Streaming and digital is putting AM and FM “on a level playing field”

There’s plenty to be happy about over at Nine Radio today; 2GB taking back Sydney, Ben Fordham Live moving back into number one Breakfast, 3AW maintaining its dominance in Melbourne and Ray Hadley’s 150th consecutive ratings win. 

It’s no wonder Nine‘s Head of Content, Greg Byrnes, celebrated with a Ray Hadley cupcake as the team cheered for more reasons than one. 

Catching up with Radioinfo’s Peter Saxon today, Byrnes talked about the potential for even further growth of Nine’s radio shows with streaming, after it showed promise in the last two surveys. 

“I think that’s a real opportunity for talk because there’s been a perception over the years, probably rightly, that the AM signal is is less of a broadcast and less of a listening experience. But listening via digital, we’re all on a level playing field,” Brynes said. 

“So people that are finding us live and local talking about your city, your town, every day, breaking news, weather, sport, traffic – it’s really important.”

“Now, when people are finding us there, and if they’re listening via a digital platform, there’s no handicap for us in relation to the listening experience. I think that’s a real opportunity for talk.”

“And the figures that we have seen over survey 3 and 4 only support that.” 

In the most recent survey, 2GB’s and 3AW’s streaming numbers show much higher than the radio numbers, with 2GB’S streaming coming in at 20.5 in the 10+, while radio share comes in at 14.3 and 3AW’s streaming showing 22.7 to 14.6 via radio.

Byrnes also discussed the lineup changes in Perth and Brisbane and how to keep the momentum going after Neil Breen left 4BC Drive in the middle of the recent survey period. 

Listen to the whole chat below and find the Survey 4 results here.