Sydney radio ratings: Kyle and Jackie O beat Ben Fordham to finish 2023 on top
Sydney’s final radio ratings of the year have dropped with a close battle revealing the city’s top radio hosts of the year. Find out who took out the top spot.
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After a volatile ratings year, Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson have finished 2023 as Sydney’s top radio hosts.
The KIIS 106.5 duo registered a leading 16.7 per cent share of the all-important breakfast market, just ahead of Ben Fordham on 2GB at 16 per cent as GfK released the eighth and final survey result for the year.
It has been a year of much back and forth with Kyle and Jackie O and Fordham swapping in and out for first place at various times.
The latest survey saw Kyle and Jackie O jump 0.4 of a percentage point while Fordham shed 0.2.
Earlier in 2023, GfK began providing accumulative and average audience figures in its initial survey results releases, as well as streaming data. That provides a deeper look at total audience numbers and average audience, which is used by advertising agencies.
In terms of audience numbers, Kyle and Jackie O have this survey period drawn a total audience of 867,000 listeners from 5.30am to 9am, up 70,000, compared to Fordham on 2GB at 510,000, up 12,000.
Across all stations, 2GB finished the year on top with an audience share of 12.1 per cent (down 0.3). That was ahead of KIIS at 11.4 per cent (up 0.8) and smoothfm at 11.4 (up 0.8).
Elsewhere in breakfast meanwhile, WSFM’s Jonesy and Amanda came in third place with a share of 9.5 per cent (up 1.1), followed by smoothfm at 8.3 per cent (up 0.2), ABC Sydney at 7.8 per cent (down 0.6) and Nova 96.9’s Fitzy and Wippa with Kate Ritchie steady at 7.1 per cent.
Picking up in mornings, Ray Hadley remains number one with a 14.1 per cent share (down 1.1).
The new year will see several major changes across the Sydney radio landscape.
Kyle and Jackie O recently announced a new deal rumoured to be worth $200 million that will see them remain with KIIS for a further 10 years. They will also broadcast their breakfast show in Melbourne from the new year.
In November, 2GB announced Michael McLaren will take over the 12pm to 3pm shift following news Deb Knight had stepped down from the timeslot. She will host Money News nationally in 2024.
ABC Radio Sydney also announced a major shake-up to its line-up with James Valentine moving back to afternoons and comedian Craig Reucassell taking over breakfast in a bid by the station to stop haemorrhaging ratings.
Indira Naidoo too will leave her evening show with ABC Sydney, although will stay with the TV arm of the broadcaster.
ABC Sydney has struggled since the departure of Wendy Harmer and Robbie Buck in the all-important breakfast slot in October, 2021.
Ratings wise, the pair peaked with a score of an audience share of 15.9 per cent of the breakfast market.
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