Everything you need to know about the last survey of 2025, which has just been released.
As the year closed, Australia’s major radio markets showed a mix of stability at the top and some notable shifts mid-pack — particularly around breakfast shows and music versus talk formats.
SYDNEY – smoothfm Surges; 2GB Still Breakfast King
🔥 Overall Results
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In one of the most talked-about results from Survey 8, smoothfm 95.3 overtook talk giant 2GB to record the highest People 10+ share in Sydney at 13.0%, up from 11.4% in the prior survey – a jump of +1.6 points. That performance reflects smoothfm’s growing appeal across age groups and stronger weekend performance.
2GB, historically Sydney’s ratings benchmark, fell to 11.2% (from 13.8%), a -2.6 point slide, underscoring music formats clawing ground back from talk.
Behind them, KIIS 1065 (9.5%) and GOLD 101.7 (9.1%) both edged up, while NOVA 96.9 (7.8%) also advanced slightly.
🍳 Breakfast Breakdown
Despite losing overall station lead, 2GB Breakfast – hosted by Ben Fordham – remained Sydney’s #1 breakfast show with roughly 14.9% share, though this was down from 16.8% in Survey 7.
• KIIS 1065’s Kyle & Jackie O stayed a serious contender with a 12.7% share, up a touch on last survey.
• smoothfm Breakfast posted a solid 10.1%, up over a point, signalling music formats are no longer just evening or weekend options.
• GOLD 101.7 also grew its morning audience to 9.7%, while NOVA 96.9 dipped to 7.9%.
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🗞 News & Context
This survey period followed industry reporting that talk formats in Sydney are facing younger audience erosion, particularly on weekends and in drive – trends that smoothfm appears to be capitalising on.
On the FM dial the continued strength of KIIS in breakfast is the envy of rivals.
MELBOURNE – 3AW Retains Crown as GOLD Gains
🔥 Overall Results
In Melbourne, 3AW remained on top with 13.9% of People 10+, though slightly down from 14.7% last survey.
Hot on its heels was GOLD 104.3, which jumped to 13.3% (from 12.5%), an increase of +0.8 points — continuing its strong run with classic hits.
Elsewhere, NOVA 100 lifted to 7.9% (+0.5), smoothfm 91.5 (8.5%) saw a small dip, and FOX FM (7.4%) eased back.
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🍳 Breakfast Breakdown
• 3AW Breakfast (Ross & Russ) remained dominant with 19.8%, just off its previous 20.1%, still a massive lead over other programs. The station deserves recognition of being the true number 1. I’m not a fan of reporting only referring to the FM result as number 1 without qualification.
• GOLD 104.3 Breakfast kept strong with 11.0%, marginally down. Now that Christian O’Connell is ‘national’ it will be interesting to see if he alienates the Melbourne audience.
• NOVA 100 Breakfast lifted to 8.8% (+0.5), while smoothfm grew to 7.4%.
• FOX FM fell back to 7.2%, a -1.5 drop.
Much will be made of Kyle and Jackie O dropping -0.5% to come in at 8th place. A very different story to Sydney.
🗞 News & Context
Melbourne commentators have pointed to talk radio’s entrenched position here, with 3AW’s longevity carrying listeners through the year. GOLD’s continued gains reflect strategic playlist adjustments and strong network promotions.
BRISBANE – Triple M Edges to Top; KIIS Turmoil
🔥 Overall Results
Triple M Brisbane claimed top station share with 12.1%, a modest increase from 11.9% last time.
Close behind were NOVA 106.9 (11.0%) and B105 (10.4%), while KIIS 973 (10.4%) posted a small gain too.
🍳 Breakfast Breakdown
There’s been so much change in breakfast heading into 2026 it’s almost not worth worrying about these results, but here we go…
NOVA 106.9’s breakfast team led 12.9%, though down slightly.
Triple M Breakfast came in second 11.8%, nearly unchanged from Survey 7.
The great result for NOVA comes as the network axed top-rating performer Ash Bradnam at the end of last year. He’s going out with another solid result.
