Survey 8 analysis: Networks and Cities

New leader in Brisbane, big fall for SAFM, Sydney and Melbourne steady.

 

Survey 8 was conducted for Commercial Radio Australia between Sun Sep 16 – Sat Oct 20 and Sun Oct 28 – Sat Dec 1, 2012.

Click our other page to see the full results charts.

 

The Networks

ARN

In the money towns of Sydney and Melbourne it was a pretty quiet survey with only two stations out of 28 changing by a whole percentage point or more. Both those stations were in Melbourne and both belong to ARN. Mix 101.1 was up 1.0 while Gold dropped by 1.2.

Most pleasing for the network would be that their all woman breakfast of Chrissie & Jane were the biggest risers in Breakfast – perhaps that augers well for Sami Lukis & Yumi Stynes in Sydney for 2013.

In Sydney, while WSFM dropped slightly Jonesy & Amanda have finally reversed their three survey losing streak and are back up to #2FM on a 7.2 share. For Mix 106.5, not such good news. The station continues to slide, but better things are planned for next year.

But it is in Brisbane where ARN shone with an astonishing 2.9 spike for 97.3FM, back to #1 overall with a 13.5% share. It may be an aberration, but one that they’ll take with them till mid Feb 2013.

Adelaide also proved a happy hunting ground for ARN with Mix102.3 consolidating its #1 spot while Classic Hits Cruise1323 rose a notch to be ahead of SAFM.

 

Southern Cross Austereo

SCA won’t be as worried about 2Day-FM’s 0.7 drop as they will be pleased about Triple M’s 0.9 gain in Sydney. In fact, apart from Brisbane, where the brand slid slightly it did okay, remaining steady in Melbourne and nudging upwards in Adelaide.

But it was in Adelaide where the Today brand suffered its biggest drop, 1.6 with the networks spiritual mother ship, SAFM now behind Cruise. Still, B105 managed a rise of 0.6 in Brisbane against 97.3 FM which was sucking share from most other stations in the market.

Melbourne was not so good with FOX shedding 0.8, but still leading the FM band in that market.

But all’s well in Perth where MIX 94.5 extended its lead putting on 0.9 and 92.9 rose 0.7 and made it to double figures overall. 

DMG Radio Australia

Not much that’s happened in this survey is likely to wipe the smile off Paul Jackson’s face with the only blot on the DMG escutcheon being a drop of 1.6 by Nova 106.9 in Brisbane. Novas everywhere else have gone up or remained relatively steady – Sydney shed 0.2 with its breakfast show easing by 0.1.

While Nova is doing okay, at an impressive 5.8 share overall, the smoothfm brand is well on track in Sydney to reach the 6.0 that management boldly predicted for it when it was launched earlier this year. In Melbourne, there’s a bit more work to do, but the station nonetheless rose by 0.4 to make it to 4.9. 

Fairfax Radio

Finally some joy at 2UE, if only for the fact that they seem to have arrested the slide with the station posting a 0.8 gain overall with every shift bar mornings enjoying a rise – including Paul Murray’s Drive shift which augers well for his move to mornings next year.

In Melbourne where 3AW continues to dominate, no one at head office will shed a tear that the station shed 0.9 of its previous share while there will be some plaudits for its low key stable mate MAGIC which crept up a tad to an even 6.0 share giving the duopoly exactly 21.0 of the audience in that market.

Not such great news in Brisbane though with 4BH steady on 6.1 and 4BC, the talk station slipping behind by 0.7 to 5.4. A similar slip occurred in Perth with 6PR shedding 0.8 to settle on 8.3.

 

ABC

It was a solid performance for Aunty’s local radio network –  rock steady in Melbourne and up slightly everywhere else bar Perth, where it shed 1.2.

Triple J did even better everywhere bar Adelaide where it shed 0.5

 

The Cities

 

Sydney

syd812_250A steady survey in Sydney, with little significant movement for any station.

Market leader 2GB retained top position after slipping 0.5 share points to 14.0%. Second placed ABC702 dipped 0.2 to 10.4% and third placed 2Day drippoed 0.7 to 8.4%.

2GB’s Alan Jones strengthened his lead in breakfast, ahead of ABC702 and 2Day FM. 2GB is top in all timeslots except drive, where ABC702 is lishgtly ahead.

Nova leads in the 10-17 demographic, 2Day and Nova are neck and neck with the 18-24s, 2Day is ahead with 25-39s, WSFM tops the 40-54 age group, ABC702 leads 55-64s, and 2GB dominates the 65+ demo.

 

Melbourne

screen_shot_20121211_at_10.51.07_am_229ARN stations Mix101.1 and Gold FM virtually swapped audience, with Mix gaining 1.0 share points and Gold losing 1.2. Other stations were steady.

Top station 3AW lost a little gloss, dipping by 0.9 share points to 15.0%, but is still well ahead of second placed ABC774, up 0.2, to 11.6%. Fox was placed third on 9.5%, after slipping 0.8.

3AW’s Ross and John fell by 1.1 share points but still lead the breakfast timeslot ahead of ABC774 and Fox. 3AW owns all the other shift timeslots in Melbourne.

Fox leads the 10-24 demographics ahead of Nova. Nova won 25-39s just ahead of Fox, 3AW was top in all demographics above age 40. 

 

Brisbane

screen_shot_20121211_at_11.13.48_am_22897.3 jumped to the top of the Brisbane market with an increase of 2.9 share points bring it to 13.5% overall, moving it ahead of previous leader Nova 106.9, which dropped by 1.2 to 13.1%. ABC612 was steady in third place and B105 gained 0.6 in fourth place.

Despite a strong gain in breakfast (up 2.0), 97.3 could not catch ABC612’s Specer Howson, who finished the year with the number one breakfast show.

97.3 won mornings and afternoons, Nova won drive, B105 won evenings and 97.3 won weekends.

B105 won the 10-17s ahead of Nova, and the situation was reversed in 18-24’s, where Nova was top, ahead of B105. Nova won 25-39s, 97.3 leads in 40-54s, 4KQ won 55-64s and ABC612 topped the over 65 demographic.

 

Adelaide

screen_shot_20121211_at_11.56.25_am_242SAFM dropped most this survey, losing 1.6 share points to 7.9%, while Cruise scored the largest gain, up 0.9 to 8.1%.

Market leader Mix102.3 consolidated its top position with a slight gain of 0.3 to 15.5%, ahead of 5AA, which slipped  0.1 to 13.2%. Third placed ABC891 gained 0.2 to 11.7%.

5AA’s Keith Conlon topped the breakfast timeslot in his last survey with the current on air team, ahead of the Mix and ABC breakfast shows.

Nova won the 10-24 demographics, Mix won 25-54s and 5aa won the over 55 age groups.

 

Perth

screen_shot_20121211_at_12.03.11_pm_239There was more movement in Perth this survey than most other capitals.

6IX and ABC720 both dropped, with 6IX losing 1.4 share points to 5.6% and ABC720 dropping 1.2 to 10.6%. 96fm scored a strong gain, rising 1.4 to 11.7%.

Market leader Mix 94.5 consolidated its top spot with a rise of 0.9 to 14.2%. 96fm moved into second place and ABC720 was third.

ABC720’s Eoin Cameron won the breakfast timeslot just ahead of Mix. Mornings, afternoons and drive were won by Mix, 96fm won evenings and Mix won weekends.

 

 

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