The last time 2SM was #1 was S3/1979 (tied with 2UE with a 17.0)
S2/1979 was the last outright #1 for 2SM with a 17.5.
S3/1979 was the end of a 3 year streak at the top for 2SM.
S1/1983 was the last time 3XY was #1, they were tied with 3AW/1278 with a 12.3 share.
Just had a look at the names that would’ve been presenting on 2GB weekdays at that time: Steve Parsons, John Pearce, Gwen Plumb, Anne Deveson, Brian White, Paul Lynch, Howard Craven.
Who of course was a lot more associated with 2WL/Wave FM in the Illawarra, where he was practically an icon there. Apart from his brief stint at 2GB from 1972 until 1975, he had been part of the Illawarra radio scene for over 30 years, mainly at breakfast & later in mornings. He was also heard on ABC Illawarra for a few years after he had left Wave FM in 2006.
In the 25-39s, Nova rated 15.6%, 2nd behind 2Day’s 17.8%. 2MMM rated only 6.8% in that demo, down 1.1% from the previous survey (S1/2009), whilst 2Day & Nova went up.
I don’t have the full cumulative figures for S1/2002, but I do have those for S1/2012.
Survey 1, 2012 - Sydney
10-17s: 407,000
25-39s: 1.062m
So interestingly enough, there are more people listening to the radio now than 10 years ago, although 2KY/Sky Sports Radio was not listed in 2012. Not to mention the fact that the local radio market was quite different back then.
The overall ratings in S1/2012 was as follows:
#1: 2GB: 13.4 #2: ABC702: 9.4 #3: 2Day: 8.3 #4: WSFM: 7.8 #5: 2JJJ: 7.4 (Hottest 100 factor) #6: 2MMM: 6.7
=#7: Nova: 5.6
=#7: 2UE: 5.6 #9: Mix 106.5: 5.1 #10: 2CH: 4.4 #11: ABC Classic FM: 3.2 #12: Sydney’s 95.3FM: 2.7 (this was before it was relaunched as Smooth, which has been successful) #13: 2RN: 2.6 #14: ABC NewsRadio: 2.2
In 2002, 10-17 cume was 337,000 and 25-39 cume was 827,000.
It should be noted that total market population in 2002 was 3.65m. In 2012 it was about 4.2m, and the current estimate is 4.83m, so the cume increases have more or less kept in line with the overall population increases.
Three things. They’ve lost their music focus. Too much talk and “comedy”. I no longer even try Triple M because I know it’s likely if I flick on it will be talk or sport. So I don’t bother.
Secondly the music they do play is repetitive and their interpretation of rock is too narrow.
Thirdly, the sound of the station is too bogan and tradie sounding.
I just wish they would listen to some rock and classic rock stations in North America and just copy them! Stations like Q107 in Toronto or The Drive or WXRT in Chicago. These stations rate!! In much more competitive/bigger markets.
It’s the third survey of 1988 and 2MMM continues to to reign as No.1, especially since 2SM switched to the dowdy Lite’n’Easy 1269 in April of that year.
Mark Collier is at the helm of Sydney’s No.2 station, Radio Active 2UE, and his memos to staff are always inclusive. He thanks everyone for their efforts, and whilst it’s unlikely that Alan Jones or John Laws will be at the ratings party at Sheila’s later that night, Mark will be there and he’ll chat to everyone who works at Bond Media’s 2UE. As a manager, Mark knew everyone’s name, from the tea lady to the on-air talent.
There are three Sydney stations with a higher rating in 2022 than they had in 1988 - 2BL/702, 2GB and 2UW/KIIS.
Some big drops for FOX (-1.5) and 3MP (-1.8) and an increase for 3TT’s 2nd survey (+1.6). A small climb for ‘light and easy’ 3AK (+0.1), the slightly revamped 3UZ (+0.5), and even 3XY managed an increase (+0.4) as it’s about to change format to XY Easy Rock.