Ben Fordham bet as Alan Jones replacement pays off for 2GB

Ben Fordham has retained nearly all of 2GB’s radio audience in Sydney following the departure of veteran Alan Jones.

2GB radio host Ben Fordham in his Sydney studio. Picture: John Feder.

In a big surprise, Ben Fordham has retained nearly all of 2GB’s radio audience in Sydney following the departure of veteran broadcaster Alan Jones.

With Fordham in the hot seat from June, 2GB’s breakfast audience share slipped just 0.6 percentage points to 17.3 per cent in Sydney, the nation’s biggest radio market. That’s sharply better than Nine’s expectation that it could drop to as low as 12 per cent, as they gambled on a younger host to take on Jones’ loyal audience.

Neil Breen, 4BC Breakfast Host.

4BC breakfast show in Brisbane with Neil Breen – who replaced Jones’ syndicated show – saw his audience share down 1.5 points to 8.2 per cent, according to the latest GfK metropolitan radio survey. ABC’s Brisbane breakfast show hosted by Craig Zonca and Loretta Ryan retained the top spot, increasing their share by 0.4 points to 11 per cent.

It is the third survey of the year following the suspension in April of three surveys because of the coronavirus crisis, and the first to cover Fordham and Breen’s performance in their new gigs.

In the second radio survey of the year in April, Jones recorded the largest audience jump in Sydney during the early days of the coronavirus crisis, with his share rising 3.1 percentage points to 17.9 per cent. In Brisbane, his share rose 1.3 points to 9.7 per cent.

However, fellow 2GB radio host Ray Hadley, who rules the 9am to 12pm Sydney radio audience, saw his audience share dip 2 points to 16.8 per cent.

2GB radio host Ray Hadley, who rules the 9am to 12pm Sydney radio audience, saw his audience share dip 2 points to 16.8 per cent. Picture: Nine Network

The station’s afternoon and Drive show hosts, Deborah Knight and Jim Wilson, also lost listeners.

In Australia’s second biggest radio market, Melbourne, 3AW’s new-look breakfast team with Ross Stevenson and newbie Russel Howcroft picked up listeners during the second coronavirus lockdown. The pair’s audience share surged 8.8 points to 26.1 per cent.

Neil Mitchell, who hosts 3AW’s morning show for Nine Radio, also saw his audience share rise by 3.6 points to 19.1 per cent, after rising 0.3 points in the previous survey.

The FM radio stations in Melbourne, including Triple J, Nova and Fox FM were the big losers during the period from July 26 to September 19 as listeners sought out the latest news and analysis on the COVID-19 crisis.

The No 1 breakfast spot in Adelaide was claimed by FIVEaa’s Will Goodings and David Penberthy, who is also The Australian’s South Australia correspondent, with their audience share up 1.5 points to 15.4 per cent. The pair beat ABC Adelaide’s Ali Clarke.

ABC’s breakfast and morning shows in Sydney and Melbourne gained listeners during the survey, but it was a mixed performance in Brisbane.

ABC Sydney’s radio breakfast program, hosted by Wendy Harmer and Robbie Buck, saw their audience share up 1.6 points to 12.5 per cent.

SYDNEY

Deb Knight, who took over the afternoon shift on 2GB mid-January following a difficult year hosting Nine’s embattled breakfast show Today together with Georgie Gardner, saw her audience share fall by 0.9 points to 10.5 per cent.

On the FM band, Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson’s KIIS 106.5’s breakfast show remains the most popular show for the fourteenth consecutive survey. Picture: Twitter

On the FM band, Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson’s KIIS 106.5’s breakfast show remains the most popular show for the fourteenth consecutive survey, with their audience share steady at 10.2 per cent.

WSFM’s Amanda Keller and Brendan “Jonesy” Jones continue to trail in second spot on FM, with their audience share down 0.5 points to 8.6 per cent.