GfK Radio 360 Survey 6 is out on Tuesday morning, October 14, at 9:30am. It was measured between Sunday July 20 to Saturday September 27 which means it includes all of the AFL finals including the grand final and up to the semi finals of the NRL which usually benefits Nine Radio stations and Triple M and may additionally see improved listening to sport-centric stations in Brisbane. It has only been five weeks since Survey 5.
Last year’s survey 6 included Olympic coverage which didn’t prove to be the boon for 2GB in Sydney that they would have hoped. This is also the radio silly season where deck chairs might get shifted ready for 2026. There have already been some surprising exits, like Bill McDonald from 4BC, Gary Adshead from ABC Perth a year into his new role and Ben, Liam and Belle from Nova networked Late Drive only a couple of weeks after the team relocated to Adelaide. And roles still to be filled like Nova nights which were hosted nationally by Kent ‘Smallzy’ Small.
At a higher level SCA is in the midst of a potential merger with Seven West Media, Nine Radio assets are apparently for sale to John Singleton (subscription required), Craig Hutchison or some sort of trade for Nova stations depending on what you read and, on October 2 ARN CEO Ciaran Davis stepped down. All three speculated or real decisions have profound impact on the state of play for the whole industry next year.
Rather than trying to predict anything ahead of Survey 6, I’ll share a few results I’ve got my eye on.
In Perth, Nova 93.7‘s Nath, Nat and Shaun (main image) have been No 1 on breakfast for a long time. But Nath, Nathan Morris (in the centre), has been absent for several months now without explanation. He returned to air briefly back in May explaining the absence was due to personal reasons that he wasn’t yet able to talk about and then he vanished again. I support Nova looking after their staff but their listeners, every time Nat and Shaun do anything, ask after Nath without any reply. Frustrating for them, and may lead to drops Survey 6.
In Sydney, at Nova 969, Kate Ritchie returned to breakfast after a personal break on August 8. Nearly all of this survey period includes her input alongside Fitzy and Wippa. Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfi also had the opportunity, as the guest of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, to bring his successful 36 Months campaign to a world stage at the United Nations General Assembly. There have been rumours doing the rounds that this show is going to wrap up this year too. Will be interesting to see how Nova 969 fares across the whole day with the previously mentioned vacancies and soon to end shows.
Main image left to right; Nova 106.9 Brisbane’s David ‘Luttsy’ Lutteral, Brisbane Lion Lachie Neale, NRLW Brisbane Bronco Ali Brigginshaw, NRL Bronco Pat Carrigan and Nova’s Ash Bradnam surrounded by the silverware won by Brisbane teams. Image supplied.
Brisbane is currently bathed in sporting glory after victory in the NRL, NRLW and the AFL. You would think that will benefit 104.5 Triple M, SENQ 693, 4BC and the local ABC but anything is possible. BBQ Bob Gallagher on 4BH to crack the top 3 on breakfast as a break from all the sports perhaps?
And finally, KIIS 1065 and KIIS 101.1‘s Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O, who were slapped with wet lettuce by ACMA at the start of this month over comments made last year as they were trying to make their mark in Melbourne. With Ciaran Davis going and Duncan Campbell departed, the two biggest champions of K&J, this survey result for the stations and the show really matters. They will want to keep hold of breakfast #1 in Sydney, ahead of Ben Fordham, and gain ground in Melbourne – both of which happened in Survey 5. I would suggest that if the above happens, and KIIS 97.3‘s Robin, Kip and Corey Oates do slip further in Brisbane, more networking in 2026 might ensue.
Radioinfo will have all the results, cumes, spin, DAB+ and more of GfK Survey 6 at 9:30am Tuesday morning October 14. Join us then.
Jen Seyderhelm is a writer, editor and podcaster for Radioinfo.
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