A new breakfast line-up at 92.9 will spearhead the station’s ratings push from October 25, coinciding with the first week of the penultimate radio ratings survey for this year.
A new breakfast line-up at 92.9 will spearhead the station’s ratings push from October 25, coinciding with the first week of the penultimate radio ratings survey for this year.
The team, consisting of Natalie Bevilacqua, Luke Bolland, Bernie Brittain, and John Bleby will need to lift the morning ratings pace for 92.9, which is according to Austereo general manager Linda Wayman the most crucial timeslot of the day.
“It does affect the rest of the days ratings,” Ms Wayman said.
The current trio – Zara, Troy and Bernie – have hosted the breakfast show for the past four years, but fell away in the past two ratings surveys, from a 14.2 percentage share in Nielsen Media radio ratings survey four to 10.4 per cent of the breakfast market in survey six.
The result put them third in the FM breakfast session with rival network 96fm taking second place.
Mix 94.5 maintained its breakfast dominance in the latest survey with a 20.1 percentage share.
Nova 937, which made changes to its breakfast team earlier this year, has risen from 6.6 per cent to 9.2 per cent of the market this year.
Ms Wayman said it was clear that Zara and Troy would be leaving the station after they signed one-year contracts last year.
“We’ve always known that they were going to go and pursue their other interests,” she said.
“I think this is actually a world first in terms that it’s been ego free and everyone has known about it and we’ve openly been trialling different people.”
Those include 23-year-old Mr Bolland, who currently hosts the drive segment, called The Show, with Sally Rope, and The Show’s anchor and producer, John Bleby.
Joining them is mother of four Natalie Bevilacqua and current breakfast show host Bernie Brittain.
Radio insiders suggest the move will help 92.9 shift back to an older audience, albeit the 25-39 group, which has been slipping in the past few surveys despite gains in the under-18 market.
Ms Wayman said the move would broaden 92.9’s offering.
“We are strong in the 25-34 female market; we’re number one and we’re number one with females under 40, so now we are trying to broaden it and have a male appeal,” she said.
“So rather than be about getting an older audience, it’s more about getting broader.”
Much of the growth in the under-18 market had come from its popular evening show, the Hot 30.
Ms Wayman expects to see positive ratings results in about six months’ time.
“With breakfast shows you basically start at the bottom of the heap. It does take quite a big hit because radio is so much about identifying with the people and connection with them,” she said.
