Our analysis of networks and cities.

See the raw results here.

Networks

SCA

The first time in a long time, SCA has a blinder. It’s rare for a national metro network to have every one of its stations go up in a single survey but that’s what happened for SCA today.

Triple M, as a network, continued it’s march up the ratings ladder in a uniform fashion. Up 0.7 in Sydney, also 0.7 in Melbourne. And in Brisbane it was up… 0.7. Only in Adelaide did it buck the exact trend with a rise of 0.3.

Although SCA does not have a Triple M brand in Perth (except in digital) both its stations rose there too. 92.9 by 0.6 and Mix 94.5 by 0.8 for an average of… you guessed it 0.7.

On the hit network side of the ledger there was reason to be relieved, if not to rejoice. The embattled 2Day in Sydney gained 0.8 – admittedly off a low base but at least there’s hope that it is now now on a positive path trajectory with a more solid platform for Hamish and Andy’s return.

While Sydney’s hit went up by 0.8, Melbourne’s FOX hit 1019 went by… 0.8 in a tight FM race where the station, on a 7.7 share overall trails Gold and Triple M but is ahead of smooth, KIIS and Nova.

In Brisbane hit 105.3 also enjoyed a slight rise overall, Mon-Sun despite a drop in breakfast Mon-Fri. Adelaide’s hit104.7 also returned an uptick of 0.7 to round out a day of nothing but ups for SCA.

According to SCA’s number crunchers, the result puts them as second highest rating metro network behind KIIS and ahead of Nova.
 

Nova Entertainment

The smoothfm brand eased slightly in Sydney and went up a bit in Melbourne leaving both stations comfortably ensconced in 7’s territory overall.

The Nova brand was steady in both Sydney and Melbourne but is now trailing most of its FM competitors including its sister, smooth.

Things look better in Brisbane where Nova gained 0.9 to narrow the gap between it and first placed 93.7. Adelaide’s Nova 91.9 was steady while retaining a solid second place.

Perth yielded Nova’s best result with 93.7 gaining 1.2 for another second placing behind Mix 94.5.
 

ARN

It’s been a while since ARN experienced the kind of up and down survey that was commonplace for them before the KIIS rebrand. But Survey 4, 2015 has turned out to be one of those days.

KIIS 106.5 in Sydney took a significant tumble, down 1.3 to land on a 7.6 share placing it 3rd in FM stakes behind sister station WSFM and for the first time behind Triple M.

WSFM also lost ground but to a much lesser degree to return a respectable 8.2 share overall with its Jones and Amanda breakfast show level pegging with Kyle and Jackie O on 8.6.

ARN’s new network Drive stars Hughesy and Kate didn’t help the KIIS Sydney cause losing 2.2 off their timeslot to land behind Nova.

But things were different in Melbourne where Hughesy and Kate put on 1.1 while Matt & Jane’s Breakfast show gained a similar amount to lift the station to a 7.3 share ahead of Nova100 and in shooting distance of FOX.

Meanwhile, GOLD also did well with a 0.8 gain on the back of a 1.4 surge in Breakfast with Brig and Lhemo.

In Brisbane, 97.3 eased back a tad but stayed firmly in first place while the venerable 4KQ went up a bit to return a healthy 8.3 she overall.

In Adelaide, ARN’s market leader, Mix102.3 stayed relatively steady while Cruise1323 on the AM band pushed through the double digit barrier with a 1.6 gain to land on a 10.4 share.

ARN’s most recent acquisition, 96FM in Perth experienced a slight fall but retains third place in that market.

MRN and other Talk

It was a pretty good survey for MRN, particularly in Sydney where both 2GB and 2UE enjoyed an uptick. Together, the two stations account for 17.6 per cent of the Sydney audience which is a strong endorsement for Talk as a format.

Although 3AW dropped 1.6, it remains comfortably in first place, well ahead of chief rival ABC774. But in Brisbane, even with the help of Alan Jones and Ray Hadley 4BC is still languishing on a 4.5 share.

MRN probably wouldn’t mind owning FIVEaa, the talk station in Adelaide which belongs to Nova Entertainment. It’s bowling along on a 12.0 share which is close to it’s Melbourne and Sydney counterparts.

Meanwhile in Perth, 6PR slipped 0.3 to land on a 6.9 share overall.

