Content boss admits 2DayFM breakfast not expected to top ratings but is ‘a big step forward’
2Day FM’s content boss Craig Bruce has taken a jibe at former breakfast show hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson, but admitted he expects their new shows not to top the radio ratings when the first set of the year are published on Tuesday.
Bruce, who is the head of content for Southern Cross Austereo, described Sydney’s new breakfast show with Jules Lund, Merrick Watts, Sophie Monk and Mel B as “a big step forward from the previous show” in terms of client solutions.
“This is a huge advantage for us now and to be honest it’s a big step forward from the previous show. When you think about Jules and Merrick they’re both commercially savvy and incredibly creative,” he said.
“We have got a great support staff around them from sales teams to programming teams, and we can make virtually anything happen for our clients. We want to be a partner, and not just a platform, and I think for the first time, certainly in Sydney, we’ve got a breakfast show that is absolutely committed to that process.”
The Sydney FM radio market has seen the biggest shake-up of modern times with Kyle and Jackie O moving to new station Kiis106 (formerly Mix) for the breakfast show there, and a big shake up in drive time shows across all networks.
Bruce said it would be a “waste of energy” to focus on immediate audience results from the new breakfast shows, with Fox FM in Melbourne also getting new hosts with Fifi Box and Dave Thornton, as the new shows take time to build an audience.
“Next Tuesday will give us an indication, but our ears will tell us instinctively whether those shows are improving,” he said.
“When you think about FM radio and how it works, I can’t think of a single breakfast show in history in Australia that has launched and gone up in its first survey and that’s unlikely to happen next Tuesday, but we’re okay with that.”
Bruce said SCA are working closely with the new Breakfast with the Stars show to identify its strengths, seek feedback from the audience, and create content opportunities to build a “unique position in the market”.
Bruce also said he is confident in the strength of the new shows on the Triple M network, describing Matt Tilley and Joe Hildebrand on the new national drive show are “genuinely funny.”
Megan Reynolds
Kyle is history
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Kyle who?
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I’m not in Sydney. What is Kiis’ music like? Is it similar to 2day? I’ve often thought that the music is more important than the presenters. I listened to every Get This podcast but I never listened on Triple M. Couldn’t handle the Nickleback but I’ll put up with presenters I don’t like if the music is to my taste.
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I can tell you a breakfast show that was launched on FM and increased its ratings from the previous show. When Kyle and Jackie O replaced Judith Lucy on 2DayFM the ratings went up.
2DayFM without Kyle is like 2UE without Alan. In trouble.
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I expect WS and SMOOTH to benefit.
The new 2Day FM show is a train wreck, while I believe Kyle and Jackie O have had their day and will never achieve the ratings they once did.
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He is right, the new 2Day FM breakfast show is genuinely funny because it is such a DISASTER! Kyle and Jackie O could move to AM and I would follow.
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Only one of the four hosts of the sydney program is actually funny or entertaining…shame Triple M could not keep a hold of him..
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No disrespect to Mr. Bruce, but a little research will tell you that there have been a number of breakfast shows in Australia that have launched and gone up in the first survey. Look at the numbers for Sydney from 1984 to 1991 and then from 2000 to 2007.
History, it’s a powerful ally and a devastating enemy.
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I miss Doug Mulray. And Kenny. And Andrew the Boy Genius from Indoor Cricket. But yeah, that’s back when breakfast radio was entertaining. Now it’s just an ego-pumping cash-generating who-can-offend-the-most circus. ** yearns for old days **
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