Survey 8, 2005 was also the first survey in which Vega (now Smooth) first appeared, in which it got only 1.8% in Sydney & 1.2% in Melbourne. Nearly 12 years later, Smooth are near the top of the FM ratings ladder, with the Melbourne station being #2 FM behind Gold & the Sydney station being #3 FM behind KIIS (formerly Mix 106.5) & WSFM.
The results for Survey 8, 2005 in Melbourne were as follows:
- 3AW: 13.7
- Gold 104.3: 12.2
- 774 ABC: 11.7
- 3MMM: 10.8
- Fox FM: 9.9
- Nova 100: 8.3
- Mix 101.1 (now KIIS): 5.4
- Magic 693 (now Talking Lifestyle 1278): 5.1
- 3MP (now Classic Rock Radio): 3.6
- 3JJJ: 2.7
- ABCFM: 2.6
- SEN: 2.5
- 3RN: 1.9
- ABC Newsradio: 1.4
- Vega 91.5 (now Smooth): 1.2
Gold 104.3 scored an 18.9% share in the 40-54s that survey & was #2 in the 25-39s behind 3MMM. It should be noted that back then, Gold was positioned as a classic hits station, playing plenty more 70s (with a bit of 60s) than they do now.
In Sydney that same survey, Gold’s sister station WSFM was also the #1 FM station.
- 2GB: 12.7
- WSFM: 9.5
- 2Day: 9.0
- Nova 96.9: 8.6
- 2MMM: 8.6
- 702 ABC: 8.3
- 2UE: 8.0
- Mix 106.5 (now KIIS): 7.7
- 2CH: 5.9
- 2JJJ: 3.4
- ABCFM: 2.2
- 2RN: 2.0
- Vega 95.3 (now Smooth): 1.8
- ABC Newsradio: 1.4
In the 40-54s, WS scored a 17.4% share, with Mix 106.5 at a distant 2nd place with 11.4%, followed by 2MMM with 10.3%. Unlike Gold 104.3, WS could only manage 5th place in the 25-39s behind Nova, 2MMM, 2Day & Mix.