The latest overnight ratings survey confirms talk is top in overnight listening. Mid-Dawn announcers wait anxiously every year for their one report card conducted during survey six, which this year shows talk stations at top spot in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.
The survey size in the wee small hours is not large enough to make it viable to take ratings of this timeslot during every survey, so the industry has decided on one annual check-up of overnights.
As would be expected, talk stations have many older listeners and show strong results in the 30+ demographics and good time spent listening, while the music stations are more popular with younger listeners.
In Sydney, the Monday-Sunday results show 2GB’s Jim Ball at number one with 16.9%, followed by rival talk station 2UE in second place with 12.5%. Former John Laws show ‘producer and ‘co-driver’ Stuart Bocking presents 2UE overnights. Triple M is third with 9.5% and Mix 106.5 is fourth on 8.8%. ABC NewsRadio is also in the top five with 8.1%.
NewsRadio’s overnight feed of specially scheduled BBC programs has brought its overnight program share to the highest position on the station, scoring more than three times the overall station average in the Sydney market.
NewsRadio’s Russell Powell has told radioinfo: “We’re not surprised by the Sydney figures, it certainly tallies with the feedback we get. Insomniacs listening on earphones so as to not disturb their partners, shiftworkers, taxi-drivers… They find NewsRadio a great alternative to talkback!”
In Melbourne Trevor Chappell’s national overnight program on ABC774 is top with 21.7%, followed by 3AW with 20.3%. Nova 100 is third with 10.3%, followed by Gold on 7.7%. NewsRadio does not score as strongly in Melbourne with only 2.8%, while SEN, which broadcasts overnight international sport, scores 4.7%.
ABC774 presenter Trevor Chappell has won three ABC Local Radio awards, recognising his strong connection with the overnight audience. He says his show is an “interactive program, which offers plenty of time to talk to people.” People listening at that time nationally include people on the road, working late or rising early, fishermen, shift workers and of course insomniacs.
3AW Program Director Clarke Forbes has told radioinfo his regular presenters were away during this survey: “The regular presenters are Keith McGowan Mon-Fri and Alan Pearsall on weekends. During this survey it was mainly Alan Pearsall on Mon-Fri with Keith on-air for only two weeks. Weekends were presented by Steve Bedwell.”
In Adelaide talk station 5AA was streets ahead of its rivals on 28.0%. ABC talk station ABC891 was second with 15.0%, followed by SAFM on 11.3 and Mix 102.3 on 9.6%.
5AA has a weekly cumulative audience of 48,000 listeners in the mid dawn hours. General Manager Paul Bartlett has told radioinfo: “The dedication and professionalism of our midnight-to-dawn
presenters, Brian Bennett, Dave Waterman and Mike Walden has been reflected in another great ratings result for FIVEaa. Being live and local 24 hours a day certainly makes a big difference to our listeners.”