Brisbane radio ratings: B105 surges ahead in Australia’s most competitive radio market

A massive shake-up of Brisbane’s airwaves is threatening to send the city’s fierce radio wars nuclear, insiders say, as rivals battle it out for top spot.

Stav Davidson, Abby Jane Coleman and Matty Acton are the team behind B105’s top-rating breakfast radio show. Picture: Steve Pohlner

• 40 years of radio battles

Brisbane’s radio wars are set to go nuclear over the next five months as B105 surges ahead on what are Australia’s most hotly contested airwaves.

The Southern Cross Austereo-owned station claimed its fourth consecutive ratings wins in July with 14.4 per cent of audience share, its best result since 2004 and the most dominant win by any Brisbane station in five years of radio ratings.

Industry insiders say the result puts unprecedented pressure on B105’s main rivals – KIIS 97.3, Triple M and Nova 106.9 – with just four surveys left this year.

It has been a meteoric rise for the station, which spent two years trailing its rivals after rebranding from HIT105 back to B105 in July 2020.

Matty Acton is one part of B105’s breakfast team of Stav, Abby and Matt, which are a big part of the station’s ratings resurgence.

In January’s survey, the team recorded a 15.9 per cent audience share, the best breakfast radio result for any station in five years.

Acton put B105’s success down to a relentless focus on its audience.

“We just make a show for what we think people want to hear,” he said.

“It’s mainly a show about the people listening. They are the heroes, and their stories drive our success.

“It’s amazing to see our hard work pay off.

“The team is incredibly proud of these achievements.”

Despite celebrating B105’s success, Acton was adamant “we don’t concern ourselves with trying to chase the ratings”.

Acton might be alone in that department.

Duncan Campbell, chief content officer at Australian Radio Network, which owns KIIS 97.3, said in a radio market as fiercely competitive as Brisbane’s, ratings mattered a lot.

“I’d say it’s a uniquely competitive market in Brisbane,” Mr Campbell said.

“You’ve got a duopoly with SCA (which owns B105 and Triple M), and then there’s Australian Radio Network (owner of KIIS 97.3) and Nova (owner of Nova 106.9) each with one station.

Nova 106.9/s breakfast team of Ashley Bradnam, Susie O’Neill and David "Luttsy" Lutteral. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

“This creates a level of intensity that doesn’t exist in other markets like Sydney or Melbourne.

“There’s a lot of demand for spots, and only one station we can put those spots on.

“So, there’s pressure on ratings to get a higher CPM (cost per thousand impressions), which is how we make our money.”

Mr Campbell said KIIS 97.3 would regularly adjust their strategy based on rating results.

“The surveys are very important. It’s statistically a very robust methodology,” he said.

“If we’re seeing a trend down, then we start to look at what’s wrong. We conduct separate research studies to identify issues with the show or the station.

“We look for trends over several survey periods to make informed decisions about our content and strategy.”

Triple M Breakfast hosts Marto, Margaux and Dan.

Despite the fierce rivalry, there’s a sense of camaraderie among the stations.

“There’s serious competition, but no animosity,” Mr Campbell said.

“If you go back 20 years, there would have been, it would be much more hostile.

“It’s serious competition, there’s no hostility between the stations, it’s friendly, healthy competition.”