Central Coast - Survey 1, 2016

Radio, Print, and Online Regional Radio Ratings
1

The most anticipated radio ratings of 2016 for a regional market has been released: http://www.radioitsalovething.com.au/RIALT/media/RIALT/PDF/GOSFORD-(CENTRAL-COAST)-XTRA-INSIGHTS-PUBLIC-SURVEY-RESULT-WITH-CUME.pdf

Sea FM is the #1 station with 19.9%, followed by Star 104.5 at 14%, and 2GO at 13.7%. Further down the ratings ladder, JJJ got 5.9%, followed by 92.5 ABC Central Coast with 5%. The Sydney & Newcastle stations are not listed.

In the demographics, Sea is #1 in the under-40s, Star tops the 40-54s & 2GO dominates the 55+. In breakfast, Sea’s Bree & Gawndy is #1 with 18.8%, followed by Star’s Rabbit & Julie Goodwin with 15% and 2GO’s Sarah & Paddy with 13.2%.

Unlike most other regional market released by Xtra Insights, the Central Coast deserves its own ratings thread, considering that there’s a separate Central Coast Radio thread here in this forum. :slight_smile:

2

FWIW, here’s a comparison between today’s release and the last survey of “Central Coast” from April/May 2012:

Sea FM: 17.7 - 19.9
Star 104.5: 11.4 - 14.0
2GO: 13.2 - 13.7
Triple J: 5.8 - 5.9
ABC CC: 10.7 - 5.0
ABC Classic: 2.0 - 1.4
ABC Nat’l: 1.1 - 0.8
NewsRadio: 0.3 - 0.4

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3

It’s also worth mentioning that the “Other Stations”, which would include the Community, Sydney & Newcastle stations, account for 38.9% of Central Coast listeners surveyed. In the 55-64s, it’s at 53.5% & in the 65+ age group, it’s at a whopping 67.6%!!!

It’s fair to say that most of the 55+ listeners would be listening to Coast FM (local community station), 2GB, Smooth & Magic 2CH.

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4

I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a lot listening to 2BL (if the Gold Coast is anything to go by) even though there is a local station on FM.

5

Outside of breakfast, 92.5 ABC Central Coast is a direct relay of 702 ABC Sydney. But yes, it’s a good point you’re making there that quite a lot of them would be listening via 702 from Sydney instead of via 92.5.

6

One would imagine that a decent chunk of the Central Coast’s 55+ radio listeners would be ex-Sydneysiders who’ve moved up and have taken their radio listening habits with them!

Also, I find it rather interesting how Radio National, Triple J and Classic FM get listed when listeners would have to rely on the Sydney/Newcastle broadcasts of said stations because there’s no local relays for the Central Coast.

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7

I thought Breakfast was from 702 ABC Sydney with the only local show being Afternoons. Has that changed?

8

Yes, it has changed as of the beginning of 2015, with Scott Levi now doing local breakfast.

9

As I predicted a while back, a fair chunk of the others will be for Smooth 95.3.

CoastFM does have a lot of 55+ listeners, but we adjusted the format & replaced the playlist about 3 months ago.

Mid-dawns are now Solid Gold (reminiscent of WSFM about 15 - 20 years ago), the weekday Easy Mix, is now a mix of WSFM about 10 - 15 years ago & Smooth 95.3, with less 60’s & a lot more 70’s & 80’s. If it fits the Easy Mix style, we even play 90’s to current tracks now, so the 40-54 group is increasing for us too.

CoastFM is now probably very similar to what 2GO was 10 - 20 years ago.