The latest ratings have been released (Survey 4 2001).

See Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth.

Analysis:

The Sydney market has embraced its’ newest commercial radio station quickly, with NOVA 96.9 picking up 4.7% of audience in its’ first survey. Nova was in the survey for 8 of the ten weeks, the results then theoretically reflecting about 80% of Nova’s real listenership. 

NOVA scored particularly well in its key demographics of 18-24 with 11.4% of that age group now listening and an equal spill of ages either side with 8.3% of 10-17s and 8.4% of 25-39 respectively. This will spell good news for the station that is keen to show advertisers it will be a force in the future, particularly in the lucrative 18 – 39 demographics. NOVA appears to have grown the share of listeners who use commercial radio, which will be good news for advertisers and some relief for competitors.  In Adelaide, DMG’s other station 5AA dropped by 0.1 to 12.4%.

Austereo remains dominant in Sydney with 2DAY increasing share slightly to remain number one, while MMM is at number three, with a slip of 0.3 to 11.3%. Despite a loss of 7.6 share points in 2DAY’s 18-24 demo, it retains clear number one in that demographic and MMM brings in a clear number two with an increase of 6.1. 2DAY has increased audience share25 – 39 and 40 – 54 with MMM showing marginal slips. The Austereo combination remains the dominant force for Sydney radio listeners under 40. 

The Austereo success in Sydney has been mirrored in most other capitals. Brisbane Austereo stations both increased  (B105 up 2.1 to 27.5, MMM up 1.2 to 16.2%), in Melbourne both stations dropped (FOX down 0.6 to 16.9%, MMM down 1.1 to 9.8%), but FOX is still in a strong number one position. In Adelaide SAFM was up by 0.8 to 26.4% and MMM increased by 0.9 to 12.5%, and in Perth MIX 94.5 remained at number one (down 2.9 to 19.8%) and PMFM was down 0.5 to 14.9%. For more on Austereo’s results see below.

The major loser in Sydney is the ARN network, with MIX 106.5 sliding and 2WS (now re-branded WS-FM) also losing share.

Since survey number 1 this year, when MIX 106.5 posted 10.4% it has now dropped to 6.4% while 2WS now sits on 7.1%, down 1.4 this survey. Most troubling for ARN will be the erosion of core audience in the 25 – 54 demographics. While it is natural that MIX 106.5 and WS-FM would lose some audience due to the arrival of NOVA and a process of re-positioning, their losses are greater than those of the Austereo combination, which may have been expected to be more effected by NOVA than ARN stations. 

MIX 106.5, which for the past few years has seen steady growth, now finds itself at 6th overall, closely followed by 2CH which now sits 0.1 share points behind at 6.3%.

At other ARN stations:  Brisbane’s 4BH was down 0.3 to 7.8%, and 4KQ was down 0.9 to 10.9%. In Adelaide 5AD (now re-branded as MIX), was down 1.1 to 14.3% and 5DN was up 0.4 to 6.9%. 

In Melbourne the ARN result was brighter, with GOLD FM adding to its’ steady growth over the past six months, (up 0.2 to 8.0%) considering the football season usually serves up lower results. The growth in the Grubby and Dee Dee breakfast program contributed to the station’s good result. Sister station TTFM (currently being re-branded as MIX101) has lifted by 0.4 to 8.7% 

The Southern Cross network had a drop at Melbourne talk station 3AW (down 1.3 to 14.1), while Magic was up 0.7 to 7.6%. In Perth 6PR dropped by 0.1 to 10.5%, while 96FM was down 1.3 to 16.9%.  In Sydney 2UE was up by 0.1 to 13.5%, and in Brisbane 4BC dropped by 0.3 to 7.5%. 

ABC local stations around the country were generally down a little, although in Sydney, local station 702 continues to build on its recent successes with a new breakfast show. This survey ABC 702 was steady at 8.6%, when other Metros fell in share. ABC702 breakfast rose by 0.4 share points to 11%. 

In Melbourne ABC Local Radio 774 dropped by 0.5 from its good figure of 10.4% last survey, with losses in drive and evening. In Brisbane ABC 612 was down 1.7 share points to 7.4%. Adelaide’s ABC 891 dropped 0.7 to 7.7%, while in Perth ABC 720 was down 0.2 to 7.9%.

Triple J was up in Perth by a healthy 2 share points to 9.7%, but dropped in all other capitals – Sydney, down 0.7 to 5.4%, Melbourne down 0.4 to 4.0%, Brisbane down 0.6 to 6.4%, and Adelaide down 0.3 to 8.2%. NewsRadio had a good survey with significant increases in all capitals. ABC Classic FM was steady or up in all capitals except Brisbane, where it fell slightly, down 0.2 to 2.5%. Radio National was up or steady in all capitals except Melbourne, where it dipped 0.3 to 1.4%.

In Sydney, Macquarie network station 2CH increased well, up 1 share point to 6.3%, while sister station 2GB dropped by 0.3 to 3.9%, down in breakfast, evenings and weekends. 2KY was down slightly by 0.1 to 1.9% and 2SM was down 0.3 to 0.5%.

The Melbourne, at the 3AK/MP duopoly, 3AK was down by 1 share point to 1.3% despite recent media coverage (not all good) about the station’s changes.  Newly acquired sister station 3MP continued to grow, up by 0.8 to 3.5%. Sport 927 increased by 0.1 to 1.9%.

In Perth 6IX increased by 0.3 to 5.5%, with a good increase at breakfast (up 1.0 to 5.1%) and slight growth through the day.

This is an archival story from when radioinfo was known as AMT.

Check out the survey results charts from 1987 to 2001 below.

Sydney