with at the ABC – and Erin Phillips.
It wasn’t long before Erin left The Ali Clarke Breakfast Show, which didn’t exactly go gangbusters in the ratings like the powers that be had hoped it would; at the end of the year it was in fifth spot.
Not a single win all year, despite Ali regularly being No. 1 during her time hosting breakfast on the ABC.
Speaking of Aunty, ABC’s breakfast program – presented by Stacey Lee and Nikolai Beilharz – was at No. 1 for five of the eight surveys of 2023, with the remaining three won by FIVEaa.
While there was speculation Mix would introduce a new brekky line-up for 2023, the station said Ali would be back with Eddie and Shane Lowe, who had also been part of the show. And return they did, with Channel 10 sport reporter Max Burford – who had been heard on Jodie Oddy’s Saturday show for Nova – in tow.
Nova also announced a new crew for its brekky show, namely, Jodie and Andrew Hayes, a former SEN breakfast co-host with Kane Cornes, Seven sports reporter and ex-Central District footy player.
Actually, make that two new crews for its Adelaide breakfast shows. While they had moved to Melbourne to host breakfast there, Ben Harvey and Liam Stapleton are still on-air here – during the brekky timeslot. Confused? Don’t be.
Ben, Liam and long-time producer Belle Jackson – who is part of the Melbourne crew too – do a prerecorded one-hour Adelaide-only show, broadcast here from 6am to 7am. It gives Jodie and Andrew – who are heard from 7am to 9am – a bit of a sleep in.
Number 1: Breakfast Monday-Friday, People 10+ (Market Share) 2013-2022
Keeping up? SAFM also announced a revamp for 2023: Mark “Soda” Soderstrom was joining Rebecca “Bec” Morse.
News of Soda’s impending arrival came not long after the controversial departure of Andrew “Cosi” Costello and word that Anthony “Lehmo” Lehman would not return. While Lehmo left quietly, Cosi talked to The Advertiser saying the axing wasn’t anywhere near as painful as when he got the chop from SAFM in 2010.
“I’m super glad I’ve created that environment where I can walk out of SAFM and go, ‘All right, it doesn’t really matter. I’m disappointed, but I’m not sad. They were four great years of employment’,” he said.
BTW, the “environment’ he was referring to was his numerous projects, such as TV show South Aussie with Cosi, charities – Cows for Cambodia and Cows for Botswana – and book, Top 100 Places to Visit in SA.
In other big news in 2022, FIVEaa stalwart 74-year-old Leon Byner decided to retire, signing off on his morning show after 23 years.
“The show has always been about you; the problems you’ve faced and the opinions and issues that mattered to you,” Leon told listeners during his in-air farewell in December.
“It has been my greatest honour.”
Oh, and 2022 was also the year Laura “Loz” O’Callaghan joined Triple M’s Roo & Ditts brekky show full-time. But more about that coming up …
2023 – THEY’RE A TRIPLE M THREAT
In what could very well be the biggest breakfast ratings shock of the decade, Triple M’s Roo, Ditts & Loz show is currently in top spot. Heard on the FM band, Mark Ricciuto, Chris Dittmar and Laura O’Callaghan are on 14.2 share points, ahead of FIVEaa’s David Penberthy and Will Goodings on 13.6.
Insiders say it is largely due to Laura making the show less blokey. The win – in the second radio ratings results released for the year – came after Triple M had falsely claimed victory in the first survey for 2023. In a promo, a male voice told listeners: “You’ve made Roo, Ditts & Loz Adelaide’s No. 1 breakfast show – cheers for that!”
Roo, Ditts & Loz was the highest-rating FM brekky show, not the overall winner. Bragging rights for top spot belonged to AM talkback station FIVEaa.
And, in what has to be another of radio’s worst-kept secrets ever, Andrew “Cosi” Costello has joined Mix’s brekky team.
Number 1: Breakfast Monday-Friday, People 10+ (Cumulative) 2013-2022
Meanwhile, the one to watch, or rather, listen to in the coming months is said to be Kelly Golding.
She’s a quiet achiever, who is doing a fab feel-good brekky show on digital station SmoothFM, which is owned by Nova Entertainment.
Insiders say it won’t be too long before Kelly is snapped up by a commercial station. Watch this space.
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