2GB’s Mark Levy talks ratings and feeling the pressure

Ahead of radio ratings coming out at 9.30am today, Mark Levy spoke about the pressure of taking over the mic from Ray Hadley.

It is the equivalent of Albo saying he’d be thrilled with a minority government at the Federal election – talkback host Mark Levy has indicated he will be “wrapped” with a 10 per cent audience share in his first radio ratings since taking over from Ray Hadley in the prime 2GB mornings shift.

The first of eight GfK radio ratings surveys for 2025 is released on Thursday with Levy admitting to feeling the pressure for his 9am timeslot.

“I am going into Thursday’s ratings with, I don’t know what to expect,” Levy told Confidential.

2GB radio host Mark Levy says he feels the pressure. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“I am sort of going in there with a mind of a 10 (per cent share), 10 I would be wrapped with. There’s probably a bit of nervousness and anxiety because as I said at the time I took over from Ray, it is like following on from (Don) Bradman, so there’s the nerves that come with it. Does the audience come with it? Do they like you? Do they like what you are doing?”

Hadley retired at the end of 2024, registering a leading audience share of 13.7 per cent in his final survey. Like-for-like though would mean comparing the new data to that of the first survey of 2024, which had Hadley at 14.1 per cent.

“They’re talking it down, picking a low figure so they can beat expectations,” one prominent radio executive noted.

“Listeners don’t really have anywhere to go though so maybe they have stuck so it would be a safe bet that he gets at least a 10.”

Another industry executive noted: “The audience has nowhere else to go so they either keep listening or just switch off. If they’re wanting to listen to AM talk, there is not much choice. I don’t think they will take much of a hit actually.”

Mediaweek’s Natasha Lee said the FM dial was Levy’s biggest competition in the timeslot.

“The only person who managed to beat Hadley in that timeslot for the first time in nearly two decades was Phil O’Neil (at GOLD, formerly WSFM), and he’s now on 2GB doing overnights,” Lee explained.

“I don’t see talkback listeners making the move to a music station, it’s a different format. You go to talkback for talkback, and people tend to stick to their preferences. Plus, Mark Levy isn’t a new voice on the station, he’s been there for a very long time and has been a regular fill-in for both Hadley and Ben Fordham.”

Mark Levy with Erin Molan and Ray Hadley at the ACRAs 2017.

On top of mornings, Levy has continued with 2GB’s Continuous Call Team but takes Sunday’s off.

“I suppose now that I am doing a pretty important shift, there is a bit more pressure on me so I will probably wake up on that morning and be a little nervous driving to work but once the boss comes in and says thumbs up, thumbs down, there is not much more we can do about it,” he said.

“My focus at the moment is just what I can control and that is what I pump out between nine and midday. I put a lot of work into what goes into the show, I am in here at 4.30 in the morning, I do a lot of work in the afternoon replying to emails and that sort of thing so I have just got to back my own ability, I have been doing it for 18 years and hopefully the listeners enjoy what I pump out between nine and midday.”

2GB radio host Mark Levy. Picture: Nine Entertainment

Levy is a self-professed workaholic.

“That is one thing I have always known,” he explained.

“To get anywhere in this industry … you’ve got to work hard, you can’t sit on your arse and do nothing, you’ve got to get out there and have a crack and that means throwing yourself in the deep end from time to time. I think the balance is okay at the moment, I am handling it.”