Comment from Peter Saxon.
As we emerge from the Covid crisis, it seems that the world is becoming more unpredictable and more dangerous.
According to Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, “Australia faces its most difficult and dangerous security environment in 80 years.” He said in an address to the Lowy Institute on Monday, “A new arc of autocracy” (read: Russia, China and North Korea that aims to impose a new world order.) “We face the spectre of a transactional world, devoid of principle, accountability and transparency, where state sovereignty, territorial integrity and liberty are surrendered for respite from coercion and intimidation, or economic entrapment dressed up as economic reward.”
Some will say that Mr Morrison’s remarks are somewhat alarmist, designed to play the national security card – always a good bet with a looming election.
Point taken. But if the war in Ukraine, and the deterioration of our relations with China isn’t cause to sound the alarm, what is?
So, what can we predict – I mean, for tomorrow’s first GFK Radio Survey?
To me, it seems likely that listeners will continue to seek out hard news and comment – which happens to be good for the Talk genre, dominated by the Nine network and the ABC.
In a recent interview, Nine Radio CEO Tom Malone put it differently. “I wouldn’t say it’s good for the genre. I’d say, what’s really humbling and gratifying at the same time, is that when people want that information, they go to talk radio. People turn to talk radio and the Nine Radio stations for those moments of truth – bushfires or floods or wars or elections because they know they’re going to get a trusted source of news.”
Other than my “bold” prediction that Talk stations will continue to dominate, your guess is as good as mine as to what’s transpired between stations and listeners over the long break since December.
Tomorrow is the first of eight days of reckoning for the GfK 2022 ratings season – which will also see massive changes mid-year in the way that surveys are measured.
Join us here at radioinfo from 9:30 tomorrow for all the results in shares, cumes and digital along with the best interactive charts in the business as well as the spin direct from the PR Depts.
Main pic: 3AW’s perennially #1 Morning’s presenter Neil Mitchell.
Peter Saxon