Today we speak to SCA Head of Content Craig Bruce about the first Nielsen Survey of the year.

Shortly we’ll speak to DMG’s Paul Jackson and ARN’s Duncan Campbell.

Southern Cross Austereo has had a terrific start to the year with both stations up in Sydney and the Triple M brand up everywhere on the eastern seaboard. 

radioinfo: What went so right for Triple M?

Craig Bruce: We have certainly made a concerted effort to give it a slightly more contemporary feel and we are focussing more on under 40’s men. I must acknowledge that Fitzy (Mike Fitzpatrick) has done a  brilliant job with those three stations. They are aligned from a targeting perspective and we are really happy with how that is coming together and we think there is still growth to come.

I think it is a combination of a good, well executed music strategy, and our shows are strong and consistent. Eddie (McGuire) Mick (Molloy) and Luke (Darcy) have been in Melbourne for three years and it is a really strong show with a very strong following.

The Grill team Sydney, and now the Grill Team Brisbane is into its second year. But there is some consistency across the board – a really strong Drive offering with Merrick (Watts) so really happy how Triple M is placed and obviously with the NRL to come and hopefully some extra TSL (time spent listening) into the weekends.

If you look at our Monday Friday figures. In Sydney we’re into the sixes (on Triple M) Monday to Friday and if we can get some extra TSL through football that would be a six something in that market. Then if we could get a strong 10 at 2Day (it is sitting at 9 ½ at the moment) it would be a very, very strong result for us.

radioinfo: Things aren’t quite as rosy in Adelaide.

Craig Bruce: SAFM had a significant breakfast change.  Micheal Beveridge is into Breakfast and that show has gone up point seven. Nova’s show is down a point. I am really confident that we will be the number two breakfast show in Adelaide within the next two books and I think we will be challenging Mix by the end of the year with Michael Beverage. If we are not in the 12’s by the end of the year I will be astonished.

So, we are really happy. Triple M, Sydney and Melbourne are outstanding! Today a really strong result. Fox is holding up… you know it is a tough market in Melbourne at the moment. But I think we have turned around some momentum at the back end of the year and we are confident about the next couple of results for Fox.

In Brisbane 4Triple M has had an excellent result. B105 is still finding its way but look overall it is a pretty good start to the year.

radioinfo: Up until now, Triple M has had just a toe in the water broadcasting just one NRL game a week. But this year it will be full on football with four games each weekend…

Craig Bruce: We are really excited about it and we just think it is that missing link in the puzzle for Sydney’s Triple M. We have had a lot of success in Melbourne with the football, and AFL football has a stranglehold on Melbourne. In Sydney with the NRL, if we can grow TSL in the weekend then that is going to really help.

radioinfo: With three or four music stations breathing down its neck, you must be pleased with 2Day FM’s resilience.

Craig Bruce: You know, I think that people underestimate the consistency of that product. It has been #1 for 50 odd surveys in a row. It is an extraordinary effort from that team. It is an amazing product team and an incredible Breakfast show. And to defend in Sydney for so long and to do so consistently well, it is a credit to them and they have had a very good result today and they will be celebrating there for sure.

radioinfo: 2Day even reaches into the 40-54 bracket where it is #3 with a 9.4 share…

Craig Bruce: Well that’s people who’ve grown up with Kyle and Jackie O They have probably listened to them in the HOT 30 and then when they went to into Drive. Kyle and Jack, when they get on a roll and they have those great  relationship topics and general conversation, they have that chemistry that I think works  for all people. And all the great breakfast shows that have worked over the years have had broad appeal. That is Kyle and Jackie’s strength, that they work for both men and women –  10-17’s through to 40-54 and  that’s been a success for a long period of time.

radioinfo: Is there any sort of blip on the new Hamish and Andy hour?

Craig Bruce: No it is too early. We have taken the waves from Survey Eight into this book, so it’s only two weeks out of the last ten. I don’t think we will see anything till Survey Three or Four.

radioinfo: I’m not expecting huge numbers in that 9 till 10 hour, but you just never know with Hamish and Andy. 

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Speking of Hamish and Andy, yesterday Ed Sheeran joined the boys for the entire second hour of their weekly Drive show, on a segment titled ‘Ed Sheeran versus Every Artist on our Playlist’, whereby Ed played the intro of every song played on the show.

During his hour Ed covered some of the station’s biggest hits, including:

·         Impossible, James Arthur

·         I Knew You Were Trouble, Taylor Swift

·         Same Love, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

And he even took on himself, performing the opening of his latest hit, Give Me Love. See below how he tackles Taylor Swift.