Race to the finish line
The last radio ratings for 2024, farewell to Hugh Cornish, concerns about the 2032 Olympics, empty shops in the CBD and thank you to John Kotzas.
Results of the final radio ratings survey of 2024 have been announced and, to no great surprise, B105 is leading the pack overall and with its Breakfast show with Stav Davidson, Abby Coleman and Matt Acton.
Triple M came second overall, followed by 4BH (the true Cinderella story of 2024!), Nova and KIIS. In Breakfast, it was B105, Nova, KIIS, Triple M and 4BH.
The bad news just keeps on coming for 4BC, with its overall rating at just 4.4pc of available audience and its Breakfast show with Peter Fegan tanking to a 3.3pc share, making 5.30-9am the worst performing weekday timeslot on the station.
While they are still relatively modest, the numbers for Sofie Formica in Afternoons and Gary Hardgrave in Drive, and for Weekends, were up.
On the ABC, overall share was a modest 5.9 but the Breakfast figure for Loretta Ryan and Craig Zonca was up, consolidating their dominance in the news-talk arena in most day parts (except Afternoons) but still off the pace of the frontrunners.
For those following the fortunes of Kyle Sandilands, I can report that the Kyle and Jackie O show was down again, albeit slightly, in Melbourne and while up in Sydney, they surrendered first place in Breakfast to 2GB. Ray Hadley returned to first place in Mornings for his final ratings result.
I will post a deeper dive into these results and my thoughts on radio in 2025 in future editions.
P.S. The survey results were originally due to be released next Tuesday but moved forward so they wouldn’t spoil the holidays (although I reckon some people’s holidays have already been spoiled). Next year’s survey 8 results won’t be revealed until January 20, 2026. It’ll be a long, hot summer for some.
P.P.S. The anonymous author of this article about radio’s power imbalance is spot on. I recommend you take the time to read it and join demands that something be done.
Farewell, Hugh Cornish
I first encountered Hugh Cornish, who has died at the age of 90, when he played piano at my cousin’s wedding. But I already knew him as a familiar face on television.
He was a radio star on both 4IP and 4BH before, in 1959, becoming the first person on TV in Queensland (before my time!). In subsequent years, in the days of local television, he hosted a tonight show and a talent show, Stairway to the Stars, before becoming an executive, first at Channel Nine and then at Seven.
I saw him regularly during the 1980s and 90s due to his association with the Queensland Performing Arts Centre and the Gold Coast Arts Centre (now HOTA) and I always enjoyed his company.
He always said he couldn’t remember exactly what he said on that fateful night on QTQ9 in 1959 “but it was something like, ‘Welcome to television’”. Sadly, no recording exists.
Hugh was one our last links with the early days of TV in Brisbane. It was a different time then and not everything they did in front of the cameras stands up today. But he and others were basically inventing a new form of entertainment as they went along, and I give them full credit for that.
Hugh’s friend John Stainton has called for a state funeral, and I think that is entirely appropriate.
Don’t torch the Olympics
Will the radio and television landscape be the same by the time the Brisbane Olympics come around in 2032?
Quite likely not. Broadcast deals already signed and sealed may never be delivered.
Which is just one more of a thousand things that organisers of the Olympic and Paralympic Games are going to have to worry about over the next seven years.
The Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority — or GIICA, which may be the worst acronym (or initialism) ever — has been tasked with completing its review by completed by March. If you want your say, you can do so here.
My thoughts? The organisers are already running late and history tells us that whatever they agree to will cost way over their estimates and take a lot longer to deliver than they expect.
We’ll be racing to the finish line for sure. But whatever infrastructure is built, it should be both fit for purpose in 2032 and be an asset to the city well beyond then.
Let’s not blow this.
The empty city
A wander through the heart of Brisbane a few days ago has me worried about its future. There’s a heck of a lot of empty shops, especially along Adelaide Street but also in Queen Street.
I assume the increase in people working from home has played a role in lowering the daytime population, but there are also more people living in the CBD than ever. Is the current mix of stores and eateries not filling their needs?
Will the much-vaunted CBD revival ever happen, or will Brisbane join the sad, long list of cities with dilapidated and decidedly dodgy downtown districts?
Arts champion retires
John Kotzas has left the building at QPAC after 30 years. He has done an admirable job there and has played a big role in shaping the city and state’s arts scene.
I join the many, many people who wish him well in his future endeavours. This profile by Phil Brown is well worth reading.
Meantime, please join me in extending a warm welcome to Rachel Healy, who has stepped into this vitally important position.
Meanwhile …
+ Alcohol service on the Story Bridge Adventure Climb? What could possibly go wrong?
+ My bus home during the downpour on Tuesday was overtaken by another bus on the same route. Seems I could’ve caught a later bus and arrived home earlier. How often does this happen?
+ A belated happy 100th birthday to the Brisbane Arcade. Along with many other properties, including the Regent Theatre and the land that became the St Lucia campus of the University of Queensland, it was a gift to the city from the Mayne family. May its owners continue to extend to the arcade the respect that was not given to the Regent.
Disclaimer: Brett Debritz used to work at 4BC back in what now be considered the good old days.