I wonder why 1260 doesn’t participate in the Shepparton ratings?
It is supposed to be a commercial station, despite little if any local content.
Perhaps they don’t want it to be obvious how few people actually listen.
News Radio’s existence saves us from having parliament broadcast on Local Radio, which I for one endorse. However I do agree it’s barely listened to, I occasionally flick across it but barely stay for long (except for when they’re airing AFL coverage)
Again, the Other category scores some 25% of the audience. I guess there’s community radio (One FM) plus a bit of overlap from Deniliquin/Wangaratta and Albury in parts of their area. Mind you, Star and River Albury share almost identical programming for a lot of the day with Star/3SR in Shep, so there’s little advantage in choosing them over the lcoals (or little loss for SCA as owners of both)
There’s basically no reception of the Albury stations in Shepparton - even in my car I can only get reception a little way past Wangaratta - though 2AY on AM may fare a bit better.
I’d say a large amount of the others are on the Wangaratta and Deniliquin stations - they both have official overlap with the Shepparton licence area, so combined would cover most of the area. Edge and 3NE/2QN have a good point of difference to the SCA stations.
1260 despite being a commercial licence is a racing broadcaster, relieving them of local content requirements, so would be unlikely to get any benefit from participating in ratings.
Also Classic FM figures are appalling. Not sure if NewsRadio is on FM in Shepparton but Classic FM is a complete waste of spectrum. I find it strange though that NewsRadio rates better in capital cities (where there is more choice) than these regional markets.
RSN have said in the past that they operate the regional translators at a financial loss but provide them as a public service to the punters.
Likewise, RSN is not included in ratings surveys in Melbourne.
But there are 3000 listeners aged over 55. A small number but shows that there is some audience for it.
1 Like
News Radio is in Shepparton on 107.7 MHz on the FM dial (Sun FM’s old frequency when they started in 1990) which is far away from the other stations which use the spectrum from 94-100 MHz Radio National rates 2.5 even though there is no local transmitter for it in the listening area (the nearest ones are 621 kHz in Melbourne (Sydenham) and 756 kHz in Wangaratta both of which are adequately receivable). Surprising that Triple J only rates around 5% you’d think it would be much more than that! As for Classic FM, Shepparton did not get a local transmitter until around 1993, the same time ABC Shepparton/Goulburn Murray began as COFM. Before that listeners who wanted to hear ABC-FM tuned to 106.3 MHz (since relocated to 92.7 MHz) from Bendigo (Mt Alexander) which was adequately receivable in Shepparton. Also Bendigo’s 3BO FM, Star FM and all the ABC stations from Mt Alexander are receivable in Shepparton on a good radio.
I think you will find that is 300! 
and that is for the entire week.
I see. Then again if it’s buried at 107.7 with no promotion perhaps nobody knows it is there.
I don’t know of ANY promotion of any ABC service in regional areas except for ABC Local Radio.
I’d like to see the current newsradio and RN merge into something a bit like BBC R4 and the remaining station to become a FM relay of Double J (or something like BBC R2)
3 Likes
My original comment was a result of all recent regional radio ratings, not just Shepparton. Cumulative audiences for News Radio in recent surveys were
Mackay 600
Kalgoorie 200
Albany 1,500
Coffs 700
Griffith 300
Townsville 1,400
Wollongong 1,000
Newcastle 2,100
It seems to me that together ABC Local Radio and Radio National provide an adequate news, talk and information service. The extra frequency that much of the time is relaying an overseas broadcaster or duplicating news services seems unnecessary and could be better used for some other type of service. Another national music service would seem like an easy and less costly choice - they already have Double Jay, Jazz and Country Music stations running on digital to chose from.
2 Likes
Personally, I think Double J or ABC Country would probably be the best digital stations to run on FM in regional areas.
Only problem then becomes parliament - where does it go?
It stays on that same channel as is broadcast as required.
Radio National IMHO. Likewise with AM, PM, The World Today…they all need to come off ABC Local Radio as well.
@NRN11
Yes I completely agree. Merge RN and NewsRadio into something like BBC4 and run either Double J or a BBC2 clone on FM.
1 Like
A small state/territory capital (Darwin) has their radio ratings released today: http://www.radioitsalovething.com.au/RIALT/media/RIALT/Images/DARWIN-XTRA-RESEARCH-PUBLIC-SURVEY-RESULT-WITH-CUME.pdf
Hot 100 dominates the Darwin market with 37.3%, with sister station Mix 104.9 a distant 2nd with 18.2%, followed closely by 105.7 ABC Darwin with 17.6%. Triple J scored quite well with a 9.4% share.
In the demographics, Hot 100 dominates the under-40s, whilst 105.7 ABC Darwin is #1 in the 40+, with Mix 104.9 a fairly close 2nd in the 40-64s.
A small state/territory capital (Darwin) has their radio ratings released today:
I know this is the first official survey in Darwin in over a decade - but just when was the last survey? The last Nielsen survey I’ve been able to find was August 1996.
1 Like
I’d assume the figures for Mix in Darwin are lower than might be expected because of community station Territory FM which I believe is very popular. Also there are digital stations such as classic rock.
Shocking figures for NewsRadio again and low for Classic FM.
1 Like
According to my calculations, the “Other Stations” account for 12.7% of the listening audience surveyed (100-Total Listed Stations = “Other”), placing themselves 4th.
In the older demographics, the “Other Stations” ratings are:
40-54s: 17.3% (4th)
55-64s: 19.8% (3rd)
65+: 12.9% (3rd)
It’s Cairns turn today: http://www.radioitsalovething.com/RIALT/media/RIALT/Images/CAIRNS-XTRA-RESEARCH-PUBLIC-SURVEY-RESULT-WITH-CUME.pdf
Hot FM dominates the market with 27.1%, followed by Star 102.7 (formerly Zinc) at a distant 2nd place with 16.6%, Sea FM at 3rd with 14.8% & ABC Far North QLD at 4th place with 14.3%. JJJ managed to get double figures with a 10.5% share, whilst AM music station 4CA manages a 7.8% share.
In the demographics, Hot dominates the under-40s, whilst Star 102.7 tops the 40-54s & ABC Far North QLD tops the 55+. 4CA is the #1 commercial station in the 55+, whilst Sea outrates Star in the 55-64s.
1 Like