4BH shocks Brisbane radio market, surging past Nova and KIIS in ratings battle

4BH has skyrocketed to third place in Brisbane’s cutthroat radio market, taking down big names Nova 106.9 and KIIS 97.3. Here’s how they did it.

4BH’s Bob Gallagher in the breakfast slot. File picture: Tara Croser

In a dramatic shake-up of Brisbane’s fiercely competitive radio market, 4BH has stormed into third place, overtaking major players Nova 106.9 and KIIS 97.3, according to the latest radio survey results.

The station’s “more music, less talk” strategy has clearly resonated with Brisbane listeners, cementing its place as a serious contender after years of being sidelined in fourth place or lower.

It is 4BH’s most significant rise since moving to 1116kHz in 2020, capturing an impressive 11.2 per cent of the market share and leapfrogging some of the biggest names in Brisbane radio, a major feat in one of the most cutthroat markets in the country.

B105 Brisbane Stav, Abby & Matt hosts: Stav Davidson, Abby Coleman, Matty Acton. Photo: Supplied.

B105 retained its title as Brisbane’s top station for the sixth consecutive survey, boasting 12.7 per cent of the market share, while Triple M followed closely in second place with 11.8 per cent.

Nova, which has historically been a top player, fell to fourth place with 10.5 per cent, and KIIS dropped to fifth with 10 per cent.

The battle for Brisbane’s breakfast slot remained fierce, with B105’s Stav, Abby & Matt continuing to dominate, claiming 14 per cent of the market.

Nova’s Ash, Luttsy & Susie O’Neill held second place at 11.6 per cent, with Triple M’s Marto, Margaux & Dan third at 11.3 per cent.

Mark Hine, Laurel Edwards and Gary Clare. Photo: Supplied

The real surprise came from 4BH’s Classic Hits 4BH Breakfast show, hosted by veteran broadcaster Bob Gallagher.

Gallagher’s show made an impressive jump, securing fourth place with 11.2 per cent of the market — a 1.6 per cent increase, making 4BH the biggest mover in the breakfast radio rankings.

While 4BH celebrated its meteoric rise, the survey also marked a bittersweet farewell for 4BC’s beloved breakfast trio, Laurel Edwards, Gary Clare, and Mark Hine.

The team, who said goodbye on September 27 after being let go earlier in the month, ended their run on a high, securing a 5.1 per cent share — their best since May.

The trio has since been replaced by former 4BC weekend host Peter Fegan.

In terms of cumulative audience, Nova 106.9 still holds the top spot with 594,000 listeners, despite losing 63,000 since the last survey.

B105 was close behind with 576,000 listeners, down 50,000.

Streaming figures saw ABC Brisbane take the lead with 11.3 per cent of the streaming market share, followed by 4BH with an impressive 10.7 per cent.

Why 4BH’s rise to the top 3 wasn’t an overnight success

While 4BH’s recent surge may come as a surprise to many, its success can be traced to a combination of a laser-focused strategy on an often-overlooked demographic and competition downfall.

When 4KQ was shut down in 2022, many of its loyal listeners — who had long enjoyed its classic hits — were left searching for an alternative.

4BH stepped in to fill that void, attracting a significant portion of 4KQ’s former audience. With a similar classic hits format, minimal chatter and familiar voices, like longtime radio veteran Bob Gallagher, who joined 4BH after 4KQ’s downfall, the station became the obvious new home for displaced listeners.

This seamless transition played a key role in 4BH’s rapid climb up the ratings charts.

In addition to benefiting from 4KQ’s decline, 4BH’s success can also be attributed to its unique approach to audience interaction, and its focus on an older, often overlooked demographic.

Bob Gallagher is leading 4BH’s charge. Picture: Tara Croser.

Unlike many stations that focus on mass-market appeal, 4BH takes a one-on-one approach to connecting with its listeners.

This personal touch goes beyond just on-air content, it extends into the digital age, where the station has actively helped its core audience, listeners aged 55 and over, transition to new technology.

As the station moved into the Listener app and embraced streaming platforms, 4BH made sure its loyal audience, particularly its older listeners, didn’t get left behind.

“It sounds very cliche, but the ‘one listener at a time’ thing is certainly something we focus very heavily on,” Grant Johnstone, Chief Marketing Officer at ACE Radio, which owns 4BH, said.

“Whether it’s communicating directly with people, ‘how can they set up their sonos speakers’, helping them with their internet radios, helping them in other ways.”

This focus on building one-on-one connections and offering a “safe place” with minimal chatter has allowed 4BH to steadily grow its audience over several survey periods.

The station now dominates the 55-64 and 65+ age brackets, capturing 16.4 per cent and 29.9 per cent of the market share, respectively.

With limited competition in these core demographics — ABC Brisbane holding 15.5 per cent and 4BC at 14.9 per cent — 4BH has positioned itself as the clear leader among older listeners.

This focus on offering a reliable, all-day listening experience has allowed the station to build a strong, loyal fanbase that continues to grow, according to Mr Johnstone.

“It’s not offensive, it’s a safe place for people to turn on radio, so the ‘less talking more music’ strategy, it’s just a really good format that resonates with people,” he said.