Singo wants Hadley back at 2GB but Levy's results say: why bother?

Speculation around the future of Nine’s talk radio network has reignited talk that Ray Hadley could return to the mornings slot he occupied for two decades.

Hadley has publicly said he would only come back if his long-time mentor John Singleton bought the network.

But the data from Survey 1 to 7 this year raises a practical question: why revisit the past when Mark Levy is holding steady in every key metric?

Levy’s 2025 numbers are ahead of Hadley’s 2024 results across the board.

Data from GfK shows that Levy's cume is up 7,000 listeners, share has increased by 0.2, average audience has grown by 2,000 and commercial share is up by 0.3.

Meanwhile, sources have shared data from Nine showing time spent listening (TSL) has held steady, and the program’s average listener age has shifted from 61 to 58 - a demographic improvement most talk stations actively pursue.

The gains are incremental, but the trend is clear.

For any prospective owner, the question is no longer whether Hadley could return, but why you would disrupt a program that is quietly strengthening its position.

Meanwhile, uncertainty over the future of the network continues.

Nine executives remain publicly cautious about the ongoing strategic review of its radio assets.

When asked for clarity by Mediaweek, Nine Radio's Head of Content Greg Byrnes kept his answer narrow: “They’re looking at a variety of options – selling or retaining. That’s being run by the CEO, and I don’t know any more.”

That caution reflects a competitive bidding environment. As reported by The Australian, up to a dozen expressions of interest have been lodged for the network - some even before CEO Matt Stanton announced in September that Nine had received “a number of unsolicited offers” for its audio division.

Recent reports suggested a verbal agreement had been reached with a consortium led by John Singleton, with speculation of a $25–30 million offer.

But a senior source told Mediaweek this is incorrect, confirming no deal has been struck with Singleton or any other party.

For now, the future of 2GB, 3AW, 4BC and 6PR remains tied to the outcomes of Nine’s strategic review - and Levy’s steady performance raises the possibility that the mornings slot may not need revisiting at all.

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