Regional Radio Ratings

[Radiohead]

@Moe

Especially as Triple J/ABC Classic listeners have to rely on Ballarat or Melbourne frequencies, both which would hardly make it into town.

ABC Ballarat signals from Lookout Hill were very strong into Colac last time I was there.

[Spi]

@Moe

Dire for 3CS - especially when the 55+ is the only part getting them the win over ABC. Convert to FM, play music. 3AW’s signal I think is good in most of the area, people will just go to the source if they want talk, and I’d guess on those shares, already do.

That’s what I suspect too, certainly in the eastern parts of the area…

ACE as a whole won’t care in a small market if Mixx is supposedly pulling 60% of the youth crowd…that admittedly might be skewed in itself given the adjacent markets are also Mixx, but I guess they are also giving Colac their own four-hour local breakfast (as opposed to the networked one that 3YB/3HA/3SH territory shares between them, choosing to do local workday until 3pm instead), so they’re putting more effort into that than… as you suggest, a 3CS which is probably too close to 3AW to be an effective 3AW relay - otherwise they’d be rating more in the 55+ range than they are.

[Brianc68]

@Moe

@TV-Expert

Mixx remains at #1 with 37.6% (+13.6 from 2018), followed by 3CS with 11.8% (-1.5), and ABC Melbourne with 11.4% (-4.4).

Dire for 3CS - especially when the 55+ is the only part getting them the win over ABC. Convert to FM, play music. 3AW’s signal I think is good in most of the area, people will just go to the source if they want talk, and I’d guess on those shares, already do.

Why did the ABC bother with their expansion of NewsRadio? No one’s listening and they’ve used up so many frequencies on it. Especially as Triple J/ABC Classic listeners have to rely on Ballarat or Melbourne frequencies, both which would hardly make it into town.

Agree on both counts. 3CS needs to get on FM an play music.

The expansion of NewsRadio into regional areas on FM is a complete waste of time and money. As you say, nobody is listening! Flip it to ABC Country or even Double J (although personally I’m not a fan).

[Spi]

@Moe

Why did the ABC bother with their expansion of NewsRadio? No one’s listening and they’ve used up so many frequencies on it.

I’m guessing because it extends the parliament broadcast service in ways that alternatives to expanding NewsRadio can’t - I doubt the ABC is much in control of that expansion. I’m not entirely sure they’d would be all that keen to extend their side of the service given it hasn’t really existed in its own right for a decade, even after getting its name back (heck, it even takes the normal bulletin now).

Certainly an argument that you could put something else outside of sitting hours, in order to fulfil desires to get ABC Country or Double J on in places that don’t have DAB - and spare ABC Classic in the process, which is a separate question as that’s typically what gets called out as first on the chopping block - but I don’t know what it’d actually take (practically speaking, ie. time and money) to split the PNN like that.

[Moe]

The most obvious would be to use the frequencies that have been freed up by AM conversions for wide area NewsRadio. The other problem with the current ones is how most of them just cover the inner city because they are nothing like the wide area coverage of the other ABC services.

[captaincupcake]

My suggested alternative to NewsRadio would be to create a new network from the regional NewsRadio services with Parliament, Sport (where events are on DAB+ in the cities but not on Local Radio), and either Double J or Country (or a mix of both) outside of those. Call it something like “ABC Regional Extra”.

[Brianc68]

@captaincupcake

My suggested alternative to NewsRadio would be to create a new network from the regional NewsRadio services with Parliament, Sport (where events are on DAB+ in the cities but not on Local Radio), and either Double J or Country (or a mix of both) outside of those. Call it something like “ABC Regional Extra”.

Great idea.

The thing with ABC though is they seem to have terminal inertia. They simply appear unable to change. They’ve recognised they have a problem with radio listenership and then have a “review”, but nothing ever changes. When was the last time ABC ever changed anything meaningful? It’s really quite riduculous.

[TelevisionAU]

@Brianc68

The thing with ABC though is they seem to have terminal inertia. They simply appear unable to change. They’ve recognised they have a problem with radio listenership and then have a “review”, but nothing ever changes. When was the last time ABC ever changed anything meaningful? It’s really quite riduculous.

Apart from adding DAB about the only significant change ABC has made to its radio suite in the last 40 years is taking JJJ national and adding NewsRadio. The basic offering of local radio and RN essentially dates to the early 1960s – although the RN branding came later. Could do with a refresh!

[Radiohead]

There has also been the expansion of Radio National and Classic FM too. Up to the early 1980s most regional areas only had Local Radio and that was it from the ABC.

