Radio ratings survey 1 results have just been released.
- ARN’s 96FM has taken top position in Perth, moving up 2.9 share points to 13.6%, knocking Nova out of first place.
- ARN’s newly branded KIIS 97.3 Brisbane drops 2.7 share points to 8.5%, dropping out of top spot
- Nova 106.9 gains 1.1 to 10.8% to gain top position in Brisbane
- Talk stations loosen their grip a little, with people going back to the office and commuting times returning to more normal patterns in most markets
- triple j broadcast its Hottest 100 during the survey, resulting in gains for the ABC youth network in most markets
The survey was conducted by GfK for Commercial Radio Australia between Sun Jan 16 to Sat Feb 26, 2022. The Omicron covid strain affected some cities, but borders were opened up and mask wearing was eased during the survey period, which also included international cricket and bad weather on Australia’s East Coast.
Click the charts to pop out a full size image and explore our interactive charts to view each station’s survey history.
Previous survey results here. Data charts below the raw figures.
Sydney
- 2GB easily retains top station position, down 0.7 to 13.8%
- ABC Sydney second during Omicron covid variant period
- KIIS moves into third place, up 0.5 to 8.8%
- The Hottest 100 effect gives triple j the biggest rise, up 1.1 share points to 7.3%
- Most stations were stable, with 2GB suffering the biggest fall comparatively, slipping 0.7
- The top 3 breakfast shows are: 2GB, ABC Sydney and KIIS
- KIIS won 10-17s, triple j won 18-24s, KIIS won 25-39s, WSFM won 40-54s, 2GB won the over 55s
AM/FM/DAB
Melbourne
- Top station 3AW slipped 0.7 to 15.9%
- Gold gained 1.4 to win second position with 11.5%
- Fox was in third place, up 1.2 to 7.8%
- triple j had the biggest gain of the market, up 1.8 to 6.3%
- ABC Melbourne had the biggest fall, down 2.7 to 7.4%
- The top 3 breakfast shows are: 3AW, ABC Melbourne and Gold
- Nova won 10-17s, KIIS won 18-24s, Fox won 25-39s, Gold won 40-54s, 3AW won the over 55s
AM/FM/DAB
Brisbane
- Nova jumped into top position, up 1.1 to 10.8% overall
- Second placed 4KQ, which will soon to be sold, fell 1.2 share points to 9.4%
- Third placed ABC Brisbane gained 1.7 to score 9.3%
- B105 jumped into fourth position, up 0.7 to 9.0%
- Previous leader, the newly rebranded KIIS 97.3 tumbled 2.7 share points to 8.5%, dropping from first to fifth position
- ABC Brisbane gained the most, up 1.7 to 9.3%.
- The top 3 breakfast shows are: ABC Brisbane, Nova and 4KQ
- Nova won 10-17s, B105 won 18-24s, Nova won 25-39s and 40-54s, 4KQ won 55-64s and ABC Brisbane won the over 65s
AM/FM/DAB
Adelaide
- ABC Adelaide retained top position, up 0.2 to 1.4%
- Second placed Mix 102.3 gained 0.3 to 11.2%
- Cruise consolidated its third position, up 0.7 to 10.6%
- FIVEaa was fourth, up 0.6 to 10.1%
- Fifth placed Nova slipped 0.3 to 9.2%
- triple j had the biggest gain in this market, up 2.1 to 7.0%
- Triple M had the biggest fall, down 1.5 to 8.4%
- The top 3 breakfast shows are: ABC Adelaide, FIVEaa and Triple M
- SAFM won 10-17s, triple j won 18-24s, SAFM won 25-39s, Triple M won 40-54s, Cruise won 55-64s and ABC Adelaide won the over 65s
Perth
- 96fm jumped into first position, gaining a healthy 2.9 to 13.6%, the biggest rise in the market
- Nova fell into second place, up 0.6 to 13.2%
- Mix 94.5 dropped into third place, up 0.2 to 12.2%
- Talk stations 6PR and ABC Radio Perth both fell, each losing just over one share point. 6PR was 7.8%, ABC Perth was 7.1%
- Classic FM also fell, dropping 1.2 to 2.2%
- The top 3 breakfast shows are: Nova, 96fm and Mix 94.5
- Nova won all demographics between 10-39, 96fm won 40-64, ABC Perth won the over 65s
Historical Rankings Charts
Sydney
Melbourne
Brisbane
Adelaide
Perth
Source: GfK 10+ Metro Share results from 2020 – 2022. Note: During 2020, some surveys were cancelled due to Covid.
Related reports:
No surprise that KIIS 97.3 dropped in ratings. I would have predicted that with the name change. When are these southern corporate execs going to realise Brisbane is parochial and stop changing something that is working well?
Corporatising the network image does not necessarily work. I would have thought that was obvious after B105 went to HIT 105 and is now back is B105.
Brisbane's 97 3 struck a chord with Brisbane listeners. For me personally, KIIS 97 3 grates. It's probably not old enough to be called heritage but it has been Brisbane's 97 3 since it started and has rated well. There may be other things at play that caused the drop from first to fifth but I'll bet the name change didn't help.
Here are some brief comments based on the given data with emphasis on Sydney.
* RN Breakfast - Perth, Sydney up, Brisbane stable and Melbourne and Adelaide down. PK is hard-working and also appears on ABC24. I love her programs. But that's only one listener and viewer. PK's program interviews a diverse range of MPs, higher than Ben Fordham's program.
*2GB - overall market leader across breakfast, morning , early afternoon and evenings. 2BL is the leader between1600-1900. A market share for breakfast of 19.1% would have to be as high as the market leading stations of the 1970s - 1980s when there were fewer stations. Given the higher number of stations today, the result is remarkable.
*2UE - in Sydney, market share increased to 3.2% from 2.5% since the management and marketing was taken over by ACE. Increases in Brisbane (4BH) and Melbourne (Magic 1278) and 3MP.
A further remark about 3MP. Despite the poor signal coverage of 3MP from the start of 3MP's transmission, it was topping the ratings in its early days. So poor signal transmission may not be an excuse for 3MP's low ratings today, despite an improvement from 1.0% to 1.4%.
*4KQ - overall ratings, it is ranked at number 2 in the ratings. AM can rate. Pending the sale, the new owners should not "stuff up" changing the mix of presentation and music. The adage is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".
Thank you,
Anthony of I can read tables and assimilate other data, Belfield in the land of the Wangal and Darug Peoples of the Eora Nation
I completed a ratings survey recently. The survey does detect the following: The proportion listening to simulcasts by using DAB+, mobile phone, smart speakers as against AM/FM. It also asks where you are listening, and whether you listen on headphones. It is a pity this information is not published.
Australian retailers are selling DAB+ radios from $84 - $335. You can buy DAB+ receivers from China delivered in Australia for $30 - $45 and for $80 for a retrofit car receiver.
DAB+ produces by far the least carbon dioxide and capital & operating costs when compared to AM, FM, mobile phone and the internet because it only has to carry the signal in one direction and many programs per transmitter. In Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane there are 3 DAB+ transmitters for all city-wide broadcasts, and in all other capital cities and the Gold Coast there are 2 per city. This DAB+ economy is not possible in regional areas because of small coverage area, however band 1 DRM can carry up to 18 programs over much larger areas. For remote areas 3 per transmitter. In those areas mobile phone coverage is patchy or non existent.