Talk radio shines as 2GB grow thanks to the Olympics, even without Alan Jones

Jason Morrisson (15.7%) has continued to grow Alan Jones audience (up 1.1%) whilst Jones has been absent battling prostate cancer. Thanks to the Olympics, 2GB remain Sydney’s Number 1 radio station with 13.4% of the commercial share with 2DAYFM (12.1%) second, up 1.3%.

ABC 702 (9.0%) held onto third despite dropping 1.6% to be just ahead of NOVA (8.6%) and 2UE (7.3%).

Triple M (5.2%) continued to head southwards (down 0.4%) and VEGA (4.4%) decided to join them (down 0.9%) for this survey as the trend was reversed for WSFM (6.7%) who grew by 1.3% and MIX (7.0%) who increased 0.2%.

Tony, Bec and Mikey on VEGA’s Breakfast is in trouble with only 3.4% of the share while Mix Mornings with Sonia and Todd are performing as poorly as the all ready axed Shebang, both 4.7%, so is the writing on the wall for Sonia and Todd?

2DAY FM’s Kyle and Jackie O (12.1%) held onto second in breakfast followed by ABC 702’s Adam Spencer (10.2%), NOVA’s Merrick and Rosso and Kate Ritchie (9.7%) and 2UE’s Mike and Sandy (7.3%).

Drive was all 2DAYFM’s Hamish and Andy (15.9%) with ABC 702’s Richard Glover (9.9%) second. NOVA’s The Wrong Way Home (8.8%), 2GB’s Phillip Clark (8.7%) and MIX 106.5’s Lars Peterson (8.2%) also did well.

Nights were understandably belonging to 2GB (18.1%) with the coverage of the Olympics followed by the Love God, Richard Mercer (9%) on MIX and 2UE’s Stuart Bocking (8.5%).

With Alan Jones back to work on Tuesday morning it will be business as usual for 2GB who continue to dominate the Sydney Radio Market while 2DAY FM continue to ‘own’ the FM band.

Fire up Bruce!

Seven Sport ace Bruce McAvaney has come under heavy criticism from fellow race callers and the general public because of his ‘underwhelming’ calling of the swimming at the Beijing Olympics.

His commentary has been described by Channel Nine sports commentator Andrew Voss, as “to cool for school” on 2UE’s Mike and Sandy Breakfast Show. Voss’ comments have summarised what the general public are feeling.

McAvaney is an excellent commentator and was Channel Seven’s face of the Olympics until this year when his younger, fresher faced colleague, Matthew White replaced him. Bruce is synonymous with the Australian broadcast of the Olympic Games, his knowledge is unrivalled and Billy Birmingham even created a special tribute to the Olympic voice under the guise of The Twelfth Man’s “Bruce 2000”. McAvaney calls the Athletics brilliantly but his lack of animation is not doing swimming any justice.

Arguably swimming would be one of the most animated and exciting sports to watch on television or live, second to the 100M athletics final. Channel Nine’s Ray Warren has been the voice of swimming for the Commonwealth Games and the Australian Championships as well as being heard on Foxtel but with the Olympic Games on Seven, we cannot hear the best caller in the business call the sport.

We barely knew that Stephanie Rice broke the world record, won GOLD and became the Olympic Champion in the 200m and 400m individual medley because of McAvaney’s hapless call.

Poolside interviewer Daniel Kowalski has also disappointed by forgetting important facts about the person he is interviewing, like the fact that the interviewee, Stephanie Rice or Eamon Sullivan just broke the world record.

Overall Seven’s swimming commentary has been poor. Luckily Duncan Armstorng is a member of the team but he and McAvaney have not developed a good synergy and he is also not the most animated character.

Swimming commentary needs to compliment the visual excitement by getting you sitting on the edge of your seat and raising the hairs on the back of your neck but this is not happening with McAvaney’s call. The network has obviously left incumbent, Dennis Cometti at home to call the AFL. He has called the swimming for Seven at previous Olympic Games and does an excellent job, so why is he at home?

At least the next Olympics will be on Nine so swimming can be called by Ray Warren. Having said that, Warren commented at the Olympic Swim Trials earlier this year that he is no guarantee for London 2012 as he is not the best traveller.

Come on Rabs... Go for Gold. You know you want to be there – just push through. At least Nicole Livingstone and Gian Rooney will be able to lend a hand and hopefully Armstrong returns to that team because they are the best swimming callers in the country.

But for Bruce, it is time to fire up and call the 100M freestyle in about an hour’s time because this will be fast and it will need a champion call. You can do it Bruce...

If you’re not confident in Bruce McAvaney however then you can hear Nicole Livingstone as she is partnering Ray Hadley and they can be heard on 2GB and the Macquarie Radio Network, now there is a good race caller who is excited and animated.

It's all Seven

It is no surprise that Seven took the week with a massive audience tuning into Friday night’s opening ceremony capturing more than 50% of the televised audience with more than seven million people nation wide tuning into the start of the Beijing Olympics.

Seven beat Nine by 10% last week, thanks to the Olympics which saw the figures:

Seven 34.8%
Nine 24.8%
Ten 18.4%
ABC 16.7%
SBS 5.3%

OzTam

Throughout the Games, Seven will be heavily promoting the new batch of shows which are set to launch after the Olympics. All ready Packed to the Rafters is being heavily pushed and a sexed-up Dancing With the Stars promotion has also aired, bringing the show into 2008.

Jamie Durie will be back on our screens with The Outdoor Room, a new series of Border Security plus the UK’s own version of The Apprentice. I hold my breath as the US version failed to excite viewers on Nine, the UK one looks no different however an Australian version might go down well with John Singleton perhaps?

If your sick of the Olympics then think again because Nine and Ten are screening a summer-esque line-up of repeats, failed programs and C-Grade movies.

All eyes will be on Seven and SBS as the Olympic action takes place over the next two weeks.

You cannot beat this television.