ARN come out on top in Radio Ratings Survey 4

SYDNEY

 ARN
•    WSFM has continued it’s ’rise and rise’ in the Sydney ratings with a big jump of 1.0% to be a clear #1 on the FM band.
•    WS FM is now over 2% ahead of sister station KIIS who are ranked #2 FM. Jonesy & Amanda again are #1 FM Breakfast, with a 2% margin over Kyle & Jackie on KIIS, and in a dominant FM position.
•    KIIS has fallen again, the station fell in all dayparts, however remains in a clear #2 behind WSFM, making the result a pretty good one from a duopoly perspective for ARN.
•    Whilst ARN will be pleased with WS, and pleased with having #1 and #2 FM, given the cost base of KIIS, they will be keen to get the overall ratings for KIIS back up over an 8-share at least.

SCA
•    Emphasising the long road ahead, SCA slipped slightly with 2Day in this survey, with Breakfast falling to a 3.0% share, ranking 2Day last commercial station in the market, and lower than Radio National.
•    Tough day at 2Day, with the station clearly not even close to being competitive at the moment, based on the ratings. Even in their darkest hours, it is unlikely they would have expected 2Day to rate where it presently is.
•    Triple M were flat overall with the demos and dayparts not moving too much.
•    The biggest news for Triple M was The Grill Team moving into 3rd FM position, behind WSFM and KIIS, a terrific result for The Grillers.

NOVA ENTERTAINMENT
•    A mixed result for the duopoly with Nova falling slightly, driven by a big fall in Breakfast.
•    Overall, Nova is on a 7.2% share, ranking it #3, however Fitzy & Wippa has slipped to 6.2%, behind Triple M, and in #4 position overall.
•    If it wasn’t for a very strong Drive performance, the Nova result overall would have been in the 6’s.
•    Smooth has again done well, improving to 6.5%; whilst still #5 FM overall, the growth is impressive.
•    Smooth is, as you’d expect, performing most strongly in the workday; the station is a TSL workday play, and that is driving the growth.

MACQUARIE
•    2GB have slipped to 12.5%, but remain the leading station by a long way.
•    Nonetheless, a soft result given what they’re used to, all dayparts down, and 40-54 and 55-64 both falling, so Macquarie won’t be too happy with the result despite the #1 position.
•    2CH have registered a flat result, not a lot of movement really, and up a tad to a 3.6% share overall, just behind 2UE and 2Day.

 FAIRFAX
•    2UE keep setting new records, unfortunately the wrong kind.
•    The station has again set a new low in it’s overall share, recording a 3.8%, ranking it narrowly ahead of 2CH.
•    There really is not much to be said about the figures, they are simply awful, there is no good news. Fairfax CEO Adam Lang will be hoping their latest rejig of the lineup can address the ratings position, because at some point there will be questions asked of the continual decline.

ABC
•    Strong result for ABC 702 with a good jump overall, and improvements in all the demos that matter to them.
•    Whilst Jonesy & Amanda are the stars of the FM band, and Alan Jones dominates AM, ABC 702 can’t be brushed aside, the breakfast share of 12.0% ranks #2 overall, and ahead of all the FM’s. Impressive.
•    Triple J was flat overall, however had some wild demographic swings; most notably 18-24’s falling by 4.3%.
•    However, Triple J ranks #25-39, narrowly behind KIIS.

MELBOURNE

ARN
•    Gold have fallen from their heights of last survey, to now share their #1 FM position. The station fell from 8.8% to 7.6%, still #1 FM, but sharing with an improving Triple M.
•    Gold’s weak point appears to be Breakfast, remaining well below station average, and the weakest performing daypart.
•    That aside, equal #1 FM is still not a bad day at the office.
•    Mix, overall, was flat, with marginal declines in the key demos.
•    The Breakfast #1 FM position was short-lived, with Mix falling, and being leapfrogged by Triple M, with Fox FM not far behind.

SCA
•    SCA would be over the moon in Melbourne with both stations doing well.
•    Triple M is the equal #1 FM station in the market (with Gold), and the #1 FM Breakfast show.
•    The station dominates 25-39, and is very competitive 40-54.
•    We don’t have access to the breakdowns, but the male figures would be exceptional.
•    Fox has also done well, improving marginally overall, but importantly, seeing a rise in Breakfast and Drive.
•    Fox is now ranked #3 FM overall, giving SCA the equal #1 and #3 FM stations in the Melbourne market.

