More to GfK Radio Survey 6 than just Melbourne breakfast

GfK Radio 360 Survey 6 is out tomorrow morning, October 1, at 9:30am. While most energy and attention over the survey period of July 7 – September 14 has been focused on Melbourne and more specifically its breakfast share, there are also other networks and metros whose results that may well determine what their lineups look like in 2025.

This survey includes the entire Paris Olympics and Paralympics, which might benefit Nine Radio, the ABC and their digital stations.

It also includes the first two weeks of AFL and the first week of NRL finals. In the traditionally Melbourne-centric AFL finals were teams from Sydney, Adelaide and eventual premiers the Brisbane Lions. The NRL finals featured North Queensland, Melbourne, Newcastle and Penrith, who partnered with KIIS 1065 in early August.

This survey, and next, often reflect the results of AFL seasons and I would expect a positive impact for Nine Radio, The Triple M Network and for the Sports Entertainment Network (SEN), in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne.

Jimmy & Nath (main picture) commenced on Sydney’s 2Day FM Breakfast on Monday August 12, after the unexpected and immediate departure of Hughesy, Ed and Erin on the Wednesday of the week before. Rosie, Wil and Daisy commenced on Triple M Melbourne breakfast on Monday July 15 after Marty Sheargold stepped back while on survey break and onto a one hour 3-4pm show instead.

Both are “interim lineups”.

Dale ‘Daisy’ Thomas is a former AFL player. Rosie, Wil and Daisy were going to wrap up this Friday October 4 but have had their show extended until the end of the radio year, November 30.

Jimmy Smith and Nath Roye (Jimmy & Nath) are also supposed to wrap up at the end of this year. They often would look after 2Day Breakfast when Hughesy, Ed and Erin took their survey breaks, so Jimmy and Nath might also stay on to include December.

Considering no announcement has been made on the 2025 lineups for both shows I feel that SCA will have a keen eye on Survey 6, and perhaps if results remain steady, or grow, those two lineups might be what we continue to hear next year. SCA announced last week that the Saturday night networked Lucy and Nikki show will now include Friday nights too, which they would lose if Jimmy and Nath did return to nights in 2025.

In Brisbane this will be the final full survey for 4BC’s breakfast team of Laurel, Gary and Mark and Drive presenter Peter Gleeson. Times have been tough at the Nine Radio station with the music breakfast show not resonating with the rest of the day’s talk programming.

4BH’s BBQ Bob Gallagher

The most interesting result from Survey 5 for me was the success of 4BH 1116. 4BH has filled the 4KQ Classic Hits hole in the Brisbane market, with breakfast host BBQ Bob Gallagher formerly a giant part of 4KQ’s success.

That Ace Radio Network and AM station saw a 1.4 growth in audience share to 10.3, with Bob on breakfast up 0.8 to 9.6. Scott Menz is ahead in the morning and the station leads on the weekend. Should that growth continue then Laurel, Gary and Mark might yet find a different home in Brisbane that suits their long-time listeners.

In the last month Perth and Adelaide’s Triple M Rush Hour drive shows have been axed for 2025. Adelaide’s trio of Bernie, Blewey & Jars were top of the pack in Survey 5 and will want to drive, literally, the point home of what that loss means to listeners.

Over on DAB+ I wonder if Disrupt Radio will be present at all this survey with The Australian (subscription required) reporting that they are set to abandon their digital platform altogether.

There’s plenty to look at in Survey 6 outside of who is ruling the FM breakfast roost in Sydney and Melbourne. Radio Today will have you covered here from 9:30am.

Jen Seyderhelm is a writer, editor and podcaster for Radio Today