2GB’s Ben Fordham ratings plunge in latest survey results

Ben Fordham’s ratings have fallen to their lowest levels since he took over the coveted breakfast role from Alan Jones almost a year ago.

2GB radio host Ben Fordham. Picture: John Grainger

Nine Entertainment’s breakfast radio programs in the nation’s three biggest markets have all lost considerable ground in the latest ratings survey, with 2GB’s high-profile Sydney presenter Ben Fordham recording the most dramatic slump.

Fordham’s ratings have fallen to their lowest levels since he took over the coveted breakfast role from Alan Jones almost a year ago, with his 15.5 per cent audience share down 2.6 percentage points from the first survey of 2021. When Jones retired last April, his final survey result sat at 17.9 per cent.

Despite the result, Fordham retained the number one spot in his timeslot, with his 15.5 per cent audience share well ahead of his nearest rivals — the ABC’s Robbie Buck and Wendy Harmer — who recorded a 13.2 per cent share.

Elsewhere in the Nine stable, the number one Melbourne breakfast show pairing of Ross Stevenson and Russel Howcroft slipped to 21.5 audience share (down from 22.2 in the last survey), which was their third consecutive drop, having reached a share of more than 28 per cent during the height of Victoria’s COVID-19 lockdown last year.

In Brisbane, Nine’s 4BC breakfast show host Neil Breen also lost listeners, falling to an audience share of 7.2, down 0.7 from the last survey.

Nine’s disappointing ratings come weeks after the company reported radio earnings dropped 62 per cent to $2.9m for the six months to December, hit by a 24 per cent drop in revenue to $44m. In terms of ad revenue, radio was by far the poorest performer in 2020 within Nine’s broadcast operations.

In its earnings statement in February, outgoing chief executive Hugh Marks said Nine Radio was expected to improve into the 2022 financial year “as the radio market begins to recover”. But softening ratings across the network’s national stable of radio stations could extend the ad revenue malaise.

The ratings figures released on Thursday by GfK — which covered the period from February 28 to April 3 — show Nine Radio’s biggest star, Ray Hadley, whose morning show is carried by 2GB and 4BC, lost ground in both the Sydney and Brisbane markets. His program was down 0.6 to 15.5 per cent in Sydney, and down 1.0 to 8.1 per cent in Brisbane).

However, Hadley remains the top performer in the timeslot in Sydney.

Neil Mitchell, 3AW’s morning presenter in Melbourne, recorded a 19.5 per cent audience share, up 0.5 percentage points.

3AW breakfast hosts Ross Stevenson and Russel Howcroft. Picture: Jason Edwards

On the ABC, Sydney breakfast duo Robbie Buck and Wendy Harmer grew their audience share from 12.7 to 13.2, while their Melbourne counterpart Virginia Trioli remained steady from the last survey on 10.7.

Richard Glover, the host of ABC’s Drive program in Sydney, dropped 1.1 percentage points in this survey — down from 13.3 to 12.2 — but retained the top spot in the timeslot.

On the FM dial, Nova100’s Melbourne breakfast trio of Sam Pang, Chrissie Swan and Jonathan Brown increased its audience share by 1.1 percentage points to 7.9 per cent.

Gold 104.3’s Melbourne breakfast host Christian O’Connell saw a drop in listeners by 0.6 percentage points to 8.3 per cent but he remains the most popular breakfast FM show in the city.

In Sydney, the Kyle and Jackie O show on KIIS FM climbed by 1.1 to 10.9 per cent.

2DayFM’s breakfast team of Dave Hughes, Ed Kavalee and Erin Molan fell by 0.6 to just 3.8 per cent.

In Adelaide, Fiveaa’s breakfast team of David Penberthy and Will Goodings slipped 1.3 to 13.5 per cent. It is the second most-popular breakfast show behind ABC Adelaide, hosted by Ali Clarke at 15.4 per cent.

In Perth, 6PR’s breakfast show was up 1.1 to 11.9 per cent.