ABC Sydney records ratings drops right across the board in the latest radio survey

ABC Sydney has suffered a ratings drop across all of their radio programs in the second survey of the year. 

James Valentine’s Breakfast dropped from 11.6 per cent to 10.7 per cent in the latest survey. 

Breakfast is now the third most-listened to breakfast show in Sydney, behind Ben Fordham on 2GB and Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson on KIIS FM. 

Meanwhile, Mornings with Cassie McCullagh dropped 2.1 per cent, recording an audience share of seven per cent.

But the biggest decline was Afternoons, which dropped by 2.5 per cent, with an audience share of just 5.4 per cent. 

Afternoons is hosted by Josh Szeps, who replaced long-time presenter James, 61, back in October. 

Going down: Meanwhile, Mornings with Cassie McCullagh dropped 2.1 per cent, recording an audience share of seven per cent

James took over the breakfast slot in December, and said at the time he was ‘beyond excited’ to assume his new role.

‘I’ve loved presenting Afternoons over the past 20 plus years and I know I’m going to love doing Breakfast,’ he told Mumbrella in October. 

‘It’s a completely different time of the day, so it will be completely different radio. I can’t wait to have a shot at talking with Sydney at the start of each day.’

Meanwhile, after working as a fill-in presenter at the station, Josh, 44, said he was ‘deliriously excited’ to step into the Afternoons role.  

Losing listeners: The biggest decline was Afternoons, which dropped by 2.5 per cent, with an audience share of just 5.4 per cent

‘I’m deliriously excited to be handed the keys to my very own show,’ he told Mumbrella. 

‘I’ve been a fan of James Valentine’s since I was a kid and the Afternoon shift has huge potential for innovation – I see it as a playground to continue creating radio that’s fresh, exciting, unusual, smart and provocative.’ 

Only the Drive show remained relatively stable, recording a decline of 0.9 per cent, for an eight per cent audience share.  

While ABC Sydney was previously the second most-listened to station, they’ve slipped to fifth spot, with a total audience share of 7.9 per cent.  

Faring the best: Only the Drive show remained relatively stable, recording a decline of 0.9 per cent, for an eight per cent audience share. Pictured, Drive host Richard Glover

In Melbourne, Breakfast with Sammy J dropped 1.1 per cent to a total market share of 8.7 per cent.

By comparison, previous Breakfast hosts Sami Shah and Jacinta Parsons were axed in November 2019 with 10.4 per cent of the market share.

But ABC Melbourne’s total market share was up slightly from 7.4 per cent to 7.6 per cent over a seven-day period. 

Slipping: While ABC Sydney was previously the second most-listened to station, they’ve slipped to fifth spot, with a total audience share of 7.9 per cent. Pictured, AM host Sabra Lane