Newcastle - Survey 1, 2017

[TV-Expert]

http://radioitsalovething.com.au/RIALT/media/RIALT/PDF/GfK_SummaryReport_Newcastle-Survey-1-2017.pdf

KO is #1 at 14.3%, followed by Hit 106.9 at 13.1%, 1233 ABC at 11.6% & JJJ at 11.4%. Both 2HD & New FM fell below 9%.

[crankymedia]

Total share of stations surveyed 3/2016: 78.2%

Total share of stations surveyed 1/2017: 74.8%

So some share has been lost to ‘other AM/FM’. 2NUR, out of area commercial stations and the like.

John Laws is the clear leader in mornings. His shift is way ahead of other 2HD shifts. John Laws is far from a spent force.

Breakfast is interesting, KO and local ABC the only stations with a share above 10%

Newcastle drive audience clearly has short memories and love listening to slowly progressing story arcs, Hamish and Andy the big movers there.

KO is down and considering the change of music and target audience, I’m not surprised. As discussed before here, it’s simply not right but due to changing network dynamics, won’t change.

[TV-Expert]

@crankymedia

KO is down and considering the change of music and target audience, I’m not surprised. As discussed before here, it’s simply not right but due to changing network dynamics, won’t change.

What’s quite alarming is that KO went down 9.7% in the 40-54s in just one survey, now placing themselves only 3.5% ahead of New FM in that demographic!

Elsewhere, JJJ is #1 in the 25-39s & also outrates Hit in the 40-54s.

[crankymedia]

@TV-Expert

What’s quite alarming is that KO went down 9.7% in the 40-54s in just one survey

Alarming but not surprising. KO/network music scheduling has shifted to a younger target audience.

All of this has been discussed earlier in the Newcastle Radio thread. Mike Byrne kindly contributed an explanation. Doesn’t mean it’s for the best however.

Leave Newcastle as a standalone duo as clearly Mickey and his network team have a lot of work to do on the Gold Coast unless they’re deluding themselves GC 1/2017 was a rogue survey (incorrect as is on trend with Gold declining last year).

[RFBurns]

Not any big surprises there, there’s still no solid competition in the Newcastle market.

Big drops by most & they’re not transferring to other surveyed stations, they’re leaving to elsewhere (the community or out of market). That should be a big worry for all Newcastle surveyed stations, even if they are pulling 13-14%.

The last few Newcastle surveys have been a bit rogue form my thoughts, they’re all over the place & I don’t feel accurate.

Also why are the ABC & the SCA stations online listeners counted, but not NEWFM’s (2HD don’t stream), that’s skewed results?

I know I work in Central Coast Radio, but I don’t listen to any Newcastle stations voluntarily, I listen to CoastFM, Star104.5 or Smooth95.3, even when I’m at home (in Lake Macquarie) or around town, there’s really nothing of any substance worth listening too here, it seems others are finding that too.

There’s some big figures for NX in the 10-24 demo, but that’s not surprising, because there’s nothing else in that demo, SeaFM CC is exactly the same & most of the market can’t get Power from Muswellbrook.

In my demo 40-54, there’s over 20% don’t listen to any of the surveyed stations (including me), & that’s more than KO, which should be their target demo.

[Brianc68]

Newcastle needs a 4th FM almost as badly as Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide need a 5th.

[TV-Expert]

@RFBurns

In my demo 40-54, there’s over 20% don’t listen to any of the surveyed stations (including me), & that’s more than KO, which should be their target demo.

In the previous survey, the “Other Stations” scored 16.5% of the 40-54s, which was below that of KO’s 27.4%. This survey, it’s at 20.7%.

In the 55-64s, the “Other Stations” scored a whopping 41.1% share, which is more than double that of KO, which scored an 18% share in that demographic & nearly 5 times that of 2HD’s 8.6%. That is up 9.3% from the previous survey.

[Ant5476]

Would the big other chunk be 2NUR / Star 104.5 and to a lesser extent 98.1 Power Fm considering Sea and Hit 106.9 share the same playlists as does 2GO and KO fm?

[TV-Expert]

@Ant5476

Would the big other chunk be 2NUR / Star 104.5 and to a lesser extent 98.1 Power Fm considering Sea and Hit 106.9 share the same playlists as does 2GO and KO fm?

With the exception of the fact that KO uses its own playlist that is separate from the Gold Coast log which 2GO takes, I would imagine that you would be right on that assumption. 2NUR would especially cover a big chunk of the “Other” figure in the 40+ demos.

[nzwarrior51]

I doubt Mike will be extremely pleased with the survey, he’ll be pleased that they are #1 but considering the changes beyond what he can do doesn’t help his cause. As I’ve said for a while, grunge or 90’s music isn’t something you can channel a playlist around, it simply doesn’t appeal to everyone. Like think if all the 80’s hits you even see young people singing along to, but green day isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. If it was in the control of Mike and the team, I’d be basing the playlist around 80’s chucking in 70’s and 90’s with new stuff. The playlist now is eh. But from what I’ve seen there’s only so much those guys can do unfortunately.

[Brianc68]

I agree 110% with you on that.90s music and grunge in particular is definitely not as broad in appeal as 70s and 80s music. I frequent a cafe every morning full of hip young staff in their early 20s. They absolutely rock out to anything 80s and they sing along. The other day they had the Beach Boys absolutely blaring and were so into it I couldn’t believe it. But Green Day? No way in hell.

[nzwarrior51]

Theres not a major appeal for grunge full stop.