Provocative radio duo Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson have ended 2025 on a disappointing note, recording their worst ratings in Melbourne since launching their show in the city two years ago. The latest figures, released on Tuesday morning, reveal a 5 percent audience share for the eighth and final ratings survey of the year, mirroring their performance in the final survey of 2024, albeit with 1,000 fewer cumulative listeners.
This outcome caps a challenging year for the duo, who are under a $200 million decade-long contract with KIIS and its parent company, ARN Media. The network has been compelled to hire multiple censors to prevent Sandilands and Henderson from breaching broadcasting codes—a task made necessary by a dozen infractions in 2025 alone.
Impact on ARN and Advertising Revenue
The poor ratings, coupled with an aggressive campaign by activist group Mad F—ing Witches, have significantly dented ARN’s advertising share since the show expanded to Melbourne in April 2024. The performance has also led to a reconsideration of the planned national rollout of The Kyle and Jackie O Show, a move initially intended to justify the hosts’ lucrative contracts.
In response, ARN has reinstated the breakfast trio Robin, Kip & Corey in Brisbane for 2026 and has recruited former Nova and Triple J personalities Ben Harvey and Liam Stapleton for Adelaide. Notably, Sandilands and Henderson’s show is not broadcast in these markets.
Comparative Performance and Market Dynamics
While KIIS’s 5.4 percent total audience share in Melbourne lags behind its commercial competitors, ARN’s other station, Gold, achieved a 13.3 percent share, securing its position as the top FM station and trailing only slightly behind AM talkback leader 3AW, which holds a 13.9 percent share.
In Sydney, SmoothFM concluded the year as the leading station with a 13 percent market share, up 1.6 percentage points, surpassing 3AW’s sister station, Nine-owned 2GB, which saw a decline from 13.8 to 11.2 percent. Meanwhile, ABC Radio Melbourne ended the year with a 6.5 percent share, a modest increase of 0.2 percentage points, with breakfast duo Sharnelle Vella and Bob Murphy achieving a high of 7.8 percent.
Broader Implications and Future Prospects
The final survey period for 2025, conducted between October 5 and December 13, highlights the shifting dynamics in the radio industry. Nine, the owner of this publication, fielded offers for its radio division during the year but has yet to finalize any deals.
The challenges faced by Sandilands and Henderson underscore the volatile nature of radio broadcasting, where audience preferences and external pressures can rapidly influence market standings. As ARN reassesses its strategies, the broader industry continues to adapt to changing listener habits and competitive pressures.
As the year closes, the radio landscape remains dynamic, with stations vying for audience attention and advertising dollars. The developments in Melbourne and beyond will likely shape strategic decisions in the coming year, as networks strive to balance content innovation with regulatory compliance and market demands.
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