Image supplied by ARN

At what point can a radio show in a particular market legitimately be declared a failure?

GfK Survey 4 is out tomorrow and – six months into the year and with six months of audience sentiment – it’s shaping up as the most important book for ARN, according to experienced content and music executive Irene Hulme.

Front of mind will be the numbers for Kyle & Jackie O in Melbourne. As Hulme points out on the latest Game Changers Radio podcast, with the cume trend for K & J already down, one more drop is going to make it very hard to defend the strategy.

Hulme tells Radio Today “Four surveys in, we’re seeing a trend, not a ratings blip.”

And with Survey 5 not out until September, Hulme says tomorrow’s result will be critical, both strategically and commercially.

“For Kyle & Jackie O in Melbourne, Survey 4 will tell us if they’re starting to stabilise or if 2025’s a failure.”

“These results are really the last chance to influence 2026 plans, including networking K & J into additional markets and the possible expansion of Melbourne’s The Christian O’Connell Show, if the speculation is true.”

“Plus, a strong performance in Survey 4 will likely impact commercial outcomes for the remainder of the year.”

ARN CEO Ciaran Davis himself recently described K & J’s Melbourne launch as an “unmitigated disaster.”

Whilst K & J remain a breakfast radio powerhouse in Sydney, the most recent survey saw them slip to a 5.1 share in Melbourne – shedding 30,000 in cume – and placing them below the ABC and just one point clear of AM sport station SEN.

Will ARN continue to tell us they’re in it for the long haul? Probably. But even they know there’s a difference between long and endless.

The Magnificent Seven

Meanwhile, The Game Changers Radio podcast is taking votes for the best music announcer currently on Australian radio.

The Game Changers team has narrowed the list down to ‘The Magnificent Seven,’ which includes Nic Kelly (Hit Network Nights), Tim Lee (The Fox), Gordie Waters (KIIS), Mel Tracina (Nova), Dave ‘Higgo’ Higgins (Gold 104.3), Ellie Angel Mobbs (B105) and ‘Dangerous’ Dave Williams (Triple M Melbourne).

You can cast your vote here via the Game Changers Radio Instagram page.