Radio Ratings
BY Sarah Patterson April 24, 2026
Radio Ratings March 20, 2026
“Kicked out on the fourth leg of the quaddy.” ACE Radio’s Jon Vertigan on Survey 1.
Reporter
It had all started out so well.
ACE Radio Network bosses were hooked up on a zoom call yesterday morning, ready to go over the first metro survey results of the year as soon as they landed.
First, they opened up the document for Melbourne and saw rises for both 3MP and Magic. Good stuff.
Next, they opened the results for Brisbane, and saw great numbers for 4BH: #1 40+, #1 10+ on weekends and BBQ Bob up 0.3 to an 11.2 share in Breakfast.
At that stage, according to ACE Radio’s Head of Metro Content Jon Vertigan, everyone was feeling pretty chuffed.
“And then we opened Sydney … and let’s just say, to use a racing vernacular, we got kicked out on the fourth leg of the quaddy,” he says drily.
“2UE had a shocker, which we’re all sort of scratching our heads about a little.”
2UE’s share dropped 1.4 to 2.7, with a 62,000 fall away in cume.
“There’s obviously been significant personnel change across Sydney radio at the start of 2026 and we could potentially have been a victim as the audience resets listening habits,” says Vertigan.
“The massive arms race between the major FM networks at the moment – we may have copped some collateral damage there.”
“But we’re certainly not going to react too heavily to the results of Survey 1. So, Survey 2 … here we come!”
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Radio Ratings
BY Sarah Patterson April 24, 2026
Oh how I miss 4KQ.
Personally, I wonder if 2UE needs a bigger external advertising campaign but may have been prevented from doing so in January due to the ownership uncertainty before the Laundy takeover announcement on the 30th?
The overall on-air product doesn’t seem to have changed all that much since late last year, with Michelle Murphy from 1pm-3pm being the only presenter change.
Certainly, I think ACE have got to review the breakfast shift. From what I’ve heard, Cathy Jubb is a competent broadcaster and may well be a lovely person in real life, but probably isn’t the best option for breakfast radio in a market where you’ve got Bogart Torelli doing a reasonably identical offering (except locally presented!) on the far higher quality FM band.
With ex-WS listeners the kind you’d think ACE Radio would want for their Sydney outlet, I’d be wondering what the likes of Bill Weaver, Rob Duckworth and Lars Peterson are up to these days and possibly attempt to grab one of those familiar voices from better days for 101.7 as a new presenter of 2UE’s Classic Hits Breakfast on 954AM and Stereo DAB+!
SydneyCityTV, totally agree.
2UE needs to stop trying to be a rock station. Go back to 70 and 80’s pop.
Too much Triple M style stuff.
2UE’s music’s format started off as “Easy music'(very good) then it changed to “Classic hits.”Sorry but it’s too much rocky stuff for me. So I’ve stopped listing. I listen now to Smooth Relax DAB radio. Plus what has happened to the pips ie. the time signals on 2UE can we have them back please Mr Laundy. You might get a few more listeners