The results of the first capital city ratings survey for 2007 have been released. Triple j, 2CH, 3AW, ABC774, 4BC, Cruise1323 and 6PR all gained over the January survey period. 2UE, Fox, ABC612, 5MMM and 96fm were down.
The survey was conducted for Commercial Radio Australia between Sunday January 14 and Saturday February 10, 2007.
Click the links below to see the demographic and shift breakdowns or click on our Nielsen Ratings link to see station rankings.
In Sydney 2CH was the biggest winner, up 1.5 share points to 6.8%. Triple J also gained, up by 1.2 to 5.6%. 2UE dropped most, down 1.8 share points to 6.5%, and Nova lost 1.2 to 7.0%. 2GB won the survey with 11.9%, followed by 2Day on 10.4%. Vega increased by 0.2 to 3.0%.
2Day won the 10-17 and 18-24 demographics, 2Day also won 25-39s just ahead of triple m Nova and Mix, WSFM won 40-54s ahead of ABC702 and 2GB dominated 55+.
2GB’s Alan Jones won breakfast ahead of ABC702, Ray Hadley on 2GB won mornings ahead of 2Day, Kate Mac won afternoons for 2Day ahead of WSFM, ABC702’s Richard Glover won the drive shift and Brian Wilshire at 2GB won nights. 2GB also won weekends.
In Melbourne 3AW recorded the biggest gain, up 2.7 share points. ABC774, which, like other ABC local radio stations, broadcast cricket during the survey, also gained well, up 2.6 to 12.2%. Fox FM had the biggest drop, down 2.4 share points to 10.3%. 3AW won the survey with a massive 17.1%, ahead of ABC774 on 12.2% and Fox FM on 10.3%. Vega increased by 0.3 to 3.3%.
Fox FM won the 10-17 demographic, Nova won 18-24s, Fox won 25-39s ahead of Nova, Gold FM won 40-54s ahead of 3AW and the 55+ demo was won by 3AW ahead of ABC774.
3AW’s Ross and John won the breakfast timeslot ahead of ABC774. Neil Mitchell on 3AW won mornings. Afternoons was a closely fought race with Fox and Nova both equal in that timeslot. 3AW won drive, evenings and weekends.
In Brisbane 4BC gained 2.7 share points to 9.0%. ABC612 dropped 2.6 share points to 9.2% and 4BH lost 1.4 to 7.4%. Nova won the survey with 13.6%, up 0.8 share points.
Nova won all the under 25 demographics, 25-39s was won by Nova ahead of Triple M, 40-54s was won by triple M and 4BC won the 55+ demographic.
Nova won breakfast and at work timeslots, Evenings was won by 4BC and Nova won weekends.
In Adelaide Cruise 1323 had the biggest gain, up 1.2 share points to 7.8%, and Mix102.3 gained 1.0 share points to 18.0%, in top position. Triple M dropped 1.6 share points to 7.6%.
SAFM won the 10-17 demographic, Nova won 18-24s, Mix won the 25-39 and 40-54 demos, and 5AA won 55+.
5AA won breakfast, Mix won the at work daytime shifts5AA won evenings and Mix won weekends.
6PR had the biggest gain of the survey, up 2.4 share points to 11.5%. ABC720 gained 1.8 to 12.4%, Mix94.5, in top spot, gained 1.3 to 18.8%. 96fm dropped 2.5 share points to 10.1%.
92.9 won the 10-17 demographic, Nova won 18-24s, 25-39s and 40-54s were won by Mix and 6PR won the over 55s.
ABC720 won breakfast, Mix 94.5 won all other weekday and weekend shifts.
DMG Network: Nova and Vega
In the first Nielsen Media Research survey for 2007 released today, the Nova Network was the leading radio network in Australia, in the key under 40 market, a position it has held for 13 of the past 14 surveys since the completion of novanet in early 2005.
It also continues to dominate the 18-39, 18-34 and 18-24 demographics.