NOVA ENTERTAINMENT
•    A slightly off day for both brands in Melbourne, neither had a shocker, but they each just slid slightly.
•    Nova and Smooth both fell from 6.9% overall, to 6.7% overall, ranking them in equal last place on the FM band; although the margins are tight; only 0.9% separates #1 from #6.
•    As in Sydney, the shining light for Nova is the Drive show which is the strongest performing daypart by a mile, daytimes are soft, with Mornings and Afternoons ranked bottom of the FMer’s.
•    Smooth slipped, driven by a fall of 2.8% 40-54, and BMA dayparts falling slightly.
•    However, Nova Entertainment are likely to be more concerned with Nova than with Smooth, with the mid-term trends for Smooth looking pretty good.

FAIRFAX
•    Fairfax has seen 3AW move up a tad to 12.8%, however still be knocked off by a strong ABC774, which moved to13.1% and into #1 overall (again).
•    It wasn’t a bad result for 3AW, although they have slipped to #2 in Breakfast (Ross & John pictured) for the first time in about 700 years, with Red Symons on 774 claiming #1 overall in Breakfast.
•    3AW saw their weekend figures, driven by football, jump by 1.4%.
•    Magic had a tough result, falling by 20% to 4.0% overall. This was driven by a fall in 65+ listening, there were no other demographic movements, so it is likely to be one of those ’diary placement’ things that happens. Those listeners probably didn’t disappear, they just weren’t captured this time, they’ll come back.

PACIFIC STAR
•    SEN has done well, up to a 4.5% overall share, driven by football (clearly).
•    Great jumps in all the demos that count for them, and strong performances across the dayparts.
•    They’d be well pleased with today’s figures.

ABC
•    Well who’d have thunk it. After a millenium at #1 consecutively, 3AW Breakfast has been knocked off #1 by ABC774’s Red Symons. Red jumped 1.2% to 17.2% overall, whilst Ross and John on 3AW slipped to 16.6%. Both impressive figures certainly, but this is the first time in many, many years that 3AW has not been #1 in Breakfast.
•    Oh and did we mention the ABC is #1 overall? On a 13.1% share?
•    Very impressive result for ABC774 today.
•    Triple J were off a bit, but frankly with ABC774’s performance, nobody at the ABC will care….it’s all about Red today.

BRISBANE
ARN
•    97.3 has had a monster. Improving 1.4% to a 15.3 share overall, and a clear lead over Nova in #2 position.
•    97.3 wins every daypart, except drive where it misses out by 0.1%.
•    Overall, a result ARN will be over the moon with.
•    4KQ has also done well, improving by 0.5% to 7.3 overall.
•    All dayparts (except evenings) up, and all the demos that matter up; a great result for 4KQ.

NOVA ENTERTAINMENT
•    Nova’s taken a tumble in Brisbane, although it remains at #2 overall, ahead of both SCA stations; however they will now for the first time in a long time be keeping a close eye on B105 who fell, but are only a point or so behind.
•    Nova dominates 18-39 in Brisbane, despite the slip, and will no doubt look to address the workday figures that place them behind 97.3 and Triple M.

SCA
•    It has been a tough time in Brisbane for a while for SCA but they’ll be, broadly, pleased with what Triple M has done today in the market.
•    Triple M improved to 9.3% overall, led by a strong workday performance which sees the station in Mornings and Afternoons behind only 97.3.
•    Breakfast on Triple M improved marginally.
•    B105 fell by 0.5%, slipping in all dayparts and most demos.
•    The station has remained in double figures on a 10.1% share overall, #4 FM, and now 1.5% behind Nova.
•    SCA remain the #3 and #4 ranked FM stations in the market.

FAIRFAX
•    A mixed bag for Fairfax with 4BC falling, and Magic 882 improving.
•    4BC saw declines in most dayparts, and all the important demos, and the station is now ranked in last commercial place.
•    Magic fared better, with good growth in Breakfast and Mornings, and in the key demos.

