Radio Ratings
BY Sarah Patterson April 24, 2026
Radio Ratings April 23, 2026
Survey 2 a tough book for ABC Melbourne & Sydney
Reporter
ABC Melbourne's Richelle Hunt & Bob Murphy. Image supplied
With all the hype surrounding today’s KIIS resultsin Melbourne and Sydney, it would be easy to gloss over one of the most significant stories to emerge from GfK Survey 2.
For the ABC, the latest radio ratings book has generated some tough conversations as opposed to celebrations.
ABC Radio Melbourne and Sydney both took significant hits, the national broadcaster losing share in every timeslot in the nation’s two biggest markets.
ABC Melbourne holds a 3.9 share overall (-1.5%), with its Sydney counterpart down 0.8% to 4.3.
The 774 ABC Melbourne Breakfast team of Bob Murphy and Richelle Hunt (the latter of whom is filling in while Sharnelle Vella is on maternity leave) dropped from 6.6% to a 5.0 share.
Mornings with Raf Epstein went down 2.1% to 4.3. Ali Moore in Drive fell 2.3% to a 2.5 share.
In Sydney, recently-installed 702 ABC Mornings host Hamish Macdonald went from a 5.5 to a 3.9 share.
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Radio Ratings
BY Sarah Patterson April 24, 2026
This is a surprise to no one
A sad day for ABC Radio in Sydney because of the death of James Valentine, but also those ratings are abysmal really.
My suggestions for how they rejig that lineup – move Hamish to breakfast(he’s a journalist after all, let him break some stories), give the talented Kath Robinson the mornings slot and above all else, stop relying on ex Chaser comedians – Chris Reucastle, Chris Taylor, Dom Knight.
In Dom Knight’s defense, he did rate OK as the main presenter of “Evenings” a while back.
Having said that, it’s difficult to disagree though that the station needs someone a bit more news-based at breakfast whether that’s Hamish Macdonald, Kathryn Robinson or even getting Jeremy Fernandez to hold a dual radio/TV role ala Dan Bourchier in Canberra a while back.
By far one of the main problems with ABC Local Radio in Sydney is that they’ve lost the bulk of their experienced/popular talent in recent years. A slew of departures both voluntary and otherwise has left 702 with barely any talent who was on the station even five years ago, let alone ten: Weekday brekky newsreader Toni Matthews is the only one who instantly comes to mind right now!
It probably also hasn’t helped that within the space of a decade or so, the station has gone from branding itself on-air as 702 ABC Sydney (a moniker it had held since the change from 2BL around the turn of the millennium) to ABC Radio Sydney, then a couple of years ago they became “702 ABC Radio Sydney” in preparation for a return to the pre-2017 brand. Now it seems the main TV channel might be about to go back to the 2008-14 “ABC1” brand after more than a decade of ABC-TV (and iView)!
After seeing Sammy J at the recent Melbourne Comedy Festival it is clear the ABC needs him back on Breakfast.
So the ABC never rates well, what are these presenters getting paid ? Doesn’t it come from our taxes ? If so it’s not warranted
The presenters are excellant. It’s the content that I find at times is a real turn off. I’m of the opinion that the producers should stick to the current news and interviews that are relevant to the current news stories and invite lots more callers.
Also, numerous times I have suggested that there should be lots more finance talks and interviews particularly at the end of the news at the top of the hour. I have to tune into 2GB who give a brief stock market mention at the end of each bulletin. The ABC has qualified finance presenters like Ian Verrander, David Morgan & others who I’m sure would give listeners a run down prior to 10.00am just before the market opens and during the morning & afternoon programs.
How about this? At 6.30pm after the PM program why not run a finance half hour program and you will prempt 2GB’s hour long finance program at 7.00pm. I’m pretty sure there are a lot of mature people who are ABC listeners and investors.
One last thing, I’m sorry but I do not have a good word for the music that is played. It seems to me it is more suited to Triple J. I can’t understand why the wonderful artists like Sinatra, Bobby Darin & the 50’s & 60’s artists are not played when the presenter requires a track to be played. The people I know, relatives & friends that are ABC listeners are mature and everyone one I’ve mentioned the music issue with are in total agreement.
Again, the presenters are top grade but it’s the content.
@Allan Samyia No offence, but if you were a teenager when Bobby Darin was big, you’re currently at least 85 years old. That’s not to say the music’s not good or that you’re not an important listener, but you’re going pretty niche if you go back that far…. especially for a station that’s trying to win over new audiences.
ABC Sydney is a trainwreck.
It’s literally handing listeners over to 2GB on a silver platter.
Who thought Thomas Oriti was a good idea?
Yes he’s a good newsreader, but he’s no host.
And poor Hamish sounds utterly directionless.
Get rid of the Chaser blokes, they’re not funny.
ABC needs to take a good hard look at itself and stop being so left wing and woke.
The new ABC presenters are BORING. The Melbourne breakfast show with Bob and Sharnelle were on for most of survey 2 so don’t blame the poor fill in Richelle.