The emerging Vega stations also recorded good, solid growth in both Sydney and Melbourne, the fourth consecutive increase in Melbourne and third increase in a row for vega Sydney.
The national Nova network began the year strongly with No. 1 results for Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth in the 18-39 and under 40 markets, with Nova 969 in Sydney maintaining its strong number 2 position in these demographics from survey 8 last year.
Nova 100 in Melbourne was the stand out performer lifting its overall share from 8.7% to 9.7%, significantly increasing its under 40 share to lead the market with 20.4%. The new ‘Akmal with Kate Ritchie’ show performed amazingly well in their debut survey, increasing Nova 100’s key afternoon Drive ratings from 8.8% to 11.1%.
DMG’s vega stations in Sydney and Melbourne continued their upward trend. vega 95.3fm in Sydney increased its overall share again from 2.8% to 3% and increased its total listenership by 37,000 to 344,000 people. In Melbourne vega 91.5fm increased its overall share from 3.0% to 3.3%, and total listenership by 31,000 attracting 325,000 people to the station.
vega now reaches a total of 669,000 listeners across Sydney and Melbourne with the stations now displaying real consistency as a result of their repositioning earlier this year.
The Nova network has a national footprint of 2,553,000 listeners across Australia.
Nova 106.9 Brisbane maintained the No. 1 position in Brisbane for the 7th consecutive time with an overall share of 13.6%. Nova 106.9 Brisbane continued to lead in the key Breakfast shift and across the demographics of 10-17, 18-24 , 25-39, 18-39 and under 40.
Nova 919 in Adelaide recorded an overall share of 11.2% and continues to dominate the under 40 market with a share of 24%. It also enjoys a leadership position in the 18-39 demographic with 23.3%. New Breakfast Show Lisa, Jules and Fitzy were impressive increasing their overall share from 9.5% to 10.6%.
DMG’s talk station FIVEaa achieved an overall share of 13.9%% in the survey and maintained the No. 1 position in the breakfast shift with Keith Conlon, Tony Pilkington, Jon Blake, Jane Doyle & Chris McDermott for the 17th consecutive time with a share of 19.6% overall.
Nova 937 in Perth achieved an overall share of 10.3% and maintained No. 1 position for the 18-24 and 18-39 demographics.
Austereo Network: Today and Triple M
Austereo’s 2Day FM in Sydney and Fox FM in Melbourne have won the FM ratings in the first ratings survey of the year, maintaining their industry dominance.
2Day FM has begun the year by topping every age group under 40, while Fox FM was the clear leader in the key 25 to 39-year-old demographic.
Austereo chief executive officer Michael Anderson said the result was a strong start to the year for Australia’s leading hit music network.
“We’re very happy with the performance of both our Today and Triple M networks,” he said.
“However it was a very short survey period of just four weeks and we’re not getting carried away.
“Summer listening patterns do impact the first survey, but this is a solid beginning to what will be a strong year from both networks.
“We are very encouraged by the consistency of the strong results from both our networks.”
The Today network’s marquee breakfast shows – Sydney’s Kyle and Jackie O Show and Melbourne’s Matt and Jo Show, both maintained their dominance as the number one FM breakfast shows in their markets.
And the Today network’s new national drive show with Hamish and Andy also stayed number one FM Drive Show in Sydney and Melbourne.
“The very clear strategy we’ve put in place for the Today network, and the integration between our shows, innovative promotions and strong, consistent marketing, is keeping the network on top in the two major capital city markets,” Mr Anderson said.
“That success has given the network incredible confidence and shown the way in our other markets, with a gradual improvement for B105 in Brisbane, where we have put a fresh new breakfast show in place. We’ve also got a new breakfast show beginning at SAFM in Adelaide and we’re confident that over time we will see similar success in that highly competitive market.
“That confidence has already flowed through to Perth’s 92.9, which has had an incredible success, coming back almost from the bottom of the ratings to become Perth’s number two FM station. It is a result that shows if we have a consistent strategy, the results will come.”