Melbourne’s sports station SEN lost 0.4 in the middle of the footy season and is down to a 4.2  share while Sydney’s latest entrant, Sky Sports Radio stayed steady on 1.2.

MRN’s AM music stations had a poor showing in Sydney and Melbourne. 2CH now down to 3.7 won’t help its sale price while Magic 1278 is down to a 3.2 share. In Brisbane, though, Magic 882 managed a 0.1 improvement to reach a 5.0 share.

ABC Local Radio

Survey 4 was a mixed bag for Aunty. 702 up 0.6 in Sydney. 774 down by the same amount in Melbourne. She was down in Brisbane and Adelaide but up in Perth. Yet for all her ups and downs Aunty remains in her own lane and ends up pretty much the same.

triple j

Same could be said of triple j which created barely a ripple up or down in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Adelaide but copped a massive tumble in Perth where it dropped by 1.7. Then again, this is no surprise for Perth where triple j enjoys its greatest popularity. It sits on a 10.3 share, well in touch with the market leaders.

Cities

Sydney

ARN’s Kiis dropped most in Sydney, down 1.3 share points overall to 7.6%. Almost all shifts lost share.

Market leader 2GB had the biggest gain of the survey, up 0.9 to 12.8% overall. Almost all shifts were up, notably breakfast, whcih increased its lead over all other stations in the market.

Second placed ABC702 gained 0.6 to 8.6%. Third placed WSFM squeezed out sister station Kiis for overall third place in the market, down 0.3 to 8.2%.

Nova won 10-17s, triple j won 18-24s, Triple M won 25-39s, WSFM won 40-54s, ABC702 won 55-64s and 2GB won the over 65s.

2GB’s Alan Jones won breakfast ahead of ABC702. 2GB won every other shift in the market.

Melbourne

3AW dropped most this survey, down 1.6 share points to 12.1% overall, but still comfortably leading the Melbourne market.

Second placed ABC702 slipped 0.6 to 10.9%, followed in third place by Gold on 8.7%, up 0.8.

Kiis 101.1 had the biggest gain of the survey, rising 1.1 to 7.3%, moving up the ladder but still behind Triple M, Fox and smooth fm.

Kiis won 10-17s, Fox won 18-39s, Triple M won 40-54s and 3AW won the over 55s.

3AW’s ross and John won breakfast ahead of ABC774. Mornings was won by ABC774, Gold won afternoons, 3AW won drive, evenings and weekends.
 

Brisbane

ABC612 fell most this survey, down 0.8 to 10.0%. 4BC also fell, down 0.5 to 4.5%. All other stations rose.

Market leader 97.3 consolidated its lead, up 0.3 to 14.0% overall. Nova strengthened its hold on second place, gaining 0.9 to 13.2%. ABC612 was in third place on 10%.

Nova won the under 39 demographics, 973 won 40-54s, 4KQ won 55-64s and ABC612 won the over 65s.

97.3 won breakfast in a tightly fought race, just ahead of Nova and ABC612. 97.3 won mornings and afternoons, Nova won drive and evenings, 97.3 won weekends.

Adelaide

ABC891 and triple j had the biggest falls this survey, while Cruise scored the biggest rise in the Adelaide market.

Mix 102.3 was first, down 0.3 to 14.0%.

Nova consolidated its second spot, up 0.1 to 12.5%, while third placed ABC891 lost ground, dropping 1.4 to 10.9%.

Nova won 10-24s, triple j won 25-39s, just fractionally ahead of Nova. Mix won 40-54s, Cruise won 55-64s and ABC891 won the over 65s.

ABC891 won breakfast, Mix won mornings, afternoons, drive and weekends. 5AA won evenings

Perth

triple j fell most in Perth, down 1.7 to 10.3%, while Nova had the biggest rise, up 1.2 to 12.5%.

First placed Mix 94.5 gained 0.8 to 14.3%, followed by Nova on 12.5%, pushing triple j out of its previous second place position. 

96fm is now in third place, down 0.4 to 10.5%, ahead of ABC720 and triple j.

Nova won 10-17s, triple j won 18-24s, Nova won 25-39s, Mix won 40-54s and ABC720 won the over 55s.

ABC720 won breakfast ahead of Nova. Mix won mornings and afternoons, Nova won drive, 96fm won evenings and Mix won weekends.

See also: raw figures and discussion, spin cycle.