Radio Ratings: ARN makes strong gains in key markets for Survey #5

Staff Writer
97.3FM's Bianca, Mike & Bob rose +1.4 this book

Welcome to Radio Today‘s comprehensive rolling coverage of the fifth GfK metro radio survey of 2019.

From 9:30am we’ll bring you all the market #1s and GfK ratings cards.

Check back throughout the day for the big talking points, headlines, and top takeaways from each metro market; Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

DAB+ Digital ratings will also be available on the site, as well as a game we like to call The Spin.

Later in the week, we dive deeper into the numbers, and chat with content directors from the major networks.

Survey #5 for 2019 was conducted by GfK for Commercial Radio Australia between Sunday, July 14 and Saturday, August 17.


SYDNEY:

  • smoothfm remains the market leader among FM stations in Sydney, despite falling to a 9.1% share among People 10+ (-0.8).
  • All eyes turn to the final book for 2DayFM Breakfast, and a lowly 2.4% (-0.7) seems to justify the decision to move away from a personality-driven Breakfast show.
  • The Kyle & Jackie O juggernaut rolls on, hitting 11% on Breakfast (+0.1), daylight ahead of Jonesy & Amanda in second with 8.2% (-0.3).
  • Moonman In The Morning delivers a steady result for Triple M with 5.9% (-0.1).
  • KIIS FM’s Will & Woody rise to 8.9% (+0.6) but Kate, Tim & Marty are still #1 on Drive with 9.5%.
  • 2GB lost share overall but remains ahead among AM stations, despite a strong book from the ABC who gained 1.4% overall.
  • Wendy Harmer & Robbie Buck’s Breakfast show grew to 11.5% (+1.6) and Richard Glover is now the #1 Drive show on AM with 9.8% (+0.7) as 2GB’s Ben Fordham fell -1.6%.

#1 FM Overall – smoothfm
#1 AM Overall – 2GB
#1 FM Breakfast – KIIS: Kyle & Jackie O
#1 AM Breakfast – 2GB: Alan Jones
#1 FM Drive – Nova: Kate, Tim & Marty
#1 AM Drive – ABC: Richard Glover


MELBOURNE:

  • The heritage and strength of Fox FM proves itself again, with the SCA station extending its lead atop the FM stations into double digits on 10.2% (+0.4) overall among People 10+.
  • Gold FM is up into second ahead of smoothfm.
  • Fifi, Fev & Byron remain #1 on FM Breakfast in double digits with 10% (-0.5).
  • Nova’s Chrissie, Sam & Browny are now second on FM Brekky with 8.6%, while Jase & PJ continue to make promising gains, now up to a 7.2% share (+0.7).
  • Fox is #1 on Drive with Hughesy & Kate, despite the latter’s lack of appearances on the show. The show rates a strong 12.3% (+1.3).
  • 3AW remains the market leader on the AM band, #1 overall, Breakfast and Drive.

#1 FM Overall – Fox FM
#1 AM Overall – 3AW
#1 FM Breakfast – Fox FM: Fifi, Fev & Byron
#1 AM Breakfast – 3AW: Ross & John
#1 FM Drive – Fox FM: Hughesy & Kate
#1 AM Drive – 3AW: Tom Elliott


BRISBANE:

  • An impressive result for a resurgent 97.3FM, growing to a 12.2% (+1.7) share among people 10+ to finish just 0.3% behind Nova in first place.
  • It was also a good result for Bianca, Mike & Bob, up +1.4 to 11.1% on Breakfast. The show is now just 0.1% behind Triple M Breakfast.
  • Nova remains the market leader, however, with #1 positions overall, on Breakfast with Ash, Kip, Luttsy & Susie (+0.9 to 12.7%), and with Kate, Tim & Marty on Drive (15.9%).
  • Good gains for both Will & Woody (up +1.8) and Hughesy & Kate (up +1.1) on Drive.
  • 4KQ holds market-leading positions across the AM band in all key dayparts.

#1 FM Overall –  Nova
#1 AM Overall – 4KQ
#1 FM Breakfast – Nova: Ash, Kip, Luttsy & Susie
#1 AM Breakfast – 4KQ: Laurel, Gary & Mark
#1 FM Drive – Nova: Kate, Tim & Marty
#1 AM Drive – 4KQ: Nick Michaels


ADELAIDE:

  • ARN’s Mix remains unstoppable in Adelaide, extending its FM lead overall to a 13.3% share ahead of Nova on 10.9% in second spot.
  • Multiple Breakfast shows made gains including Mix’s Jodie & Soda, Nova’s Dylan & Hayley and Triple M’s Roo & Dits, the latter two shows joining the former in double digits.
  • Nova’s Kate, Tim & Marty hold their Drive lead with 13.8% (-0.1) over Will & Woody who grew to 13.1% on Mix (+0.5).
  • FIVEaa claims back its lead on the AM band overall, as well as in Breakfast and Drive.

