Two important regional surveys have been released today, the NSW Central Coast and the Queensland Gold Coast.
Gold FM won the Gold Coast survey with 19.7%, closely followed by sister station Sea FM with 19.5% then Hot Tomato on 13.4%. Compared with the previous survey, Hot Tomato and Sea FM increased share while Gold FM fell. Sea FM increased by 2.7 share points, Hot Tomato was up 0.8 and Gold FM dropped 3.0 share points.
Sea FM won the 10-39 age groups, while Gold FM won the over 40s. Hot Tomato had good growth in its 10-24 demographics and was second in the 25-39 age group.
Gold won breakfast just slightly ahead of Sea, but lost listeners across all shifts. Hot Tomato increased listeners in breakfast and its day shifts. Sea had increases in all shifts, especially evenings and weekends.
Sea had the biggest increase in listeners, up 20,400 listeners to 155,400. Gold’s cume is 165,900 and Hot Tomato’s is 128,300.
2GO won the Central Coast with 18.0%, followed by Sea FM with 15.4% then Star on 10.5%. The Central Coast has not had a survey for about six years, so previous figures are meaningless for comparison.
2GO won breakfast, morning and afternoons, Sea FM won drive and evenings, and 2GO won weekends. Sea FM won the 10-24 demographics, Star won 25-39s, and 2GO won the over 40 age groups.
The Central Coast survey was the first in the market since Star launched 2 years ago.
Star has attracted 65,200 new listeners on the coast since its launch. 2GO cumes 93,500 listeners and Sea has 86,100.
Star General Manager Cameron Miles has told radioinfo:
“When Star 1045 launched only two years ago we aimed to build a station for adults and young families on the coast. The number one share in 25-39s in this official survey proves we have been successful in attracting these highly sought after and lucrative audiences. We’re thrilled.”
Macquarie Regional Radioworks CEO Rhys Holleran has told radioinfo he is delighted with the one-two win on the Central Coast and has praised the team at 2GO and Sea FM for their effort during the survey period and their consistent performance.
On the Gold Coast Acting General Manager of the Gold Coast Radio Centre, Ian Cousins has told radioinfo:
“The results are again proof
of the continuing dominance of Sea FM and Gold FM in the growing Gold Coast market. This is a very competitive area, stretching from Beenleigh in the north to Kingscliff in the south, and is
serviced by radio stations from the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Northern NSW.
“The Gold Coast Radio Centre is recognised as employing some of Australia’s leading
radio professionals as part of their 84 full time staff.”
Cousins paid tribute to the Sea FM and Gold FM teams, particularly Program Director Jason Matthews and
Promotions Director Kristie Pain, and the breakfast teams of Paul Gale, Moyra Macgregor and Tim Lordan
(Sea FM) and Richard Fowler and Sarah Wharmby (Gold FM) along with the whole on-air line-up.
“Hugely popular promotions such as Gold FM’s Really Big Vegas Wedding that saw the nuptials of
100 couples at Conrad Jupiters, and Sea FM’s It’s Your Choice sending a family to Disneyland in California,
had certainly contributed to the success of the survey.
“We genuinely thank our listeners and our advertising customers for their continuing support and loyalty
to both our brands.
“Sea FM and Gold FM both outperformed Hot Tomato in every session including the key breakfast program
slot. Sea FM was the No.1 station in the Under 40 demographic, while Gold FM cemented its place as the
leader for the 35 plus bracket.”
Hot Tomato’s Hans Torv has told radioinfo: “We congratulate Sea on a blinder of a survey, but it has come at the expense of Gold’s audience. It must be galling for MRR to spend an estimated hundred thousand dollars on a TV campaign for Sea and not lay a glove on Hot Tomato which also had good rises in most shifts.
“It has been pleasing to see consistent and steady growth across the day for 102.9, and there’s more to come. The market is now defining itself with Sea as the teen station (45 share of 10-17s) and Gold now pushed undisputably into the position of being the over 40’s oldies station. Hot Tomato continues to play in the middle, growing audience across every day time session.
“We have plenty more work to do and look forward to survey 2 later this year.”