‘Biggest shake-up in decades’ Aussie radio plans for 2025.

Radio executives are using all the tricks in the book to encourage more people to listen to their stations in 2025. One station has even changed its name, while others are hoping new line ups will help increase their radio ratings.

Radio executives are using all the tricks in the book to encourage more people to listen to their stations in 2025.

One big name station has changed its name, while others are hoping new line ups will help increase their radio ratings.

It has been the biggest shake-up of Australian radio in decades and Sydney is at the epicentre of the moves.

“When you look at what 2024 dealt us with everything from the ARN vs. SCA buyout, merges, counter moves, wholesale removal of key rating radio personalities and individual programmers, the increase in on line and podcast listening it would be reasonable to say that 2025 is Radio’s Reset Year,” radio consultant David Rogerson told Confidential.

“Station owners may seem to be refocusing on the 40 plus audience, but ad agencies are focused on the 25 to 54 demographic. In reality that’s a family reunion – not a realistically number one target audience in radio these days.”

Stars have been enjoying their summer break but will be back firing on all cylinders from Monday. Here, Confidential takes you through the who’s who in the zoo of Sydney radio, highlighting the major changes for the coming year.

KIIS

Jackie ‘O’ Henderson and Kyle Sandilands ended the year as Sydney’s number two overall radio breakfast show.

Before Christmas, they surrendered the top spot to Ben Fordham on 2GB.

Already in 2025, the Kyle & Jackie ‘O’ Show has begun the year with two different marketing messages after copping much backlash in their push into the Melbourne market last year.

In Sydney, their message is ‘Do it Bigger’, and in Melbourne it’s ‘Listen now. We’re behaving.’

While last year was undoubtedly tough in Melbourne, time will tell if the duo can make good on their promises to dominate.

Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O.

NOVA

Keep an eye on Nova mornings host Mel Tracina. She has a big year ahead as host of the new Big Brother.

The Nova breakfast show ended last year on a high. Kate Ritchie, Ryan ‘Fitzy’ Fitzgerald and Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli increased their audience share by 0.5 per cent to an audience share of 7.4 per cent.

Nova breakfast Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald, Kate Ritchie and Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli, at Nova radio, Pyrmont. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

The six-hour marathon of big afternoon shows are returning to Nova.

The Chrissie Swan Show from 2pm, Ricki-Lee, Tim & Joel at 4pm, and Ben, Liam & Belle at 6pm.

The top three FM shows in Sydney at night at the end of last year were Smooth (13.2 per cent), WSFM (8.2 per cent) and Nova (6.0 per cent).

Kent ‘Smallzy’ Small secured a rise of half a per cent share for his night show.

2GB

Talkback station 2GB saw some of the biggest changes at the back end of 2024.

Ray Hadley retired after decades at the top of his game with Mark Levy stepping into the mornings timeslot.

The station has yet to announce who will replace Chris O’Keefe on the Drive show and they haven’t said who’ll host the weekend rugby league show, The Continuous Call Team. Announcements are expected as soon as this week.

Radio broadcaster Mark Levy is replacing Ray Hadley. Picture: Richard Dobson

Clinton Maynard has been hosting the summer version of the 2GB drive show.

The permanent replacement for the show is expected to be announced as soon as next week.

“2025 is shaping up as another massive year on 2GB, and for the nation. With a Federal Election in the coming months, 2GB will be the premier home of news, debate, analysis and opinion as our broadcasters and listeners discuss the issues that matter most to Sydneysiders and Australians,” 2GB Content Manager Luke Davis told The Daily Telegraph.

In the last radio ratings of 2024, 2GB was sitting second overall after securing a two per cent share increase in the radio ratings. Smooth is Sydney’s number one station.

GOLD (formerly WSFM)

Out with the old, in with the new. Sort of.

WSFM has had a name change and is now called Gold.

Breakfast team Amanda Keller and Brendan ‘Jonesy’ Jones are embracing a new ‘energy’ after the Australian Radio Network (ARN) moved their station to North Sydney.

