Regional Radio Ratings

The cumulative audience for ABC News Radio is 500, and the only timeslots with zeros is morning and evening, so the zeros for all the demographics is misleading.

When the total audience basically fits within the statistical margin of error it’s basically zero.

OK. So is 4BU’s result the best for an AM station up against at least two FM music stations in markets the size of Newcastle and less? I see that it is rating consistently across most shifts and starts improving audience at +40 years whereas AMs in other markets start to show up at +55 and even older. What is making them competitive in 40-54?

I think what helps 4BU is that both Sea and Hitz target younger audiences. Unlike other markets where at least one FM targets a bit older. So the over 40s don’t have much choice. Hitz does play some older stuff but it’s still predominantly CHR format. Compare this to other markets further north where Sea FM is adult hits and 4TOFM classic hits for example.

Does anybody know if we will be seeing a Central Coast survey anytime soon?

No, 2DU was #1 in Dubbo beating both Star 93.5 & Zoo FM 92.7

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There’s nothing listed as to having one. The Central Coast is included in the Sydney surveys anyway, just the Central Coast stations aren’t listed publicly.

Having said that though, when I was at the SeaFM TX site doing some work a few weeks back, one of the other engineers said to the SeaFM engineer, it’s lucky these works aren’t getting done in October, & he replied with yes, there’ll be no turning the transmitter power down then.
Which reading between the lines hinted to me, SeaFM want the TX at full power for ratings around/during October?

Regarding the 558 kHz signal of 4GY, daytime reception also seems weak in the Noosa shire (especially Peregian & Sunshine Beaches as well as Noosa Heads). The 107.1 FM translator allows excellent stereo coverage instead & gets into Brisbane at weak levels - often better than Zinc’s translator at the same site.

Breakfast music programming on 4GY is excellent in terms of diversity. Lots of unflogged tracks in the mix compared to ZINC 96.1 & MIX 103.5 FM. Zinc has recently improved their diversity with considerably more 60’s & 70’s programming scheduled across the day ( ‘Real Music Variety’ ) than previously however.

HITZ & 4BU have for many years now provided outstanding local coverage for Bundy. Very pleasing to see this effort has been reflected in the ratings success.

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Sale in VIC’s Gippsland region has their ratings released: http://www.radioitsalovething.com.au/RIALT/media/RIALT/PDF/SALE-XTRA-INSIGHTS-PUBLIC-SURVEY-RESULT-WITH-CUME.pdf

TRFM is the #1 station with a 31.3% share, followed by ABC Gippsland at 17.1% & Gippsland’s 1242 at 13.4%. The Warragul stations are also listed (due to Sale’s radio licence area significantly overlapping with Warragul’s in the Latrobe Valley), with Star FM scoring a 7.5% share, while 3GG scored a 3.6% share.

In the demographics, TRFM is #1 on among the under-55s, whilst Gippsland’s 1242 tops the 55-64s & ABC Gippsland tops the 65+. In timeslot breakdowns, TRFM won every one of them except evenings, which goes to ABC Gippsland.

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Radioinfo reports a “delay” to the Warragul results, which are likely to give a better indicator of Star FM and 3GG’s performance.

The Warragul figures can now be seen here: http://www.radiotoday.com.au/images/Survey_2016/Sale_Warragul/Wraagul_1.jpg

Star FM is #1 with 15.1%, followed by TRFM with 8.6%, ABC Gippsland with 8.4%, 3GG with 6.1% & Gippsland’s 1242 with 4.9%. Star wins the under-55s, whilst ABC Gippsland wins the over-55s.

In the Sale ratings, the “Other Stations” account for 16.4% of the listeners surveyed, peaking in the 55-64s, where the “Other Stations” account for 24.2% of its audience. Given that Gippsland’s 1242 is seen as mostly a relay station of 3AW, that’s not really surprising.

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So the other 50% of the Warragul audience are listening to Melbourne??

That’s pretty much correct.

Is the Latrobe Valley counted in both the Sale and Warragul surveys?

Only part of the Latrobe Valley is in the overlap zone of the two licence areas - being just east of Moe through to Traralgon.

I am surprised that TR and 1242 have outperformed 3GG and Star overall across the 2 markets.

Another surpise is that TR outrates 3GG in its native Warragul market, particularly when TR’s signal supposedly has a null to the west to prevent overspill into Warragul.

Add to that, Star gets a FM relay into Traralgon, which doesn’t really seem to have helped its performance against TR when you consider the Warragul TR result, when TR doesn’t get a FM relay in that area.

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There are some pretty big differences between the Warragul and Sale licence areas that give TR/1242 an advantage, despite having a smaller population.

The Sale licences have not bad reception all the way into Warragul, especially in the car, and anywhere further west has reasonable reception of the Melbourne stations - meaning that there’s essentially no where in the Warragul licence area that can’t receive Melbourne or Sale stations.

Conversely, the Warragul stations, particularly Star FM don’t get too far into the Sale licence area. They do have the Traralgon relay, but it’s only 500 W so doesn’t do much except the towns of Traralgon and Morwell. Reception in Sale and further east in virtually non existent.

The population of Warragul is also somewhat missleading. A significant amount would include people on the outskirts on Melbourne in Pakenham and surrounds, who would be fairly unlikely to find any relevance in the Warragul stations and would therefore listen almost exclusively to Melbourne stations. I am also skeptical in how good reception would be in Southern Gippsland - Star FM are only licenced for 7kW, so I can’t imagine reception would be fantastic, particularly indoors for a good part of that area.

I really think these licence areas would be better off being combined into a “Gippsland” licence area. A combined realistic population of 200,000 should be able to support 4 stations. I think the fact that they areas were surveys together acknowledges this.

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Why are you surprised 3GG and Star FM rate poorly?

Nothing is of local relevance.

Gold 1242 is viewed as a Victorian station with Melbourne talk content.

Look how 3GG and Star connect with their community. What are they providing for locals to be attracted and listen?

Well, 1242 from what I hear is virtual 3AW relay, except for breakfast?
Can’t see how 3GG can be any less relevant.

The opposite is likely to be true of TR vs Star however, whereby the latter is guilty of networking everything bar breakfast.

Very confusing markets with all that overlap and proximity to Melbourne. I think you’re probably right they should combine them. 200,000 should support 4 stations even with the Melbourne overlap. 4 commercial stations exist in places like Rockhampton/Gladstone which would be a similar combined population.