https://radioinfo.com.au/news/radio-ratings-survey-8-kiis-soars-gold-and-smooth-plummet-melbourne
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In Sydney, 2GB finishes the year on top with 11.3%, with KIIS & WS not far behind at 9.9% & 9.7% respectively. Smooth fell 0.6% to 8.6%, whilst Nova went down slightly by 0.1% to 7.5%. 2MMM went up 0.7% to 6.2%, whilst 2Day went up 0.1% to 3.9%.
In Melbourne, Gold 104.3 maintains its #1 FM position with a 9.6% share, placing themselves 2nd overall behind 3AW. Fox was #2 FM on 8.4%, followed by Nova with 8%, Smooth with 7.8% (down 2.3% from previous survey) & KIIS, who went up 1.3% to 7.5%, their highest share since the station replaced Mix 101.1 in January 2015. Talking Lifestyle fell to a new low with a 0.3% share.
In Brisbane, Nova still maintains its #1 position with a 13.3% share, followed by hit105 with 10.6%, 97.3FM with 10.4% & believe it not, 4KQ with 10.2%, who managed to outrate 4MMM!! 
Further down the ratings, Talking Lifestyle had a slight rise by 0.2% to 0.5%.
In Adelaide, Mix 102.3 maintains its #1 position, followed closely by Nova, FiveAA, Cruise, 5MMM & hit107. And in Perth, Mix 94.5 is at #1 with 14.6%, with Nova not far behind with 13.7%, followed by 96fm (10.2%), hit92.9 (9.2%) & JJJ (8.6%).
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How did Smooth suffered a big drop in Melbourne? Radio ratings in the city are volatile these days.
The biggest fall in Smooth’s audience came from the 65+ demo, where it went down from 13.6% last survey to 8.7% this survey. In that same demo, 3AW got nearly a 40% share, about 20% ahead of ABC Radio Melbourne, which is quite remarkable.
As for the Brisbane ratings in ranking order:
- Nova: 13.3
- hit105: 10.6
- 97.3FM: 10.4
- 4KQ: 10.2
- 4MMM: 9.9
- 4JJJ: 8.8
- ABC Brisbane: 8.5
- 4BC: 6.2
- 4RN: 2.5
- ABCFM: 2.0
- ABC News: 1.1
- Talking Lifestyle: 0.5
In Sydney, I’ve noticed in the 18-24s that 2Day managed to outrate KIIS in that demographic, with Nova & JJJ tied for the top spot in that same demo. In the 40-54s, the two ARN stations took out the top 2 positions with WS at 16% & KIIS at 13.7%, giving ARN a combined share of 29.7%. In the 55-64s, WS was #2 behind ABC Radio Sydney, beating out both Smooth & 2GB.
And on weekends, Talking Lifestyle managed to outrate 2GB!! 
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What has changed at Smooth in Melbourne? And 
to 4KQ …a AM music station rating at 10.4…Wow
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JJJ being sixth in Brisbane; is that historically high?
A lot of declines in Melbourne, but a big spike for the troubled KIIS.
Not the first time - last happened survey 5 this year
Well done 4KQ. I knew they’d topple 4MMM one day. So good to see a station with a broad music playlist and good low key local presenters rating so well - and on AM!!
But of course nothing is wrong with 4MMM, just ask them.
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And in Survey 1 this year as well. In Survey 6 last year though, JJJ managed to be equal 5th with 4KQ.
Speaking of 4KQ, this survey marks the first time since Survey 4 of 2004 that the station managed to score double-figures in the overall ratings. The last time an AM music station in Brisbane scored double-figures was in Survey 3 of 2007, when 4BH (now Talking Lifestyle) scored a 10.5% share, placing themselves 3rd overall (behind Nova & 4MMM).
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Sad to see 4BH sink so low. I recall when they scored double digits in 2007 they had a very Smooth FM playlist…
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Could smooth’s drop in Melbourne be attributed to the fact that the station has been using the same jingles since its launch in 2012?
I love a good radio jingle - it cuts through the clutter and makes the station clearly identifiable when you hear it in a public place.
But five years - over sixty months - with the same jingle every ten minutes can really start to get on your nerves.
And you really have to give it to 2DayFM - they have no idea how to create, establish produce and market a breakfast show in Sydney. I can already see the bus shelter posters and flashy billboards on the M4 and Southern Cross Drive. Bright colours, three crazy faces and the same font they have been using since 2014. It’s not working. But let’s try one more time. It’s making me anxious about catching buses in the new year.
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Cruise in Adelaide is close to double digits too, and pipped 5MMM
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Cruise and 4KQ. Buy an AM radio licence and offer music that’s different to the FM stations. Gain ratings of 8.8% and over 10%.
2UE. Buy an AM station and run ads 24/7 and relay the station to Brisbane and Melbourne. Rate 0.2% and 0.3%.
There’s a lesson in there somewhere.
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Although there’s the difference that 4KQ and Cruise/5DN have been owned by ARN for 20+ years and have played music for the entire time (except for a brief stint as SEN for 5DN). They also filling a gap in the market that is available since Brisbane and Adelaide don’t have WSFM/Gold and Smooth.
2CH in Sydney paints a different picture of a music format on AM - although granted it is rating higher than 2UE and MRN did reasonable damage to its rating through their focus on 2GB also.
A pretty good result for ARN in Sydney - having the top two FM stations, the two FM breakfast shows, Ron E Sparks going out on a high and Sydney’s #1 radio station overall on weekends. Although with the recent departure of the longtime content director and workday announcer, it’ll be interesting to see what happens with the programing and ratings of WS’ in their 25th year on 101.7FM.
How is the Talking Lifestyle format even still running in Melbourne & Brisbane? Because 0.3% and 0.5% shares are just absolutely pathetic.
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Quite a turnaround for Chrissie, Sam and Browny on Nova Melbourne in the breakfast slot. It was No.1 in FM breakfast this survey after coming fourth last survey. Triple M’s Hot Breakfast also increased its share by 0.5 points from last survey.
Macquarie has no choice but to leave TL on air due to its cricket and A-League commitments.
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Melbourne continues to keep Sydney-based executives on their toes, through changing stations more times than you can say “Frank Walker from National Tiles” in a commercial break
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The Summer Detention (or whatever it is called now) is a poor replacement for Weekend Detention, which is itself a very poor program. 2GB manages to program to its target audience on weekdays, but on weekends its always been a buffet of less than palatable nothing.
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Indicative of the pathetic executives at MRN.
It’s an absolute fail of a station, though I suppose 3AW / 4BC pick-up extra listeners.
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