“We used to be (located) three tiny offices down from Kyle & Jackie O, and we could hear them. They have many more staff than we did … and we heard them when we went to the loo, we heard them everywhere,”, Keller told the Game Changers podcast before Christmas. “We are now on separate floors … and I feel like we’re breathing differently.”

WSFM was Sydney’s number one station in the second last radio ratings of 2024, but slipped to fourth spot in December.

Radio Hosts Amanda Keller and Brendan Jones at WSFM radio studios at Macquarie Park. Picture: Adam Yip

2UE

Sydney’s rebranded classic hits radio station 2UE has started the year with a fresh new line up.

Cathy Jubb is now host of the breakfast show.

Gavin Miller and Scott Menz have been brought in to host the daytime shifts.

Veteran presenters Trevor Sinclair and Gareth McCray can now be heard on weekends.

The station is now targeting its music playlist to former WSFM listeners.

2UE is planning to celebrate the station’s 100th birthday later this month.

Smooth FM

Led by breakfast supremo Bogart Torelli, the team at smoothfm ended 2024 on a high, securing the top spot in Sydney’s radio ratings.

Radio presenter Bogart Torelli. Picture: AAP

High profile newsreader Ron Wilson exited the station to host a new show on 2SM.

Wilson has been replaced by experienced newsreader Emma Duxbury, who is best known for reading the news for Kyle & Jackie O.

Listener favourites Ty Frost, Simon Diaz, Byron Webb and Cameron Daddo will be back to host their weekday shows.

Melissa Doyle, Richard Wilkins and David Campbell return to play more music on weekends.

Smooth FM breakfast host Ron Wilson, here with Bogart Torelli, has left the station..

2DAY FM

2DAY FM has launched a new night show.

Marty Sheargold’s former producer Loren Barry is joining Nic Kelly to host The Hot Hits, which will also be broadcast nationally.

Barry has quickly settled into Sydney – she was spotted networking on the Pop Yacht on Sydney Harbour on Saturday.

Loren Barry and Marty Sheargold worked together for nine years.

Rising radio stars Jimmy Smith and Nathan Roye will host the 2DAY FM breakfast show in 2025.

After almost more than a decade of broadcasting together, Emma Chow of 2DAY FM’s Mike E & Emma Show says the show has ended.

“Though you’ll see us doing our own thing from now on, we are still great mates,” Chow said on social media this week. But will she join Jimmy Smith and Nath Roye on the 2DAY FM breakfast show in 2025?

SEN

SEN’s line up remains stable. Greg Alexander and Andrew Voss are back for another year on breakfast.

Popular personality Matty Johns’ Morning Glory returns to the 9am Friday slot on February 7th.

ABC Radio Sydney

Current affairs presenters Hamish Macdonald and Kathryn Robinson will job-share the ABC Radio Sydney morning show this year. Macdonald will be heard Monday to Thursday, and Robinson will host the Friday show. The same job-share arrangement will happen on the drive show. Chris Bath will host four days, and Dom Knight the first day each week.

Craig Reucassel returned to his breakfast show earlier this week, getting the jump on other high profile radio shows.

A lot of listeners have still not overcome the shock news that Sarah Macdonald, Simon Marnie, Richard Glover and Robbie Buck won’t be heard on ABC radio this year.

2SM

After being poached from Smooth FM, Ron Wilson began his new show on 2SM on Monday.

“It’s a bit of an honour to relaunch 2SM back into the Sydney market. It’s an opportunity I just couldn’t say ‘no’ to,” Wilson told Confidential.

2SM breakfast announcer Ron Wilson.

John Laws retired after an incredible 71-year career at the end of last year with controversial media identity Chris Smith now joining the station.

TRIPLE M

New Triple M breakfast team Beau Ryan, Natarsha Belling and Aaron Woods.

Listeners to Triple M’s weekday shows will hear a whole bunch of new shows, but familiar voices.

Beau Ryan, Natarsha Belling and Aaron Woods have replaced Mark ‘MG’ Geyer and Mick Molloy on the breakfast show.

And Marty Sheargold will be hosting the 3pm to 6pm slot, replacing the sports show, The Rush Hour.