Mr Anderson said the Triple M network was also going into 2007 with incredible confidence.
“We have a fantastic new breakfast show in Sydney with The Shebang and even though they were only on air for half of this survey we are encouraged by the results,” he said.
“We have consolidated our strategy of having two differentiated and complementary networks and Triple M’s consistency, with its incredible listener loyalty, has set it up for an exciting year.
Austereo chairman Peter Harvie said: “This is a solid start to the year and I am looking forward to our new programming initiatives bedding in during the next few months.”
ARN Network: Mix and gold formats
The Australian Radio Network has continued to strengthen its position nationally among its core target audience of listeners aged 25 to 54, according to the first audience survey for the year.
The figures show that the two ARN stations in Sydney – WSFM and Mix 106.5 – attracted 16,000 new listeners between them in their target demographic group of those aged 25 to 54.
The two ARN stations in Melbourne – GOLD FM and Mix 101.1 – attracted between them an additional 23,000 listeners in this age category.
The increase in the target audience was evident in Adelaide as well, where Mix 102.3 and the recently launched Cruise1323 attracted between them an additional 24,000 listeners aged between 25 and 54.
In Brisbane, an additional 7,000 listeners in the target demographic group tuned into the two local ARN stations – 97.3FM and 4KQ.
The Chief Executive of ARN, Bob Longwell, said the results were encouraging for the network, which had deliberately set out to target listeners in the 25 to 54 age group.
“As part of our long-term strategy, we set out to concentrate on this valuable group of listeners, who spend 71 cents out of every dollar spent by Australian consumers,” Mr Longwell said.
“It is pleasing to see that despite the increasingly competitive market, especially in the major capital cities, ARN stations have attracted new listeners in our core demographic, confirming that the network’s efforts in this area are continuing to pay off.”
Macquarie Radio Network: 2GB & 2CH
2GB has started the year on a high, winning the first ratings survey of 2007, with the release of today’s Nielsen Media Research. Alan Jones’ breakfast show maintained its number one position with a 16.2 audience share, up on last survey and 6.3 percentage points ahead of the nearest commercial Sydney station.
Macquarie Radio CEO, Angela Clark said, “This is a great way to start the year. There has been much discussion in the press about increased media competition and radio audiences fragmenting, yet we have seen our market share increase across key programs.”
Ratings performance includes:
o 2GB 873 – Outright Number One Commercial station in Sydney with 17.9% commercial share of 10+ listening
o Australia’s Number One Breakfast host, Alan Jones, increased his already massive audience with his program (5.30am – 10am M-F) attracting a 23.7% commercial share
o Ray Hadley – Number One again in mornings with an increase to 17.7% commercial share (10am-1pm MF)
o 2CH 1170 had a stand-out survey, registering the largest increase of any Sydney radio station with 10.3% commercial audience share up from 7.8% in the final 2006 survey
o Macquarie Radio Network attracts 855,000 different listeners 10+ each week, with 44.2% of them not listening to any other station
o Macquarie’s audience listen for the longest period of time – on average an amazing 15.3 hours per week
Earlier this week, 2CH’s Ian Holland received international recognition from the home of country music, Nashville, Tennessee. The Country Music Association (CMA) awarded Ian the prestigious International Country Broadcaster Award, which recognises outstanding contributions to country music by a radio broadcaster based outside of the United States.
CMA presents up to three International Country Broadcaster Awards per year. Holland is one of three recipients of a 2006 CMA International Country Broadcaster Award.
“Winning the award came out of the blue,” said Holland. “It was a complete shock for me. I’ve been a huge supporter of country for a long time and I’m keen to help with the development of country Music in Australia.”
3AW
3AW is the number one radio station in Melbourne. The station has been number one for 33 consecutive surveys – a record for the Melbourne radio market.
3AW is number one Breakfast, Morning, Drive, Evenings and Weekends.
