Nine’s Tom Malone on the rise of AM radio and the thirst for news

Chris Pash
By Chris Pash | 29 September 2020
 

AM radio picked up audience share in the latest survey, the first since they were suspended in April due to the pandemic, feeding a sharp hunger for news and information about the coronavirus crisis.

Melbourne, with its second lockdown, has 3AW on a 16% overall share, up three percentage points, and a massive 26.1% for breakfast, up 8.8 percentage points.

In Sydney, 2GB is still on top, including during the breakfast slot, with new host Ben Fordham, who replaced Alan Jones in May. He captured 17.3% of the share for the breakfast slot in Sydney.

“The impact of COVID has meant there's a great thirst for the latest news and information,” says Tom Malone, managing director for Nine Radio.

“You see that play out across all markets really and that's been accentuated in Melbourne during the second lockdown.

“What talk radio does better than anyone is the latest news information in an immediate and an intimate environment.

“People turn to us for the latest news and opinion, and then they stick with us for the companionship as well.

“You are seeing this in the results for 3AW and 2GB.”

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