In Sydney, 2GB remains at #1 with 13.8%, slightly up from last survey, whilst Smooth is #2 at 9.9%, followed closely by KIIS, who went up 1% to 9.7%. ABC Sydney is at 8.5%, whilst WS fell 1% to 7.1%, followed by Nova at 6.8% (up 0.7%), 2MMM at 6.1% (up 0.7%), JJJ at 4.7% & 2Day at 4% (up 0.6%). 2UE went up 0.5% to 1.2%, perhaps as a result of 2CH disappearing from AM in favour of SEN.
In Melbourne, 3AW is at #1 with 19.6%, followed by ABC Melbourne at 10.7%, Gold at 9%, Smooth at 7.8%, Fox at 6.7%, 3MMM at 6.2%, Nova at 5.6%, JJJ at 4.9% & KIIS at 4.5%. Magic went up 0.2% to 1.4%.
In Brisbane, Nova remains on top with 12.5%, followed by 4MMM with 11% & B105 with 9.7%. 4KQ managed to outrate 97.3FM, in which it scored 9.4% (up 2.3%) in contrast to the latter’s 8.8% (down 0.5%). 4BC scored 7.9% (down 1.6%), followed by ABC Brisbane at 7.6% & JJJ at 6.4%. 4BH remained steady at 1.1%.
In Adelaide, Mix 102.3 remained on top with 11.7%, although with its share down 1.7%, it’s now not rating far ahead of ABC Adelaide (11.2) & Cruise (10.9). The AM music station now outrates three commercial FM stations, including Nova (9.8), 5MMM (9.6) & SAFM (9.3).
And in Perth, Nova takes back the #1 spot with 14.3%, followed by Mix 94.5 (its last as a Triple M network station) at 12% & 96FM at 11.3%. Hit 92.9 (now Triple M) finishes off with an 8.7% share, placing themselves not far ahead of ABC Perth, JJJ & 6PR. 6iX scored a 4.5% share. The first survey of 2021 is certainly going to be interesting for Perth. 
Both 3AW and ABC Melbourne dipped from last survey, which was to be expected as Victoria emerged from stage 3 lockdown. Ross and Russel suffered a big 3.4% drop, not an ideal way to farewell EP Kate Stevenson who is now working for Victorian Department of Transport. Denis Walter was the only 3AW presenter to increase its share from the last survey.
Commercial FM breakfast shows all gained ground as more Victorians returned to work during the survey period, with Fox’s Fifi, Fev and Byron having the biggest increase with 1.6%, before Byron Cooke left the station. Gold’s Christian O’Connell was again the top rating FM breakfast show at 7.5%. Triple M’s Hot Breakfast with Eddie McGuire and Luke Darcy bows out as the #2 show on FM radio in its time slot with 6.8% share.
Hughesy and Ed finished off their drive program in style with 7.7% share, up 2%, before they move to Sydney next year to be joined by Erin Molan to present 2DayFM breakfast. It will be interesting to see if Carrie and Tommy, with extended hours, can maintain the audience share in 2021 in the drive timeslot. Strangely, Triple M’s Kennedy/Molloy fell by 1.4%.
to be fair it was never going to sustain or even add to 28.4% from the previous survey. The fact that it’s still at 25% is incredible. I can’t think of any breakfast show in Melbourne to have that sort of share, probably not since the advent of FM?
And look at 3AW’s evenings, 20.7%, more than double it’s nearest competitor. Bruce and Phil used to rate well at nights but I don’t know if it was that high?
But 3AW’s high numbers appear to be largely driven by over-55s which will keep the station flush with ads for funeral directors.
4KQ out-rating 97.3 in Brisbane.
Are the alarm bells ringing at ARN yet?
97.3 now No. 5 in a city with only 4 FM stations.
Cruise No. 3 in Adelaide beating 3 out of the 4 FM stations! Cruise is the No. 2 commercial station in Adelaide.
When will ARN actually promote 4KQ and Cruise and push the DAB+ aspect. They could both be No. 1 in their markets.
Sydney & Brisbane ratings in ranking order.
