ABC east coast stations hit by falling audiences in second survey

The public broadcaster’s radio arm has been hit by falling audiences at its three major stations, while Melbourne 3AW’s drive program records its worst result ever.

The ABC’s three main stations on the east coast in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane have all suffered ratings falls for the second time this year and the results come despite a significant overhaul of the radio networks.

In the latest official GfK ratings published on Tuesday, the ABC’s key breakfast programs fell in the three major cities including in Sydney where the show is hosted by comedian Craig Reucassel – he had an audience share of 7.1 per cent, down 0.8 percentage points.

In Melbourne comedian ‘Sammy J’ McMillan’s audience also fell, (7.3 per cent, down 0.8 percentage points) and in Brisbane the breakfast show led by duo Craig Zonca and Loretta Ryan also dropped (5.9 per cent, down 0.2 percentage points).

ABC Sydney breakfast host Craig Reucassel had a ratings fall in survey two. Photo: Supplied.

Overall, audiences at the three stations shed thousands of listeners with ABC Melbourne’s total audience falling by 0.5 percentage points to 6 per cent, ABC Sydney down 0.3 percentage points to 5.1 per cent and ABC Brisbane fell 0.1 percentage points to 4.2 per cent.

The ABC’s radio arm recently underwent a significant overhaul by both removing hosts and switching other presenters to different timeslots but the results show it has not helped improve the already declining audiences.

The ABC’s other two main stations and less important ones – in Adelaide and Perth – experienced increases, up 0.8 percentage points to 7.4 per cent and 0.1 percentage points to 5.7 per cent respectively.

There’s also trouble at Nine Radio’s Melbourne station 3AW with drive host Jacqui Felgate recording the lowest ever radio ratings since the existing ratings service was introduced in 2014.

She replaced Tom Elliott at the beginning of the year but her results have fallen for the second consecutive survey, plunging by 0.6 percentage points to 7.6 per cent – she fell from equal fourth to now sit in fifth spot.

Felgate was appointed to drive host by Nine Radio’s managing director Tom Malone and had a rapid rise from a food reviewer to drive host in a short space of time but since having her own show she has shed nearly 100,000 listeners.

Felgate lost 66,000 listeners in survey one and shed a further 33,000 listeners in survey two which includes the period February 4 to March 30.

Felgate became embroiled in a sponsorships saga last year that has dogged the station after The Australian revealed she held 15 lucrative paid partnerships with many brands including BMW, Chemist Warehouse and Smile Solutions and they were not declared by the station.

The matter remains the subject of an investigation by the media regulator, the Australian Media and Communications Authority.

3AW broadcaster Jacqui Felgate promoting a paid partnership with Maybelline on social media. Source: Instagram

Elliott, who replaced Neil Mitchell at the beginning of the year, saw his ratings slightly increase, up 0.1 percentage points to 16.9 and he was the top rating show in his slot, well ahead of ABC’s Raf Epstein, whose share fell by 0.3 percentage points to 6.7 per cent.

3AW breakfast duo, Ross Stevenson and Russel Howcroft remained clear leaders in their slot, recording a share of 18.1 per cent (down 1.5).

In Sydney, 2GB lost audience in every slot except weekends and 2GB’s breakfast host Ben Fordham was knocked off top spot by KIIS FM’s Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson.

Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson’s breakfast show will begin airing in Melbourne on April 29.

The pair had an audience share of 16.1 per cent (up 0.7) while Fordham recorded a share of 14.9 per cent (down 1.7).

Mornings host 2GB’s Ray Hadley remained on top at 13.5 per cent (down 0.6), while the ABC’s Sarah Macdonald saw her audience fall to 4.4 per cent (down 0.3), leaving her eighth in the slot.

In afternoons the ABC’s afternoons host James Valentine recently took time off from his program after being diagnosed with oesophageal cancer and was replaced by Tim Webster.

The show’s audience increased by 0.4 percentage points to 3.9 per cent and is ninth in its slot.

In drive 2GB host Chris O’Keefe’s audience fell, recording an audience share of 6.6 per cent (down 0.6), while ABC’s Richard Glover climbed by 0.7 percentage points to 4.8 per cent and is eighth.

In Brisbane, troubled 4BC breakfast program, hosted by Laurel Edwards, Mark Hine and Gary Clare saw their ratings hold at 7.5 per cent and sit at sixth in the slot – a result they needed with their contract up mid year.

Mark Hine, Laurel Edwards and Gary Clare, the hosts of the 4BC breakfast program. Photo: Supplied

Triple M 104.5’s breakfast trio of Greg Martin, Margaux Parker and Dan Anstey won the slot with an audience share of 13 per cent, despite falling by 0.6 percentage points.

4BC afternoons host Sofie Formica’s ratings rose to 5.9 per cent (up 0.5) and she recently filled in as joint breakfast host with weekends host Peter Fegan.

In Perth, NOVA’s breakfast show hosted by Natalie Locke, Nathan Morris and Shaun McManus remained on top with an audience share of 18.3 per cent (up 1.1).

In Adelaide, Triple M’s breakfast show hosted by Mark Ricciuto, Chris Dittmar and Laura O’Callaghan stayed on top at 14.9 per cent (up 0.3), while FIVEaa’s duo of David Penberthy (also a senior writer at The Australian) and Will Goodings fell from second to third spot with an audience of 11.8 per cent (down 0.8).