B105 edged in at 11.5%, while KIIS 973 — despite internal upheaval — recorded 10.2% (down from 11.2%).
🗞 News & Context
Brisbane was a market under the microscope this quarter because KIIS Brisbane controversially sacked its breakfast team in late 2025, only to reverse course and bring them back after Survey 8 data collection. It’s surprising the show didn’t do better for what was supposed to be its final swan song.
Meanwhile, Triple M’s hold in Brisbane continues to be built on strong personalities and local engagement.
ADELAIDE – Triple M Strong Across Dayparts
🔥 Overall Results
In Adelaide, 5MMM (Triple M) stayed on top with 13.9% (slightly down from 14.3%). MIX 102.3 nudged up to 12.9%, and NOVA 91.9 came in at 10.1%.
🍳 Breakfast Breakdown
• Triple M Breakfast led with 15.1%, even though that was down from 16.2%.
• FIVEaa Breakfast surged to 13.0%, jumping on stronger talk interest.
• ABC Adelaide Breakfast saw robust growth to 11.3% (+1.0).
• MIX and NOVA also posted steady results.
🗞 News & Context
Adelaide’s market has been dominated by Triple M for several surveys, and this result reinforces its broad appeal across demographics from breakfast through drive and weekends.
PERTH – NOVA Leads, Triple M Growing
🔥 Overall Results
Perth continued to be a NOVA stronghold, with NOVA 93.7 at 15.4%, though slightly down on last survey. 96FM surged to 13.4%, and MIX 94.5 sat at 11.9%. Triple M improved to around 9.3%.
🍳 Breakfast Breakdown
• NOVA Breakfast (Nathan, Nat & Shaun) — still #1 — saw share dip to 17.7% from 19.4%.
• Triple M Breakfast was one of the big movers — up to 13.0%, signalling strong traction in the morning slot.
• 96FM Breakfast also rose to 11.2%, and ABC Perth Breakfast grew to 7.6%.
🗞 News & Context
Perth is increasingly competitive, with music brands chipping away at traditional leaders and local breakfast programming blending music with talk engaging more listeners.
📌 Key Takeaways from Survey 8
🎶 Music Formats Making Strategic Gains
Across Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, music led brands like smoothfm, GOLD and NOVA continued to chip away at talk’s dominance — particularly in overall share and breakfast stability.
🗣 Talk Radio Still Effective, but Pressures Mount
While 3AW and 2GB remain powerhouse talk brands in Melbourne and Sydney respectively, their slight share dips illustrate increasing audience fragmentation and competition from music formats. Sister station 4BC in Brisbane is struggling, but can lineup changes fix the issue? Only time will tell.
🥣 Breakfast Moves Matter
• KIIS Brisbane’s breakfast hiring/firing drama was more than industry gossip — it showed up in the numbers.
• Triple M’s breakfast lift in Perth and stable results in Brisbane point to effective morning branding and host stability.
Matthew O’Reilly, SCA Head of Broadcast Content said:
“Survey 8 gives us plenty to be proud of and a strong foundation to build on. Congratulations to the Triple M Adelaide and Brisbane teams for once again holding the Number 1 spot – an outstanding result driven by strong local content and a deep connection with audiences. It’s great to see SCA finish the year on top in the Audience That Matters, reflecting the strength and consistency of our lineups and brands nationally.
Greg Byrnes, Nine Radio’s National Content Manager, said:
“If you’re not listening to Ben Fordham in Sydney and Ross & Russ in Melbourne, you’re truly missing out. After dominating all year, 2GB and 3AW are launching into 2026 with breakfast programs that are undisputed market leaders.
“Across the network, listeners this year will reconnect with their favourite presenters and be introduced to a host of exciting new voices. It’s been a relentless summer news cycle, but our talk stations will always set the agenda and provide the reassurance and context our audience expects.”
Media McKnight will be back in its regular Wednesday column next week and the video version will stream at 9pm AEDT at youtube.com/@McKnightTonight
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