2GB has ended the year with another solid win in Sydney's radio ratings, despite the station suffering its worst result in 18 months.
The AM heavyweight dropped 1.2 points in the final radio survey of 2019 for a final overall audience share of 12.1 per cent, ahead of Smooth FM 95.3 (9.3 per cent) and ABC Sydney (8.9 per cent).
It marks 2GB's poorest result since April 2018, when the station's overall share fell to 11.5 per cent.
2GB shock jock Alan Jones.Credit:Nick Moir
The AM station – part of the Macquarie Media radio network owned by Nine, which is also the owner of The Sydney Morning Herald – endured a turbulent year to finish atop the Sydney radio ratings for what marks its 125th consecutive survey win. There were multiple personnel changes across the station's daily lineup, and breakfast host Alan Jones saw his show’s advertising revenue drop by 50 per cent following his comments about New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in August.
On Friday, the station announced that veteran broadcaster Steve Price would be making way for former Today co-host Deborah Knight who will be taking over his afternoon slot in 2020.
In Tuesday's final survey – which took in the period from September 29 to December 7 – 2GB maintained its lead in the 5.30-9am breakfast slot with a 14.7 per cent audience share (down 1.4 per cent), over KIIS 1065 (11.4 per cent, up 0.2 points) and ABC Sydney (10.5 per cent, up 0.8 points).
A close race in the 4pm-7pm drive slot was claimed by KIIS 1065 (9.6 per cent, down 0.1 points), over ABC Sydney (9.3 per cent, up 0.4 points) and Nova 96.9 (9.2 per cent, down 0.2 points).
In other results, Triple M saw a dismal end to a promising year, dropping 1.2 points for a total audience share of 5.2 per cent. The FM station had increased its audience share to 6.4 per cent, up almost two points, across the year – led largely by Lawrence Mooney's incremental success in the breakfast slot – before Tuesday's fall.
The biggest gain of the survey, meanwhile, went to ABC Sydney in the 7pm-midnight slot – which takes in Evenings with departing host Chris Bath until 10pm, and Nightlife with Phil Clark and Sarah MacDonald from 10pm onwards. The station's ratings increased by 3.2 percentage points in the timeslot for an overall audience share of 12.1 per cent, behind 2GB's 14.8 per cent share (down 1.1 points).
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