3AW Program Director Clark Forbes said:
“A record survey one figure for 3AW – a great result and all credit to our summer programming and presenters.”
Highlights for 3AW include:
Breakfast with Ross Stevenson and John Burns 5.30 – 8.30am – rating 22.3% – number one for 41 consecutive surveys – (number one since survey 1/2002).
This is the highest ever breakfast share in Melbourne radio.
Morning with Neil Mitchell 8.30am – midday – rating 17.4% – still number one
Afternoons with Ernie Sigley noon – 4pm – rating 11.4%
Drive with Derryn Hinch 4 – 6pm rating 16.7% – back to number one
Nightline with Bruce Mansfield and Philip Brady 8pm – midnight – rating 22.1% – number one
Weekends – rating 17.3% – number one and 4.9 points ahead of the next station
4BC
NEWS TALK 1116 4BC today bounced back to be the only Brisbane radio station to increase its share in every shift. The highlight being Ian Maurice’s absolute domination of Night time radio (9pm-12MN Mon –Fri) with a 20.2% share. His nearest rival was ABC 612 with 11.9%.
The other share highlights were:
* Number 1 – Talk Station Monday to Friday
* Number 1 – Commercial station All People 40+
NEWSTALK 1116 4BC’s General Manager David McDonald said “he was extremely pleased with today’s survey result particularly after the somewhat unusual results of late 2006. He said he was encouraged by the changes made to the station at the start of 2007 with Victoria Carthew joining Peter Dick and Ross Davie for Breakfast (up 1.7%). John Miller being joined by Rod Tiley in Drive 3-6pm Mon – Fri (up 2.6%), and Chuck Brooks “Conservatively Speaking” 7-9pm Mon –Fri (up 5.1%). However the real highlight was Ian Maurice’s return to No: 1 at Nights where he quite rightly belongs.
B105 and 4MMM
B105 snags 40,000 more listeners.
B105 has launched into 2007 with an additional 40,000 listeners tuning in to hear its new look breakfast show and drive time duo Hamish & Andy.
The station’s audience share grew by 0.3 points to 8.3 per cent, with Hamish and Andy’s drive show again improving its audience, up 0.5 points to 10.6 per cent.
Austereo Brisbane general manager Richard Barker said: “We’ve had a great start to the year with a fresh new breakfast team headed by Labrat, with Camilla and Stav.
“We’ve now got two of the most entertaining shows on Brisbane radio, and with our strategy of focusing on hit music we are seeing a gradual increase in ratings.
It is also encouraging that B105 is now the second most listened-to station with 381,000 people tuning in each week.”
Brisbane’s Triple M remains the number one radio station for the city’s 25 to 54 year-olds listeners – more than five percentage points ahead of its nearest rival according to today’s ratings.
Triple M’s overall audience share decreased by 0.6 points to 12.4 per cent, remaining Brisbane’s number two radio station. But its total audience share in the key 25 to 54-year-old age group is now a dominant 19.1 per cent.
Austereo Brisbane general manager Richard Barker said: “This is a solid start to what will be a great year, with Wil Anderson starting his new drive show in April.”
Nova 100 Melbourne
Nova 100 sounds different in 2007 with a new line-up AND “never more than 2 ads in a row”:
• Hughesy and Kate with Peter Helliar – Number 2 FM with 8.9%
• Dylan Lewis in Mornings increasing from 7.7% to 9.8%
• Harlee McLeod in her first survey for Nova 100 Melbourne shares the lead in Afternoons with 11.8%
• New Drive Team, The Akmal Show with Kate Ritchie, made a significant impact between 4:00pm and 6:00pm from 8.3% to 11.1%
• And Merrick and Rosso between 6:00pm and 7:00pm up from 10.4% to 11.1%
Overall Nova 100 went up from 8.7% to 9.7% and hit the target with leading shares in the key demos:
• Melbourne’s leading station 18-39 year olds with 20.3%
• Melbourne’s leading station under 40s with 20.4%.