Sydney
#1. 2GB: 13.8
#2. Smooth: 9.9
#3. KIIS: 9.7
#4. ABC Sydney: 8.5
#5. WSFM: 7.1
#6. Nova: 6.8
#7. 2MMM: 6.1
#8. 2JJJ: 4.7
#9. 2Day: 4.0
#10. ABC Classic: 3.8
#11. 2RN: 2.6
#12. ABC Newsradio: 2.1
#13. 2UE: 1.2
#14. Sky Sports: 0.9
Brisbane
#1. Nova: 12.5
#2. 4MMM: 11.0
#3. B105: 9.7
#4. 4KQ: 9.4
#5. 97.3: 8.8
#6. 4BC: 7.9
#7. ABC Brisbane: 7.6
#8. 4JJJ: 6.1
#9. ABC Classic: 2.6
#10. 4RN: 2.3
#11. ABC Newsradio: 1.6
#12. 4BH: 1.1
2CH number 1 on digital. Maybe there is still more life left in 2CH yet. Many predicting SEN will give it the boot in the next 6-12 months. With those numbers maybe it will provide some useful revenue for SEN as the pandemic continues.
They have a history of removing music stations since the merger, sport is their core business. Also note that 2CH have been removed from the ratings? Didn’t want the world to see the plunge?
A 3.4% drop, down to 26%, yes no drop is good but I imagine this would have foreseen under the circumstances, and what show wouldn’t be happy with 26%!
Looking at the numbers, 2CH DAB+ is not far behind that of Sky Sports & 2UE.
Elsewhere in the ratings, in Sydney, there’s a close battle in the 40-54s between WS (12.6), 2MMM (12.0) & Smooth (11.3). By contrast, in Melbourne on that same demo, Gold (16.7) is well ahead of 3MMM (11.2) & Smooth (5.5). Interestingly, from 9am to 4pm weekdays, 2MMM is ahead of WS, and in the 55-64s, WS (9.4) & 2MMM (9.0) are rating very close to each other.
In Brisbane, 4KQ managed to outrate not only 97.3 but also B105 in breakfast & mornings. And in Adelaide, Cruise is the #1 station on weekends.
That is the lowest share ever recorded for 97.3 (previous low was a 9.0 in S4/2005)
Talk Radio clear #1 in Sydney and Melbourne
The final radio ratings of 2020 have showcased the strong and powerful position of Talk Radio, in a year which has highlighted the close and trusted relationship the medium has with millions of listeners across Australia.
The GfK Survey 8 saw Nine Radio’s stations record stunning results Melbourne’s 3AW and Sydney’s 2GB. Nine Radio’s talk stations also retained their #1 position in the key 40+ demographic with a 18.2% share.
Greg Byrnes, Nine Radio’s Head of Content said: “Talk Radio has led the charge throughout this COVID year, and we finish 2020 as the dominant force in Melbourne and Sydney.
“3AW has re-written the record books by maintaining unprecedented results across all day parts while at 2GB, Ben and Ray have cemented their positions as the Sydney’s ‘must listen to’ radio programs.
“With 4BC again a force again in Brisbane and an exciting new line up in place for Perth’s 6PR, Talk Radio will build on the foundations established this year and go from strength to strength in 2021.
The results around the country are:
2GB 873 remains the leader in Sydney – #1 across Breakfast, Mornings, Evenings and Weekends recording its 130th consecutive survey win, with an 13.8% audience share.
• Ben Fordham Live finishes the year as the radio’s clear #1 Breakfast show (up 1.0 points) – with an audience share of 17.1%.
• The Ray Hadley Morning Show is a clear #1 in Mornings recording an audience share of 17.1%. This is Ray’s 130th consecutive win.
• Afternoons with Deborah Knight continues the strong performance it has had this year with an audience share of 9.6%.
• Drive with Jim Wilson continues to deliver a solid audience in the competitive Drive timeslot, with an 8.7% audience share (time adjusted).
• Nights with John Stanley dominates the timeslot – a clear #1 with an audience of 21.2% (up 0.7 points), well ahead of its competitors (time adjusted).
• 2GB Weekends (including The Garden Clinic, Chris Smith, The Two Murrays and Saturday Night Live with Stevie Jacobs) continues to grow with its audience share at 13.8% (up 0.2 points).
Networked programs Wide World of Sports with Mark Levy (2GB) and Money News with Brooke Corte (2GB, 3AW, 4BC) continue to perform strongly in their early evenings timeslot holding their audience.
3AW maintains a dominant position in the Melbourne market. After a year of stellar ratings, the final survey saw 3AW record an audience share of 19.6% in Survey 8 of the GfK radio ratings, as Melbourne continued to rely on Talk Radio for trusted news and opinion.
