Gemma Fordham was out of the country when Survey 7 was released and the Hit Network was up in every market, but we were assured she was enjoying a champagne.
And while she is in Australia for Survey 8, she’s still sipping on the champers with FOX FM kicking away from the Melbourne FM pack to be 1.6 ahead of a surging smooth and 2.0 ahead of next placed GOLD.
“The Fox result is an absolute ripper,” says Gemma.
“…you know, I know this sounds boring but it’s consistent hard work and it’s an incredible group of people there that are passionate.
“We have stuck to the strategy both locally and nationally and Melbourne is the perfect example of when we get it right we really fly.”
But while SCA might be flying in Melbourne, in Sydney they have finished the year dead in the water with Rove and Sam dropping to hold a 3.8% share.
“Look,” begins Gemma.
“One of the areas we have been able to control is obviously the music across the work day, we know that we have got that right and I think the numbers are reflecting that.
“Obviously the focus is completely on breakfast…we are not resting, put it that way.”
It was rough ride for smooth in Sydney too, failing to break the double figures they have been so tantalising close to.
“I’m not too disappointed,” says Nova Entertainment’s Paul Jackson.
“We won four surveys out of eight this year, so we had dizzying highs that no-one was expecting. How close do you want to get?
“Of course you want to be number one but similarly in Melbourne we had our biggest number for smooth with a 9 share.
“Exactly what happened in Sydney two or three books ago. Both stations are on the same trajectory and both stations are in second place so I think it’s been a really good year.”
After a couple of bad books earlier in the year it was a pretty good result to end 2016 overall for ARN.
In Sydney, while KIIS1065 remained steady to regain the #1 FM spot while smoothfm dropped, WSFM put on a 1.4 spurt to come to land on an 8.3 share.
“I know I go on about this,” says Duncan Campbell.
“But we have had a great recovery after a challenging year.
“We have put in place some effective plans and those plans have come to fruition in this last survey. I’ve been talking after each book about the fact I think smooth is over inflated and we put in place some counter -programming which I know was scoffed at by some, but the reality is it has worked.”
Perth remains a troubling market for ARN with it’s latest acquisition, 96FM, foundering on a 6.9 share with only 6IX doing worse amongst the major licences.
You can take a look at all the figures for each market here and read our analysis.
Meantime, Paul Jackson was correct when he said after Survey 8 a line in the sand is drawn and without a rolling survey, each market will start from scratch in 2017.
“Equally,” says Paul.
“We take the view from today and the synopsis from the entire year and it can help us with shaping and fixing and planning for where we may want to go next year.
“I think us as programmers have all got a lot of thinking to do about right, this is where we have ended up, this is the year we have had and what can we do to improve on that next year?”
“I am immensely proud of how the network has performed this year, says Gemma.
“…and I really believe that next year is going to be a great year for us.”
“I think any audience momentum that has been gained or lost will carry forward,” says Duncan
“But we don’t take any of the benefit in terms of pure numbers.”
Well, as Porky Pig would say “that’s all folks”, until March 2017 at least.