Matt O’Reilly on 2DayFM Breakfast: “We’ve just got to play the long game”

SCA's Matthew O'Reilly. Image supplied.

Matt O’Reilly is nothing if not direct in his assessment of Sydney’s volatile FM Breakfast radio scene.

In his post-GfK Survey 4 chat with Radioinfo’s Steve Ahern, SCA’s Head of Broadcast Content makes no bones about the ongoing challenge of trying to cut through with 2DayFM Breakfast.

Nath & Emma saw a slight increase in share this time around.

“We’d be lying if we said we didn’t want more growth,” O’Reilly admits. “But we also know how these things play out and how long they can take.”

“We’ve had a new music format in for the last – it feels like forever, but it’s only been ten radio ratings weeks. So we’ve just got to play the long game.”

“They – I’ve said this to you before – are a show that really want to win. They’re doing what they can. They are executing the strategy that we’ve put in front of them.”

“Would we like more? Yes. But is it going to take time? The answer to that is also yes.”

Triple M’s Beau, Cat & Woodsy Breakfast show continues to build its audience share in Sydney, and O’Reilly says it hasn’t exactly been a slow climb, either.

“The show’s only been on air eighteen months. We had a very deliberate strategy with what we wanted that show to achieve when it set out, and I think every day I’ve heard that show, it’s delivered on the strategy.”

“So I’m not surprised it’s doing well. It’s gone from a 3.9 (share) in survey 7 last year to 6.6 today. So I think that’s actually quite aggressive sort of growth.”

Championing SCA as a safe and steady network for its target advertisers, Group Managing Director John Kelly says the company’s latest results are backed by the sustained strength of its core brands.

Given the recent ‘brand safe’ fallout over Kyle & Jackie O and now Karl Stefanovic, Was Kelly having a crack at ARN?

“I don’t think he would be,” O’Reilly replies. “We’re very much focused on what we are doing. The whole Audience That Matters and 25 to 54 is because we know that somewhere between 70 and 90 percent of the briefs that come in want that demographic.”

Fox FM’s Fifi, Fev & Nick is now the #2 FM Breakfast show in Melbourne.

O’Reilly has no doubt they’ll now be focused on taking down the newly-anointed #1 FM team of Nova’s Jase, Lauren & Clint.

“Good luck me telling Fifi, Fev and Nick that we’re not going after that target,” O’Reilly laughs. “They would absolutely be motivated by the fact that they are so close to being #1.”

O’Reilly says Fifi, Fev & Nick is one of the ‘busiest’ Breakfast shows you’ll find.

“This is the survey that had Fifi’s One Night Only in there. I just love that she puts herself out (there) like that and performs like that.”

SCA continues to dominate the state of play in Brisbane.

“Brisbane’s a great market for us,” says O’Reilly. “We’ve got the #1 and #2 stations there. We’ve had the #1 station in (that) market in 2023.”

“Ed Kirkwood has been Content Director there for about ten months and has been very hands-on with the station. I’m sure he is over the moon with the station result and Breakfast. 14.2 is a massive number.”

And whilst Triple M Brisbane saw a significant drop this book, O’Reilly isn’t fazed.

“I think it’s been a very, very strong station for us for a long period of time,” he says. “I wouldn’t jump at one survey.”

O’Reilly pays tribute to SCA’s Mix 94.5 team in Perth – where Pete & Kymba secured another top two finish in Breakfast – as well as the continuing dominance of Triple M Adelaide’s top rating Roo, Ditts & Loz Breakfast show.

O’Reilly says SAFM is also doing particularly well with females in that all-important 25 to 54 demographic.

“I think it’s five straight books in a row that they’ve sort of owned that demographic.”

For now, the Sydney Breakfast remains the ongoing challenge.

O’Reilly says he isn’t sure there’s ever going to be a magic day where they’ll know if listeners have settled on a new show or are still flicking around the dial.

“I think some listeners will find a new show quickly. Some with take time.”

“I think in my job – and the teams that I work with – they’ve got to assume there’s new audience available every single day, right?”