I believe the word is “beleaguered”. Radio 4BC has had another shocker of a radio ratings survey — but it wasn’t entirely bad news.
As I mentioned in my post yesterday, both Bill McDonald and Sofie Formica bucked the trend and added to their audience share.
Picking up on this, a media industry veteran, who I shall call Anon of Brisbane, has sent me these observations:
Across the week, people are listening to 4BC for much longer than they were a year ago. Time Spent Listening (or TSL) is up from 8h34m to 10h03m. That’s huge! Essentially TSL measures whether people like a station or show. *Yes, it can also be influenced by competitions that are designed to keep you listening for longer.
So, overall, people are enjoying the station more, and importantly listening to more ads, than they did a year ago. The problem for 4BC is that the number of unique listeners has fallen, from 153k to 134k. They need to advertise and attract new and lapsed listeners.
It’s a different story at Breakfast time, where the number of listeners is up year-on-year, from 79k to 86k, but Peter Fegan’s TSL is down. From 3hrs34m per listener per week (on average) a year ago to 3hrs per week in survey 5 this year. The difference? [Previous Breakfast hosts] Laurel, Gary and Mark were still on air for survey 5 last year.
Listeners don’t like Fegan as much as they liked LGM. They’re sampling him, but not sticking.
For a more positive story, Nine management might look to Afternoons, where people are listening to Sofie for longer. 2h34m a year ago, and 2h58m now. People like her show now more than they did a year ago, and that’s what you want to see.
Unfortunately for Sofie, her cume (cumulative audience) is down 9k listeners compared to a year ago, and that is holding back her share of listening, which is cume x TSL. Sofie’s share is steady on 3.9% year-on-year – testament to just how long her listeners are sticking around each day. But if she could get more people to sample her show, she could really be on an upward trajectory.
The lesson for Sydney management might be: spend some money on the promotion of 4BC, but base the campaign around Sofie Formica.
To me, these observations ring true, but they also raise a big question: If Formica is a big asset for 4BC, why keep her “buried” in the afternoon slot that almost always performs badly for talk stations? Is she not worthy of one of the headline gigs?
Meanwhile, I couldn’t find mention of 4BC in official Nine Radio media releases about the ratings, but here’s an excerpt from an article in Radio Today referencing an interview national content manager Greg Byrnes gave to Steve Ahern:
Survey 5 brought with it a solid increase for 4BC Brisbane Mornings host and former TV sports reporter Bill McDonald.
Byrnes says McDonald’s come a long way since he first dipped his toe into talkback.
“It’s really pleasing to see a big increase like that. For Bill today, it’s a wonderful day.”
Also pleasing, says Byrnes, are the gains achieved by fellow 4BC hosts Sofie Formica and Gary Hardgrave this book.
As Byrnes well knows, Bill McDonald has, in the not-too-distant past, rated much higher than his current figure, which I (and others) would argue has been dragged down by the poorly performing Breakfast show.
If Nine Radio is serious about making a go of 4BC, it needs to have a good look at these ratings results — and some of its own shelved research into the Brisbane market that challenges its lazy, Sydney-centric narrative of what talk radio should be and do.
And it needs to do something. Or, given the persistent rumours that the radio network will be sold, is that a can to be kicked down the street for the new owners to pick up?
Mister Brisbane is free to read, but if you appreciate what I’m doing here, and/or
at The Wrinkle and Radio Bert, you can buy me a coffee.
Do you need a VPN? Following this link to get Surfshark helps me too!
Disclaimer: Brett Debritz used to work as a producer at 4BC when the ratings were healthier than they are now.
Brett? Is that you? Your page seems to be hacked. What’s the reason for the sudden turnaround in sentiment about the poorly managed 4BC?
Why the compliments for Sofie when on a share to salary ratio, she is the least successful and most expensive? Are you on her payroll?
Their results, content and leadership don’t justify such a constructively positive article.
With full confidence, I and many would say that Nine Radio has done more to damage the brand of 4BC than the previous boys club of Singo and his cronies.