Smooth FM’s quiet rise to the top

While radio has been front page news recently for the all the wrong reasons, one brand has been quietly gathering listeners and advertisers with its offer of more music and a brand safe environment.

Nova Entertainment’s Smooth FM brand continues to build, starting 2026 #1 in share and cume in Sydney. In Melbourne, Smooth is #2 in share, but battles other stations who have slightly higher cumes.

Now with a national cume audience close to 3m, and an improved share of ad dollars, Smooth’s easy-listening ways and focus on music over banter have led it to the top.

Third time lucky for the Smooth brand

The radio licences for what are now Smooth 91.5 (Melbourne) and Smooth 95.3 (Sydney) cost a combined $158m when purchased by Paul Thompson on behalf of DMG Radio at auction 22 years ago.

A year later the new stations were on air, originally branded as Vega FM, with breakfast hosts Shaun Micallef in Melbourne and Angela Catterns in Sydney.

That format crashed and burned in the ratings and subsequent line-up changes eventually morphed into a format change, with Classic Rock stations emerged from the ashes in each market. Ratings and advertisers proved elusive.

Under the guidance of then-DMG Radio CEO Cathy O’Connor, programmer Paul Jackson and marketing guru Tony Thomas made it third time lucky when they unveiled the Smooth brand to listeners in 2012.

By that time, Lachlan Murdoch had bought all of DMG Radio.

The station nearly launched as Easy FM, but trademark issues saw O’Connor go for the second preference: Smooth.

Although advised against it, Thomas forecast a share over time around 6-7%, a modest target that the stations closed in on during their first full survey year.

As head of programming for the Smooth Network Peter Clay told Mumbrella this week that the brand had started modestly with a cume audience under 300,000. It’s grown tenfold since then.

That’s partly because of the listening options. The original Smooth FMs in the two biggest markets have spawned DAB+ stations in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth plus there are spinoff audio offerings Smooth 80s, Smooth Relax and Smooth Vintage.

Listeners can access the stations via the Smooth app on mobile devices, connected TVs, smart speakers, web streaming in addition to traditional broadcast.

The Smooth FM metro network gives advertisers a national footprint. But Clay said they all stand alone profitably.

Peter Clay

“They already pay their own way. Commercially they’re holding their own.”

Those Smooth stations all have dedicated breakfast shows – Bogart Torelli in Sydney (who has been hosting longer than any other Sydney breakfast show), Mike Perso in Melbourne (also the heritage brand in that market), Nick Michaels in Brisbane, Kate Mac in Perth and Kelly Golding in Adelaide.

At a time when the focus has been on the failure of some networked shows (Kyle and Jackie O in Melbourne stand out), Clay emphasises Smooth’s curated, market-specific programming.

“After breakfast, Ty Frost, Simon Diaz and Byron Webb broadcast to all markets, but with individual breaks – each market’s log runs independently.”

Although Melissa Doyle, Richard Wilkins and David Campbell host Smooth networked weekend programming, Clay said they too tailor individual breaks for each market.

It’s an attention to detail that some broadcasters might feel was unnecessary, but in Smooth FM’s case it works.

Radio executives have long remarked how often Smooth sis playing in taxis and Ubers, and Clay reckons that is still the case.

“In retailers too in all markets you will hear Smooth being played.”

Listening trends: Apps taking over

If you are listening to more radio on your phone, you are not alone.

“They are a more accessible way to consume radio,” said Clay. “They work whether you’re on public transport or in a car using CarPlay. In any environment – from exercising to the beach.

“You can take the Smooth Player app wherever you go. You can also spin around to any of our podcasts, also Sky News Radio or any of the other Nova Entertainment stations.”

After the fiery end of the Kyle and Jackie O Show, and new breakfast offerings at four other Sydney stations, there has been talk of the opportunity broadcasters have to pick up new listeners.

“We always program thinking about how we can attract new listeners. We will make sure that people are welcomed and we curate programs for listeners who might have just joined us.”

Clay noted Bogart Torelli has gained 100,000 listeners in the past 12 months to be the most-listened-to Sydney breakfast show. Over the same period Kiis Sydney lost 100,000 listeners at breakfast.

In the Sydney market the shifts hosted by Frost, Diaz, Webb and Cam Daddo are also #1 in cume.

While personalities are an important part of a radio mix, at Smooth FM the music is the not-so-secret weapon.

Clay explained: “It’s just so well put together by music director Kate Mason. She does an incredible job and has done so from day one.”

That music selection is driven by listener surveys.

“We call it the Music Academy, and people join up to be a part of it. They make sure we stay on top of any trends, whether it be something on Tiktok or a resurgence of particular music in a past decade.”

Some detractors reckon it’s as simple as firing up Spotify or Apple Music and requesting an easy listening soundtrack.

“If it was that easy, everyone would be doing it,” responded Clay.

Smooth FM has certainly influenced the music landscape since launch with other FM stations, and even ABC Local Radio, programming more middle of the road tunes, especially across the morning and afternoon dayparts.

Less talk, less celebrity, more music

One thing that has changed are the programs hosted by celebrities that used to populate the Smooth schedule.

“We used to do those celebrity shows on the weekend, which included a lot of impressive people including Olivia Newton-John, Gary Barlow, Robbie Williams, Michael Bublé (also a long-term ambassador for the network), Dolly Parton, Keith Urban, Jimmy Barnes, Paloma Faith, Ronan Keating, James Blunt, Sir Rod Stewart, Neil Diamond, Elton John, Bryan Adams, Sam Smith, and Blondie.

“They were incredible and a lot of fun to do. It was also a lot of work to do. We have since decided that people just want less clutter. They want more music, and less talk. And that’s what our promise is. So we’ve got to deliver on that.”

Not too screechy: Busting a myth about advertising on Smooth

When asked if advertisers have less opportunity at Smooth than they might have elsewhere — for example a station with a celebrity breakfast show — Clay was emphatic.

“Oh, absolutely not,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of clients that value the loyalty of our listeners and the security of the brand. Smooth is a place where advertisers can feel safe.”

He talked about a neurological study that found listeners often didn’t realise they were in an ad break. “We listen to every ad that goes on the station and make sure that it fits. It’s not too yelly, shouty, screechy, or contains annoying sound effects. Everything on the station fits the Smooth model.”

Continued strong ratings have seen the station grow revenues, which previously sat below what the station should be earning for its audience share.

“Having people understand such a powerful brand to advertise with only happens over time. In the beginning there was a discovery process. Advertisers saw how Smooth delivers and learnt how their clients would benefit from it.

“Now everyone’s getting on board because of our track record.”