ABC
•    ABC612 was flat overall on a 9.2%, leapfrogged by an improving Triple M.
•    Breakfast remains the star, with the daypart ranked #2 overall on 13.2%, behind only 97.3.
•    Triple J generally does well in Brisbane, perhaps due to the younger profile of the market, however it has slipped slightly today.
•    The station fell in every daypart, and copped a whack 18-24’s who evaporated.

ADELAIDE

ARN
•    Another day at the office for ARN Adelaide today, Mix slipped a tad, but remains the leading station in the market by the length of the Rundle Mall on 16.3%.
•    Whilst the result is (again) strong for Mix, they now have to share the #1 Breakfast position with ABC891, both stations on 15.1%.
•    Cruise has again done well, improving to 8.5%, with all dayparts improving, and a strong performance 65+.

SCA
•    Adelaide remains tough for SCA.
•    Triple M fell back a little, however, given the format adjustments that is perhaps unsurprising as it settles in; generally you will shed some listeners prior to growing, so SCA are unlikely to be overly concerned with Triple M.
•    What they will be happy with will be the growth in Breakfast; Triple M grew 0.7% to 8.2%, which given the changes is positive.
•    However, they won’t be happy with SAFM. Down 0.2% overall, last placed commercial station, and now behind Triple J as well.
•    Not a lot to say about SAFM, there’s not much good news here.

NOVA ENTERTAINMENT
•    A big fall for Nova today, down nearly a point to 10.8%, driven by a whack 18-24, and declines in every daypart (excluding nights).
•    Notwithstanding the fall, Nova dominates 18-39 in Adelaide.
•    FIVAaa has also fallen, in an unusual ’footy season’ result.
•    The station slipped in all dayparts, however did see an increase 40-54.
•    Overall, whilst the result was not great for Nova Entertainment, their stations remain in #2 and #3 commercial place in the market; behind ARN’s Mix, but ahead of Cruise and both SCA stations.

ABC
•    A flat result for ABC891, although one which saw Breakfast move to equal #1 overall (with Mix); ironically given both Breakfast shows lost share.
•    Triple J had a strong result, with a massive jump 18-24 to 20.7%, narrowly behind Nova.
•    All dayparts did well, in what was a strong result for Triple J in Adelaide.

PERTH
SCA
•    If SCA are pleased in Melbourne, then the Perth results will also make them happy; both stations registered good increases, however bizzarely every single commercial station in Perth improved today.
•    Mix 94.5 is a clear #1 improving to a 15.1% share; good improvements in all dayparts; and a slightly strange jump 18-24.
•    Whilst sister station 92.9 has jumped nearly a point to 9.3%, improving in every demo under 40, and every daypart (except nights).
•    92.9’s Breakfast show jumped by 0.9% to 9.1%, and looks on track to break a 10 share in the next couple of books.

NOVA ENTERTAINMENT
•    After a pretty soft round of results, finally some good news for Nova with a small increase in Perth.
•    Strong demo performance, and an extra point in Breakfast drove the result, Nova sits on an 11.8% overall share, #2 station in the market.

FAIRFAX
•    After a mixed Brisbane result, a flat Sydney result, and an awful Sydney result, Fairfax could do with some good news, and they got it in Perth.
•    96FM up half a point to jag back #3 station overall on 11.1%, a big 40-54 jump, and a strong daytime performance drove the growth.
•    6PR has moved to its highest share in some time; up 1.1% to 9.0%. Small jumps in all the demos that count, however a big lift in Breakfast has helped.

CAPITAL RADIO
•    6IX moved up a little overall, with a handy jump 55-64, although a big fall 40-54.
•    Breakfast improved by nearly a point.
•    Nothing spectacular, but a reasonable result for what would be a low-cost operation.

ABC
•    Ouch.
•    Triple J lost 2.0% in Perth to slide to 9.7%, but such is their strength in that market that they remain ahead of 92.9, 6PR and 6IX and they remain #1 18-39.
•    Still, they won’t be pleased with a fall of that size.
•    ABC720 also fell, nowhere near as dramatically.
•    Just some incremental falls in most demos and dayparts caused the decline of 0.4% to 10.6%, however Breakfast remains #1 overall on 15.0%.

Radio Ratings wrap courtesy of Radio Today