The young guns and old hands are taking over the Canberra radio waves as HIT 104.7 came out on top in the first ratings survey to take in listening habits during the coronavirus pandemic, while Radio National's breakfast presenter Fran Kelly also saw a dramatic increase in local listeners.
104.7, led by the breakfast team of Ned Breward and Josh Torney, overtook sister station MIX 106.3 to snare 20.6 per cent of the listening audience, up 4.7 percentage points on the previous survey.
The ratings were measured between February 2 and March 28, meaning they took in the arrival of the coronavirus in Australia and the progressive shutdown around the nation.
The results saw listeners falling slightly for ABC Radio Canberra but Radio National had a dramatic increase in its share of Canberra listeners, from 6.4 to 9.5 per cent, with its breakfast show with Fran Kelly increasing an massive 5.9 percentage points from 10 per cent to 15. 9 per cent.
That placed Radio National second overall in the agenda-setting breakfast slot.
MIX 106.3 had 16.9 per cent, down 2.1 percentage points, the fall reflected in numbers for its breakfast show.
ABC Radio Canberra was third overall and the most listened-to AM station, with 11.1 per cent of the audience, down 0.3 percentage points but still enough to pull it ahead of JJJ, which came in fourth at 10.4 per cent.
The new-year lineup at ABC Radio Canberra was also tested for the first time, with breakfast with Lish Fejer falling slightly by 0.6 percentage points, mornings with Adam Shirley was down 1.8 percentage points and afternoons with Paula Kruger staying steady, down 0.1 percentage points.
Drive with Anna Vidot did experience an increase in listeners, from 7.5 to 7.8 per cent.
HIT 104.7's win was powered by its young breakfast team of Ned Breward and Josh Torney, who dominated the critical slot, increasing 4.3 percentage points to 18.9 per cent.
Canberra FM Radio owns both HIT 104.7 and MIX 106.3. Its content director Rod Cuddihy said the ratings successes were "victory for familiar personalities in the face of global uncertainty", adding he "couldn't be prouder of Ned and Josh in their third year with us".
"After coming back from holidays early to lead HIT 104.7's emergency bushfire coverage, to their relentless in-market activity, right up to the C-19 lockdown, they stuck with our audiences. Today's results show that Canberra has stuck with Ned and Josh," he said.
