Radio ratings rundown
Survey No. 1 results have just been released. Here are a few of my first thoughts. Also: Olympics update, toasting the Hilton, cat cafe closes, Fox to reopen
And the winner in the first GfK official radio ratings survey for 2025 is B105.
The longtime leader fell 0.9 points overall, but remained in first place, as did its Breakfast show with Stav, Abby and Matt, which was steady on a 14.1pc share of audience.
Triple M was in second place overall and in Breakfast, followed by Nova 106.9, whose Breakfast show had a statistically insignificant 0.1 drop after the addition of Nikki Osborne to the line-up.
KIIS was fourth overall and in Breakfast, although Kip, Robin and Corey — who are desperate to stay competitive — dropped 0.5 points. They remain the most popular show on the station, though. And the Kyle and Jackie O Show, touted to replace them, put on a negligible 0.1 points in the Melbourne market, where despite heavy promotion it remains far behind the front-runners.
The biggest gainer in Breakfast was Peter Fegan at 4BC, who added 1.2 points to reach 4.4, still a long way from troubling the market leaders and nearly 4 points behind his direct news-talk competitors at the ABC, Craig Zonca and Loretta Ryan.
Overall, 4BC stayed steady at a low 4.4pc share, but the combination of Drive with Gary Hardgrave and Wide World of Sports with Peter Psaltis got a terrible 2.7 — less than ABC Classic in that timeslot. The ABC rated 4.8 in Drive, suggesting people prefer music and comedy to news, talk and sport at that time of day.
While 4BH suffered the biggest loss overall, it remained ahead of its AM rivals.
I have an appointment this morning, so I’ll post more results deeper analysis in the next newsletter, which won’t be far away.
Mister Brisbane is free to read, but I do put a lot of time and thought into it. If you appreciate what I’m doing here, and/or at The Wrinkle, you can buy me a coffee. No pressure.
Not so lucky
I guess I can add the Lucky Cat cafe, which I pass on my way into the city, as another place I’ll never visit.
It’s empty and looking for a new lessee.
However, there’s news that the Fox Hotel in South Brisbane, where British comedian Lee Mack once worked, has new owners and will be refurbished and reopened — presumably after the roadworks (which I believe are related to the “Metro”) are finished.
Last drinks
As I said I would, I raised a glass to the past with a final drink at the Brisbane Hilton before it closes for a rebrand on April 1.
I asked one of the staff whether it meant they were all out of work and at the time, last Friday, she said they were still waiting to hear.
I hope those people who work there and wish to remain are reemployed by the new management.
Game over for delays
Not everybody is happy with Premier David Crisafulli’s announcement of the Olympic and Paralympic Games venues.
People who want to keep the green space at Victoria Park are unhappy about losing it to the new stadium; people who thought a fully federally funded Brisbane Live venue would be a definite starter found out they were wrong*; and some nostalgia buffs are just working out that the historic Gabba cricket ground is destined to be demolished.
Cynics suggest that all the work that needs to be done might not get done in the seven years between now and the Games — especially if the government has to deal with legal action on top of the almost inevitable construction delays due to availability of workers and materials, the increasingly wacky weather, possible industrial action and other unforeseen circumstances.
The plan is not what I hoped for, but I’m also glad it wasn’t me who had to make the decisions (especially since I favour a whole new way of doing it).
All I’ll say now is that you can bet that the prices they’re quoting to build the infrastructure needed by 2032 will be very wrong, because these estimates always are. Watch this space.
*David Crisafulli has said he’s confident Brisbane Live will be built by private enterprise, but there’s no timetable on that. Many of us would like to have had the guarantee of a government-funded replacement for the ageing and never-well-located Brisbane Entertainment Centre (“Boondall”) opening before or at the same time as the Games.
Disclaimer: In another lifetime, Brett Debritz worked for Nine Radio. He has also been heard on most Brisbane radio stations and quite a few in other places.
Cheers!