The station is the clear #1 in Breakfast, Mornings, Afternoons, Drive, Nights and Weekends recording across the board increases, and 3AW remains #1 in the key 35-64 advertiser demographic.
• After recent record-breaking surveys 3AW Breakfast with Ross Stevenson and Russel Howcroft continued to perform strongly, posting a stunning 26% share in their timeslot (time adjusted) and retaining the position of being Melbourne’s #1 Breakfast show. This marks 150 consecutive surveys and a total of 221 wins for 3AW as Melbourne’s #1 Breakfast show.
• Neil Mitchell is the undisputed leader with 3AW Mornings dominant in its timeslot recording a 21.9% share (time adjusted).
• Dee Dee Dunleavy’s Afternoons show retains the #1 crown in the timeslot drawing a 15.2% share (time adjusted).
• Tom Elliott retains #1 in the highly competitive timeslot. 3AW Drive had a share of 18.2% (time adjusted).
• Denis Walter’s Nights program is #1 in its timeslot and continues to hold its audience in Melbourne recording a 24.9% share (up 0.6 points) (time adjusted).
News Talk 4BC 1116 has posted an audience share of 7.9% among all people 10+
• Breakfast with Neil Breen continues to perform strong posting 9.1% share in Brisbane to finish the year.
• The Ray Hadley Morning Show is the #1 Morning Show on Talk Radio with a 11.3% share in his timeslot (9-11am).
• Afternoons with Deborah Knight ends 2020 recording a 7.4% share.
• Drive with Scott Emerson posts an audience share of 5.5% as it finishes his first year on 4BC.
• Nights with John Stanley had an 8.8% share in his timeslot of the audience continuing to grow his share (up 0.7 points).
6PR 882 Perth – Sees Growth in Drive
News Talk 6PR 882 has achieved an audience share of 7.9% in the final survey of 2020
• Breakfast with Steve Mills and Basil Zempilas have finished the year strongly with a 10.8% share.
• Mornings with Gareth Parker had a 8.2% share in the timeslot.
• Afternoons with Simon Beaumont recorded a share of 5.7%.
• Perth Live with Oliver Peterson has grown its audience with a 7.1% share, (up 0.4 points) (time adjusted).
• Perth Tonight with Chris Ilsley drew a share of 10.4% (up 1.8 points) (time adjusted).
how much of the survey included 1170 as SEN?
The drop for Kennedy/Molloy’s ratings might have been affected by Jane being off air for almost a month (because I remember she came back on air on Oaks Day).
Thank goodness no one here has suggested 97.3 in Brisbane become Smooth 97.3 (I just saw someone suggest it on the Radio Today comments). Just like ARN has no programming say over the Nova j/v in Perth, Nova Entertainment has no say over programming of the 97.3 j/v in Brisbane. It will never happen!
If anything, perhaps the results for Mix102.3 and 97.3, compared to those of Cruise1323 and 4KQ, might make ARN create a mini Classic Hits network with the two AM’s and make some tweaks to the two FM’s, moving those, and 96FM, under the Pure Gold network.
Well that would be an improvement for sure, if 97.3 and 102.3 went Pure Gold.
Create a classic hits network out of 4KQ and Cruise and put it on DAB in Sydney and Melbourne as 2WS and 3KZ.
Although never say never about Smooth 97.3 either. Nobody really knows the terms of these joint ventures except the companies involved. It’s interesting that Nova would choose to launch Smooth 80s in Brisbane on DAB and nowhere else - directly completing against 97.3 80s and indirectly against 97.3 FM itself.
Just a comment on the DAB ratings. I remain highly dubious of the figures.
They literally don’t add up in that the overall listening figures for Brisbane are proportionally much higher when compared to the population compared to Perth. It’s also out of whack when compared between Adelaide and Perth.
Brisbane
Population approx. 2.5M
Total DAB listeners 334K
Perth
Population approx. 2.0M
Total DAB listeners 234K
Proportionally that means there are significantly more DAB listeners in Brisbane than Perth - is that really the case? I hardly think so.
Adelaide
Population approx. 1.3M
Total DAB listeners 174K
Which again points to proportionally more DAB listeners in Adelaide than Perth.
These figures look rubbery at best to me.
Not much from memory, but SEN not listed either.
Agree. 97.3, Mix 102.3 and 96FM need to join WSFM and Gold 104.3 as one network. If only 6IX was part of ARN and not the ownership they’re currently under, their figures would be higher.