2GB’s Ben Fordham breakfast show takes a ratings tumble

The high-profile breakfast show host, who replaced Alan Jones exactly a year ago, has seen his lead over the ABC evaporate.

2GB’s breakfast radio host Ben Fordham. Picture: Gaye Gerard/ Daily Telegraph

Sydney radio station 2GB’s high-profile breakfast show host Ben Fordham has suffered another dramatic dip in the latest radio ratings survey, with rival pairings Kyle and Jackie O from KIIS1065 and the ABC’s Robbie Buck and Wendy Harmer now within striking distance of claiming top spot in the industry’s most lucrative timeslot.

Fordham, who replaced broadcaster Alan Jones exactly one year ago today, dropped 2 points in this month’s survey to an audience share of 13.5. In the previous month’s survey, Fordham tumbled from a personal high of 18.1 to 15.5, meaning that he has lost 4.6 market share since the beginning of March.

Buck and Harmer dropped 0.1 points in this survey, which was conducted from April 18 to May 22, and now have a 13.1 per cent slice of the Sydney breakfast audience, just 0.4 points behind Fordham.

The number one FM breakfast show in Sydney is still Kyle and Jackie O on KIIS1065. The duo jumped 2 points to record a 12.9 per cent audience share in this survey — their best ever result — putting them within reach of frontrunners 2GB, which is owned by Nine Entertainment.

Kyle Sandilands. Picture: Supplied

Talkback host Ray Hadley, on 2GB, retained his number one crown in mornings with a 14.2 share, down 1.3 points from the previous survey. But his winning margin has been sharply cut, with the morning slot on easy listening music station smoothfm enjoying a 2.5 point rise to 12.3, putting it 1.9 points behind Hadley.

The past two surveys have seen a strong revival in the ratings of FM music stations across Australia, with listeners appearing to have shifted to lighter programs as an antidote to the blanket news coverage of pandemic-related issues.

In Melbourne, the number one breakfast radio pairing of 3AW’s Ross Stevenson and Russel Howcroft saw their audience share slip over the past month to 20.1, down from 21.5 in the last survey. It is the duo’s fourth consecutive survey drop. 

But the program still remained well in front of second-placed ABC radio with a share of 11.1 (up 0.4 points), hosted by comedian Sammy J. 

Radio veteran Neil Mitchell’s mornings program remained the top show in the morning time slot but also lost listeners – down to 18.5 – a fall of 1.0 from the last survey. 

ABC Sydney’s ratings softened across the board in this survey, with the station shedding listeners in all key timeslots. Afternoon host James Valentine and Drive show host Richard Glover have both forfeited their number one spots.

Neil Mitchell.

Wendy Harmer.

Glover dropped from first to third in his timeslot, falling from 12.2 to 9.8 in this survey, leaving him behind smoothfm and KIIS1065.

Valentine slipped from first to fourth in his afternoon show, slipping from 11.3 market share to 8.1, beaten by the strengthening performance of FM music stations.

The battle for top spot in Adelaide’s breakfast timeslot is tightening with ABC dropping from 15.4 to 14.4 in this survey, leaving host Ali Clarke just 0.6 points ahead of the FIVEaa pairing of Will Goodings and David Penberthy (who is also a senior writer on The Australian).

Goodings and Penberthy jumped 0.3 points to 13.8.

In Brisbane, 4BC’s breakfast show host Neil Breen increased his share to 8.2 (up one point), while the ABC’s breakfast pairing of Craig Zonca and Loretta Ryan slipped from 10.3, down 0.1 from the previous survey. 

In Perth, 6PR’s breakfast show hosted by Gareth Parker fell by 0.6 to 11.3; Triple M’s breakfast show hosted by Perth mayor Basil Zempilas, alongside Xavier Ellis and Jenna Clarke, enjoyed a small rise of 0.2 to 8.6. 

Mornings 6PR host Liam Bartlett claimed the biggest climb in his timeslot, jumping 1.4 points to 11.4 and is now in third spot behind FM shows on MIX 94.5 and 96FM.