Yes, I know it’s only the 3rd survey for this year.
https://www.radioinfo.com.au/news/radio-ratings-survey-6-first-results-after-covid-hiatus
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Kyle’s ganna be pissed.
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In Sydney, 2GB still managed to hold on to #1 with a 14.2% share, down only 0.6% from the previous survey, whilst ABC Sydney rose to 2nd place with 10.5%, up 0.9% from the previous survey. Smooth is #1 FM with 9.9%, followed by WS with 8.4%, KIIS with 8.2% & Nova with 6.6%. 2CH rose 1% to 4.8%, whilst 2Day fell 1.8% to just 3.3%, beaten by ABC Classic in the process. 2UE remained fairly steady at 0.6%.
In Melbourne, 3AW rose 3% to 16.9%, followed by ABC Melbourne at 12.7%, who also rose 3%. Gold is #1 FM with 8.7%, followed by Smooth with 7.5%, 3MMM & Fox with 5.9%, Nova with 5.3% & KIIS with 5%. JJJ fell from 7.2% to 3.8%, whilst Magic went up 0.7% to 0.9%.
In Brisbane, Nova is #1 with 11.5%, followed by a two-way tie with 4MMM & 97.3FM with 10.5%, B105 with 10.4% & 4KQ with 9.2%. 4BC fell 0.5% to 7.1%, whilst 4BH went up 1.2% to 1.6%.
In Adelaide, Mix 102.3 remains at #1 with 13%, followed closely by FiveAA with 12.2%, Nova with 10.4%, ABC Adelaide with 9.9% & Cruise with 9%. SAFM went up 0.5% to 8.6%, whilst 5MMM fell 0.2% to 8.2%.
And in Perth, Nova 93.7 takes the #1 position with 12.9%, followed by Mix 94.5 at 12.7% & 96fm with 12.6%. Hit 92.9 fell 1.4% to 8.7%, just ahead of 6PR & JJJ. 6iX rose 0.8% to 5.3%.
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The long gap between the two surveys make it quite to compare the ratings but I can see some patterns.
In Melbourne, 3AW enjoyed some of the biggest rises in radio ratings history. Its breakfast was up a whopping 8.8% from last survey when John Burns was still co-hosting. What a start for Russel Howcroft! There were solid rises for Neil Mitchell and Diane “Dee Dee” Dunleavy as well.
Triple M was the only commercial FM station to gain listeners at breakfast this survey. Fox and Triple J both posted big drops in the timeslot.
I think 3AW and ABC Radio Melbourne were the big winners from this survey partly due to extended lockdowns in the city, meaning more people are listening to the radio at home and wanting to find out on the latest information on government measures.
Brief word about 2GB: the station management will be relieved with the first ratings results for Ben Fordham at breakfast and Jim Wilson at drive. There were fears that listeners would desert 2GB breakfast after Alan Jones retired from the show.
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Some very surprising results across the board. In Brisbane, all the work that has been put into 4BC and the ratings are lower. Extra competition from the all music 4BH and 4KQ sees its audience improve in all timeslots and age groups
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Can’t say there are too many huge shockers here, expected most music stations to be down somewhat. The ABCs did very well in the two markets hardest hit by covid, ABC/Sydney had its best share since S6/2014 and Melbourne is its best showing since S4/2014. And 3AW had its best showing since S6/2011.
The biggest music hits: 2Day - poorest showing since S8/2015, Nova/Melbourne’s 5.3 is its poorest showing ever, and Fox sinks to its lowest point since 1981.
As we’ve seen in the US, the music stations will rebound as market behaviors return to normal. That’s also evidenced by the other three markets where music stations didn’t generally take as much of a hit.
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3AW at a 16% share, ABC Melbourne above 10% despite the naysayers, Fox below a 6-share. 2020 is one hell of a ride.
Perhaps the music stations were always destined to fall this far, but more crucial is how the entrenched listening habits of the 25-54 demos have changed. Daytime TSL would, if anything, be up with most people at home, yet shares are well down - clearly the safe, stale playlists on all six commercial FMs aren’t cutting through.
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Nearly all FM stations well down in Melbourne. People aren’t commuting or driving more than 5km. Shows that FM stations rely a lot on listening in cars. AM news/talk stations like 3AW and ABC Melbourne get a boost from covid news and people listening at home
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Seems like all those negative nancies who whinged about Alan being taken off air is only in the minority. 2GB held up pretty well with the addition of Ben Fordham at breakfast and Jim Wilson at drive. Looks like the audience might embrace a more moderate 2GB better than we thought.
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Fox. Ouch!
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Nine Media are an absolute powerhouse in this country at the moment.
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Interesting the ABC is still doing OK in brisbane. seems the 2 person breakfast team is paying off. It was a big gamble after 11 years of Spencer alone, but it does raise the question - where would ABC listeners go? 4BC isn’t an option as it is too “right wing” so there is not much else.
than again as someone who was part of the survey i trust it about as much as i can throw someone at the moment - until they bring out an app i take the results with a grain of salt
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…except in Brisbane and Perth where 4BC and 6PR are still trailing most of their rivals respectively.
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I meant with the television, paper and radio combo.
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2CH now outrating 2Day and MMM 
I was expecting the “new” 3MP to be back in the survey? Are Ace planning to have the station surveyed?
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Also interesting that DAB and internet listening to the multitude of extra stations available stayed the same or dropped in every city apart from Melbourne where it went up dramatically to around a million people.
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I’m not surprised the FM stations have taken a hit in Victoria and 3AW and ABC are surging - given the Covid outbreak and extended lockdown. Other cities less affected like Brisbane and Perth have seen music stations increase given the news is less dire and people are out and about and living quite normally.
The Brisbane FM’s are so close it’s pointless to even call a “winner” really. Both 4KQ and 4BH increasing audience too. Perth’s FM’s are starting to bunch up too, except for Hit.
Gee does Crocmedia REALLY want to close down 2CH given that result? Really?
Smooth is going great in Sydney. I’ve said it before but ARN need to look at 97.3 in Brisbane, they would win Brisbane with a Smooth format, and I don’t think it would even harm 4KQ that much.
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The Melbourne figures are definitely a sign of COVID and going into next year should correct so everyone should calm down but less commuting, this was bound to happen. All the news stations way up.
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The Overall Ratings in ranking order for Sydney & Brisbane.
Sydney
#1. 2GB: 14.2
#2. ABC Sydney: 10.5
#3. Smooth: 9.9
#4. WSFM: 8.4
#5. KIIS: 8.2
#6. Nova: 6.6
#7. 2JJJ: 5.1
#8. 2CH: 4.8
#9. 2MMM: 4.7
#10. ABC Classic: 3.5
#11. 2Day: 3.3
#12. 2RN: 2.5
#13. ABC Newsradio: 2.3
#14. 2UE: 0.6
#15. Sky Sports Radio: 0.5
Brisbane
#1. Nova: 11.5
=#2. 97.3: 10.5
=#2. 4MMM: 10.5
#4. B105: 10.4
#5. 4KQ: 9.2
#6. ABC Brisbane: 8.4
#7. 4BC: 7.1
#8. 4JJJ: 6.9
#9. ABC Classic: 2.9
#10. 4RN: 2.1
=#11. 4BH: 1.6
=#11. ABC Newsradio: 1.6
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Awesome to see such a close result between 3 commercial stations in Perth considering it wasn’t all that long ago that the result always had Mix ahead by a massive margin.
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