Nova 100 General Manager Sam Thompson said, “We’re thrilled listeners are rating our new line-up. We’re excited about 2007”.
vega 91.5 Melbourne
vega 91.5fm has recorded four increases in a row securing a 3.3% share overall according to the first Nielsen Media Research survey for 2007 released today.
The results continue to show steady growth and positive signs for 2007:
• An increase of 31,000 listeners – there are now 325,000 people listening to vega 91.5fm each week
• All daytime shifts increased – with Wilbur Wilde (3pm – 6pm) from a 3.4% to a 3.9%
• 25-39 year olds – up from a 3.8% to 7.1%
Sam Thompson, vega 91.5fm General Manager said, “Four increases in a row is a definite trend. And adding 31,000 listeners is great news. There’s excitement at the station and things are starting to roll”.
Nova 106.9 Brisbane
Nova 106.9 has had it’s best survey result for 2007 (actually, it’s the only survey result of 2007 so far!).
It boils down to this, Brisbane listeners have given the all clear to Nova as the leading station:
– Overall; all people 10+ (7 in a row)
– All people under 40; (11 in a row)
– 10-17’s, 18-24’s, 25-39’s
– Breakfast, Mornings, Afternoons, Drive, Nights and Weekends
– and in cumulative audience, with 430,000 listeners
General Manager Sean Ryan said, “we’re really happy with today’s results… the prognosis is encouraging and the rash is healing well thank you”.
702 ABC Sydney
702 ABC Sydney has started the year strongly with share at 9.9% and has consolidated its position in the top three
stations in Sydney, according to today’s Nielsen Media Research survey
results.
The strength of 702 ABC Sydney is evident in all sessions with
particularly strong results during radio prime time: Breakfast and
Drive.
* Breakfast with Adam Spencer (M-F 5.30-7.45am) – proves to be of wide
appeal with share at 12.6% placing the program as Number 2 in the
market (12.5% previous survey). In the program’s timeslot of 5:30am –
7:45am (M-F), it reaches more Sydneysiders than any other breakfast
show.
* Drive with Richard Glover (M-F 4pm- 7pm with PM) – the Drive show is
a clear Number 1 in Sydney with a share of 11.4% (up from 11.1% in the
previous survey). The program continues to reach more Sydneysiders
than any talk rival.
FIVEaa
FIVEaa‘s breakfast team of Keith Conlon, Tony Pilkington, Jon Blake, Jane Doyle and Chris
McDermott – are Adelaide’s one breakfast show for the seventeenth consecutive survey
(that’s more two years running) jumping 1.2% to 19.6% of listeners – with the release today of
the latest Nielsen Media Research.
FIVEaa has also maintained its dominance of night-time listening in Adelaide with Bob
Francis increasing his 10+ share to 25.2%… a massive 12.7 percentage points ahead of his
nearest opposition.
FIVEaa’s Michael Keelan is the most listened to weekend breakfast host in Adelaide
recording an average 10+ share of 20.2% beating all other radio stations.
General Manager Paul Bartlett said, “It’s a great start to the year and with football kicking off this
weekend we’re hoping for more great things throughout 2007!”
Nova 93.7 perth
Bloody Cricket! Nova 93.7 got a flipper in today’s release of Survey #1, 2007.
Overall share for the station dipped from 11.3% to 10.3% and it seems all the hoo-ha over the Ashes is to blame. Bad news for Nova, but good news for 720 ABC. We only got another 7,000 listeners, but they got 58,000!
Having said that, as Richie would say, it’s still a ‘maaaaaaaarvellous’result:
•Nova 93.7 is still the leading station for 18 to
39 year olds, for the 15th consecutive time;
•Nathan and Nat are still the leading breakfast
team for Under 40 year olds for the 18th
consecutive time.
So while the bloody Cricket caused us some short term pain, Nova 93.7 will be back to peak form in no time.