Thanks for that flashback, it’s always quite interesting to look back at even relatively recent historical ratings figures! 
2DayFM, 2CH and Macquarie Sports Radio probably wouldn’t mind having their 2012 ratings right now! 
Although on the flipside, I’m sure Smooth 95.3, KIIS 1065 and WSFM would vastly prefer their 2018 ratings.
In the above aforementioned 2004 survey, Graeme Gilbert scored an asterisk in his timeslot.
Here’s how the stations ranked in Sydney during Survey 1 of 2004:
#1. Nova: 11.8
#2. 2Day: 10.4
#3. 2GB: 10.3
#4. 702 ABC: 9.1
#5. WSFM: 8.7
#6. Mix 106.5: 7.6
#7. 2UE: 7.0
#8. 2MMM: 5.8
#9. 2CH: 5.4
#10. 2JJJ: 5.1
#11. ABCFM: 3.0
#12. 2RN: 2.4
#13. ABC Newsradio: 1.8
#14. 2KY: 0.7
#15. 2SM: 0.1
Does anyone have any data on when Red Symons on 774 ABC Melb beat Ross and John of 3AW at bfast?
Studio 10’s Craig Bennett in a gushing interview with Red Symons claimed Red went to number one.
At a cafe, and as the closed caption appeared on the screen, I couldn’t believe it. Did it really happen?
Nova 100 was #1 FM, as well as overall, for two consecutive surveys in 2/2002 & 3/2002, and was #1 FM in 7/2004 & 8/2004, as well as for a single survey on 2/2005. More recently, they were also #1 FM in 7/2013.
By comparsion, the last time Nova 96.9 was #1 FM was way back in 5/2005, which was the end of their 13 consecutive survey wins for that position, which included being #1 overall for the first 3 surveys of 2004 before 2GB took over the #1 overall position, which is still unbeaten to this day.
Ta, knew someone would have the data!
Given 4KQ’s result in this survey released this morning, as seen below…
I guess it’s worth looking back on how the Brisbane ratings looked on that very survey 15 years ago.
The overall results were as follows:
#1. B105: 17.9
#2. 4MMM: 13.8
#3. 97.3: 13.6
#4. 4KQ: 10.5
#5. 4BC: 9.1
#6. 4BH: 8.7
#7. ABC 612: 6.8
#8. 4JJJ: 6.3
#9. 4RN: 3.2
#10. ABCFM: 2.8
#11. ABC NewsRadio: 1.4
“Other Stations” only had a 5.9% share, as Nova 106.9 were yet to start its test broadcast before officially going to air in April 2005. Also, 4BC was mostly local during the day & night, although they relayed John Laws in mornings from 2UE.
And here’s the Sydney results from that same survey, which was the beginning of 2GB’s now 15-year long reign at #1.
#1. 2GB: 12.7
#2. Nova: 10.4
#3. ABC 702: 8.5
#4. WSFM: 8.0
=#4. 2MMM: 8.0
#6. Mix 106.5: 7.9
#7. 2Day: 7.7
#8. 2UE: 7.5
#9. 2CH: 6.3
#10. 2JJJ: 4.2
#11. ABCFM: 3.2
#12. 2RN: 2.3
#13. ABC NewsRadio: 1.5
2Day was stuggling for much of 2004 after Wendy Harmer & The Morning Crew stepped down from breakfast, which resulted in them moving Kyle & Jackie O to breakfast in 2005, where they remained until the end of 2013 when they moved to KIIS (formerly Mix 106.5).
Looking at the results of some of these Sydney radio surveys from 2004/05 and comparing them to more recent figures, it’s probably safe to say that the average listener in this market is considerably older than it was 15 years ago?
…although I’d imagine that 2DayFM would love to have “only” 7.7% of the audience these days!
So in 2004 - 2UE and 2GB has over a 20 share combined. Enough said.
Why eliminate the competition when you own it!
I know right. Bizarre isn’t it.
How Bad 3AK got in the Late 1990’s, It’s 1503 Signal and Ratings was’nt Strong as it once was when it was a Beautiful Music Station, Moving to 1116 in 2001 did Little to Improve the Stations Fortunes.
And how Quickly 3MP Vanished from the Ratings after MTR Bombed, Not Great.
Sydney radio ratings August 1953.
I’m not surprised how far ahead 2GB was in the early 1950s as the Macquarie Network was a powerhouse. 2UW was a strong second as they played some popular daytime serials.
Source: National Archives of Australia
1983.pdf (207.8 KB)
This is a telex of Survey 3 in 1983. It was given to me by someone who worked at 2DayFM at the time, thus the handwriting. Survey 2 is printed - Survey 3 is written on the telex.
At the time:
And Madonna and George Micheal were becoming household names.
This is actually Survey 3, 1984, with handwritten notes referring to S2/1984.
I stand to be corrected. I had written the survey on the back of the telex but this was a long time ago.
It was Survey 4 in 1984 when Triple M hit No.1 for the first time ever. They must have had quite a jump on the next ratings.
Yes, Triple M jumped 9.9 to 13.5 for that first #1 finish in S4/84
And here is Survey 4 from 1984 and the first survey of 1985!
At the 1st survey of 1984, 2WS tied with 2UE for the #1 spot, in which both stations achieved an 11.2% share, with 2CH not far behind at 11.1% & 2MMM with 10.8%. It was also the first survey of the ill-fated Magic 11 (2UW), which debuted with a 6.7% share, which then fell to a 5.8% share the following survey.
Inspired by this post, which looked at the radio ratings for Melbourne during the following period:
Here’s one for Sydney during that same period.
Source: McNair Anderson Assoc. Pty Ltd (via SMH)
