What's New
BY Sarah Patterson April 24, 2024
What's New April 14, 2022
i98 tops Wollongong survey
The latest Xtra Insights survey shows WIN Network’s i98 is the most listened to station in the Wollongong market, on 28.2%.
ARN’s Wave FM is the second most listened to station on 17.6%.
ABC Illawarra is third with 12.0%, followed by triple j with 11.3%
Apart from these top stations, Wollongong listeners can also hear stations from up and down the coast, with Power FM South Coast also heard in some parts of the survey area, as well as a range of Sydney stations.
Power FM scored 1.2% of listening. Other notable stations from Sydney are KIIS (3.1%), Triple M 3.0%), smooth (3.0%), WSFM (2.8%) and ABC Sydney (2.2%).
ARN’s CADA (previously The Edge) was also tracked in the survey, with 0.7% of most listening, down from 1.2 the previous survey. While CADA’s numbers are small, every little bit of information about how listeners are reacting to the new station, especially in regional markets, is notable.
Click the charts to enlarge them.
i98 won breakfast with Marty, Christian and Bella (pictured), and it had the most listened to sessions across all other weekday and weekend shifts. i98’s breakfast show has 83,600 listeners (cume), Wave FM breakfast has 59,400 listeners and ABC Illawarra breakfast has 42,700 listeners.
i98 won all demographics between 10-54 (cumulative audience). Wave won the 55-64s and ABC Illawarra won the over 65s (cumes).
WIN Radio’s General Genevieve Gordon is delighted with i98’s result:
“We couldn’t be more thrilled that the Illawarra continues to choose i98 as the Station Listened to Most, while we continue to offer the best line-up of talent and music to keep our listeners informed and entertained.
“In the two years since the last survey, the Illawarra has faced tough times with COVID-19, bushfires and floods and we are immensely proud of the way in which we have been able to support our community and local businesses. With changes to our talent line-up, we’ve been able to maintain our long-standing position as the radio station that makes our listeners ‘feel good’.
“Today’s results are testament to the dedication and hard work of the team at i98 who are committed to connecting to the Illawarra audience and wider business community.”
Wave no 1 over 65’s ?
Great work i98!!! Station has been sounding great too so well deserved. Wave just seems to always be off the mark in the Illawarra, They really need to look at their breakfast and drive shows… Both are a miles behind in ability.
If Wave fm rates higher then i98 in 65+ they should focus on skewing older and not competing for the same younger audience that won’t leave i98.
The Wollongong market is a mess you have Power fm and Wave fm running off the same playlist at times song for song. Power fm gets into Wollongong quite well. If this was done to convert Power fm listeners to Wave fm then this has failed.
Wave fm has spent well on securing good regional talent, but zero on any marketing.
Been the same problem now for 15 years or more.
I’ve been a rusted- on Wave listener for as long as I can remember but switched in the last few weeks. I98 does a great job at being local through and through. They were everywhere during the survey period. Meanwhile Wave ran the same stale competition they had been running since the end of last year and dedicated a day to ‘make Damien Leith a local’ – it was a huge misstep and an instant turn off, really highlighting he has zero connection with the region.
Wave need to spend some money marketing themselves and actually sound ‘100% Illawarra’. Their drive show is making a good start at that.
at “Peps” the drive show dropped 4 points ???
Network 3PM Pick UP / Will and Woody / KJ Hour of Power into drive. Why would you run local if it doesn’t rate? Waste of money.
Wave needs to stop trying to be i98 if they are ever going to beat them. Peps makes a good point regarding Damien Leith and local but I don’t agree regarding the Drive Show. They are way off the mark and confuse listeners by constantly referring to Maje Saba at i98, he has even been on their show several times. Very strange radio and hardly local.