[TelevisionAU]

@Radiohead

There has also been the expansion of Radio National and Classic FM too. Up to the early 1980s most regional areas only had Local Radio and that was it from the ABC.

but essentially the networks have stayed the same. Yes there have been regional rollouts of RN, ABC FM, JJJ, etc but the range of networks has largely been unchanged.

[Brianc68]

@TelevisionAU

@Radiohead

There has also been the expansion of Radio National and Classic FM too. Up to the early 1980s most regional areas only had Local Radio and that was it from the ABC.

but essentially the networks have stayed the same. Yes there have been regional rollouts of RN, ABC FM, JJJ, etc but the range of networks has largely been unchanged.

Exactly. They’ve made no actual changes to their offerings, just rolled out existing ones to regional areas - whether they wanted them or not. Ratings would indicate they didn’t.

[TV-Expert]

Today, we’re off to the Central Coast of NSW:

GOSFORD-(CENTRAL-COAST)-XTRA-INSIGHTS-PUBLIC-SURVEY-RELEASE.pdf

Star 104.5 remains on top with 18.5% (-0.6), followed by Hit at 15.1% (Steady), and Triple M with 11% (-1.6). JJJ managed 7.7% (+0.8), whilst KIIS was the highest rating Sydney commercial FM station with 5.6% (+0.1).

In the demos, Star is #1 in the 10-24s & 40-54s, with Hit topping the 25-39s, Triple M winning the 55-64s, and ABC Central Coast #1 in the 65+.

In breakfast, Star’s Rabbit & Gina dominates with 19.4% (+0.5), followed by Hit’s Maz & Matty with 14.7% (-0.6), and Triple M’s Paddy & Rob Palmer with 11.3% (-1.0). In drive, Star’s Hayden Else dominates with 20.9% (+0.8), followed by Hit’s Carrie & Tommy with 16% (+0.5) and Triple M’s Rush Hour with 11.9% (+0.2).

The “Other Stations” share is at 28.2%, up 2.6 from last year, much of which would be towards Coast FM & 2GB.

[crankymedia]

Where else but Hayden Else for Drive?

Excellent result and shows why market specific music and local host can be successful. The overpaid “celebrity” teams are a proven rort and any decent programmer looking to curry favour with saving money would do well to end those drive shows.

Thanks also to @TV-Expert for your tireless summaries of these ratings releases.

Fascinating that again 2GB is excluded from the survey. Must be doing too well despite AM.

[thesub1]

It goes to show… it’s not just localism, but also GOOD local programming which will always win.

NewFM has localism, but is lacking the GOOD local programming. Make some tweaks and NewFM too could easily beat SCA.

Hit101.3’s networked brekkie show (even though it is broadcast from the Central Coast), isn’t really connecting with its audience. Their local workdays really kick-off.

[TV-Expert]

What’s interesting to note is that both JJJ & KIIS outrate 107.7 Triple M in the 25-39s, even though both broadcasts are from outside the region.

As for the “Other Stations” ratings on among the older demos, it’s at 35.5% (+2.3) in the 55-64s, and a whopping 60.1% (+3.1) in the 65+!!

[crankymedia]

@TV-Expert

Other Stations” ratings on among the older demos, it’s at 35.5% (+2.3) in the 55-64s, and a whopping 60.1% (+3.1) in the 65+

2GB that they’re embarrassed to include.

[Spi]

Probably agree. The older demographic is also served locally in the community sector by Radio Five-O-Plus but I doubt it would be topping 2GB in many minds given it’s a “most listened to” survey.

[Ant5476]

@Spi

Probably agree. The older demographic is also served locally in the community sector by Radio Five-O-Plus but I doubt it would be topping 2GB in many minds given it’s a “most listened to” survey.

Interesting, up the road Triple M Newcastle is some dominate while on the Central Coast Triple M struggles. Considering both stations play exactly the same music, it must be the breakfast show they makes Triple M Newcastle.

For the 65+ it would be a mix of Coast fm and Radio Five-O Plus.

Yes 2GB rates very well, and should be included in the survey. Most of the listening on the Coast would have to be done by streaming. Inside reception of 873 is very poor even on the lower Central Coast.

[Radiohead]

@Ant5476

Considering both stations play exactly the same music, it must be the breakfast show they makes Triple M Newcastle.

I think it’s also due to the much stiffer competition on the Coast from Star 104.5 vs the comparatively weak NEW FM / 2HD.

[thesub1]

You cannot compare Tanya & Steve’s heritage to that of Triple M Central Coast brekkie. The moment they ditched their long running brekkie team was the moment the wheels started falling off. It is a shadow of its former 2GO self.