ABC Melbourne has recorded its strongest ratings result in several surveys, posting an overall audience share jump from 4.1 per cent to 5.5 per cent in the fourth survey period of the year — the largest single-station increase across the entire Melbourne radio market. The result arrives despite a rocky start for new Drive host Charlie Pickering, whose debut weeks were clouded by controversy over comments he made about autism advocate Grace Tame.
A Turnaround After Historically Poor Results
The fourth survey, results for which were released on Tuesday morning, covers the period from April 19 to June 27 — and represents a significant reversal of fortune for a station that had endured back-to-back historically poor performances earlier in the year.
The Drive time slot told the sharpest story. Having begun 2026 with its worst-ever ratings result, the program's audience share more than doubled, climbing from 2.7 per cent to 5.2 per cent. It is worth noting, however, that the majority of the survey window fell under the tenure of outgoing host Ali Moore, who was replaced by Pickering at the start of June. Stations frequently receive a ratings bump as a long-serving host departs, meaning Pickering cannot claim sole credit for the turnaround.
Gains were recorded across the schedule. The Breakfast show, co-hosted by Bob Murphy and Sharnelle Vella, edged up from 4.9 per cent to 5.3 per cent, while Raf Epstein's Mornings program rose 1.4 percentage points to reach a 6.2 per cent share.
The Grace Tame Controversy That Shadowed Pickering's First Week
Pickering's transition into the Drive chair was not without turbulence. During his opening week, the host made comments to right-wing media figure Avi Yemini describing the ABC's decision to feature Grace Tame in a four-part podcast series on autism as "problematic". The remarks drew swift public criticism and put the new host under immediate pressure.
Pickering subsequently issued a partial retraction, stating he "should have known better" but characterising the original comments as a personal perspective rather than a reflection of any editorial position. The episode raised questions about how the controversy might affect his standing with the station's audience — questions that the latest survey results appear, at least partially, to have answered in his favour, though the bulk of the data predates his tenure.
Melbourne's Commercial Landscape: Nova on Top, 3AW Dominant
Across Melbourne's broader radio market, the competitive breakfast battle among commercial stations remained fierce, with Nova's Jase & Lauren emerging as the clear leaders after jumping from a 9.4 per cent share to 10.4 per cent — enough to overtake Gold FM's Christian O'Connell Show, which slipped from 10 per cent to 8.7 per cent. Fox FM's Fifi, Fev & Nick also performed strongly, lifting from 9.5 per cent to 10 per cent, making for a tight three-way contest for listeners and advertising dollars.
Talkback giant 3AW — which recently changed hands, passing into the ownership of the Laundy family, known for their pokies and pub interests — continues to dominate the Melbourne market overall with a commanding 14.2 per cent share. Its breakfast program with Russ & Ross was even stronger, rising from 19.1 per cent to 20.1 per cent, an extraordinary lead over every other station in the city.
Gold FM held second place overall with a 10.8 per cent share, down from 11.5 per cent in the previous survey.
KIIS Holds Steady After Kyle and Jackie O Exit
ARN's KIIS FM has remained relatively stable following the high-profile departure of The Kyle and Jackie O Show, with its breakfast slot recording a modest dip of 0.2 percentage points to a 4.8 per cent share — compared with the 5 per cent share the programme held in the first survey of the year when the now-sacked duo were on air. On a cumulative listener basis, however, the slot actually grew, with total individual listeners rising from 440,000 to 447,000 across the survey period.
Not all of the ABC's radio portfolio shared in Melbourne's good news. ABC Radio National continued to slide, falling from a 1.8 per cent share to just 1.4 per cent. Its breakfast program, hosted by Sally Sara, dropped from 1.7 per cent to 1.2 per cent in the Melbourne market.
For ABC Melbourne, though, Tuesday's results offer genuine encouragement — and a foundation for Pickering to build on as he settles into a role that will be fully reflected in future surveys. Whether the Drive program can sustain its dramatic rise, or whether the numbers partly reflect a farewell bump for Moore, will become clearer when the next survey results are published.