#1 FM Overall – Mix
#1 AM Overall – FIVEaa
#1 FM Breakfast – Mix: Jodie & Soda
#1 AM Breakfast – FIVEaa: David & Will
#1 FM Drive – Nova: Kate, Tim & Marty
#1 AM Drive –  FIVEaa: Rowey & Bicks


PERTH:

  • Perth is another market that ARN will be very happy with. Despite not disrupting the market leaders, 96FM jumped +3.0 overall to a 10.7% share, with gains also on Brekky and Drive.
  • Nova is the clear FM leader overall with 14.4% (+0.3) among People 10+, while Nathan, Nat & Shaun move further ahead of rivals to record a 15.5% (+1.3) share.
  • Botica’s Bunch was the other big mover on Brekky, up +1.3 to 8.4%, now rating just behind Hit Perth.
  • Kate, Tim & Marty are utterly dominant on Drive, but a +4% gain by 96FM will be worth keeping an eye on for the next book.
  • The battle between ABC and 6PR for dominance on AM rages on, with the latter taking out market-leading positions overall, on Breakfast and Drive this survey.

#1 FM Overall – Nova
#1 AM Overall – 6PR
#1 FM Breakfast – Nova: Nathan, Nat & Shaun
#1 AM Breakfast – 6PR: Steve Mills & Basil Zempilas
#1 FM Drive – Nova: Kate, Tim & Marty
#1 AM Drive – 6PR: Oliver Peterson

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Recent comments (16)
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Varnsen
27 Aug 2019 - 9:34 am

all much pretty boring really , same old same old

96 ?
27 Aug 2019 - 11:29 am

96 up 3 points in all day parts and a point gain in breakfast – even though there was a bit of movement. I would say whatever they are doing could be a goer.

Drums are beating
27 Aug 2019 - 3:16 pm

Hit

Sydney – last
Brisbane- last
Adelaide- last
Perth- last
Melbourne- first

Triple M

Melbourne- last
Sydney- 2nd last
Adelaide- 2nd last
Brisbane- 2nd last

Wow.

Joey
27 Aug 2019 - 4:15 pm

Botica’s Bunch appears to be responsible for the long-awaited bounce 96FM have been looking for.

It would appear getting breakfast right has an impact yet isn’t easy to get right as 2Day have learnt.

At KIIS1011, Jase and PJ have yet again
built their audience without impacting the standing of their competitors. This might cause some to assume it’s only a matter of time before they slip yet consider that (i) it’s no bad thing they grow the CHR pie instead of merely divide the pie (ii) they’re a distinguishable duo amongst a bunch of other stations with breakfast show panels (3 or more co-hosts) and (iii) if KIIS give them a third year, that’ll exceed the long record of mostly failed breakfast shows this station has ordinarily changed over by two years.

Even Macquarie Sports Radio have proven that getting breakfast right can be what’s needed to gain momentum.

Unfortunately it also let’s them excuse for a further survey the total failure that is their Melbourne signal. There a low budget music station with a modest 200,000+ cume would do better for Macquarie.

And what’s with Nova 100? Not that it rates all that bad in the car but they are clearly losing the workday battle, yes?

Possibly Nova has evolved too far from the Nova we used to know, trying to appeal to all yet not pleasing many.

Matt Tilley going well?
27 Aug 2019 - 5:40 pm

Just wondering where all the Matt Tilley enthusiasts are that bombarded this website when he was first annouced on Nova mornings? You know, the whole “great move” “look out everybody else” “smart move from PJ””this is the future of workday”…

6th in mornings… 37,000 cume drop.

OUCH. A bad product starting to show.

Chris
27 Aug 2019 - 8:10 pm

Matt Tilley on Nova dragging down the entire Melbourne schedule, big drop from brekky.

Your ABC
27 Aug 2019 - 8:50 pm

The 18-24 Perth demos are wild. A third of triple j’s target audience left and was evenly spread amongst three other stations??? Gfk need to explain this one.

Peta
28 Aug 2019 - 6:25 am

2DAYFM is not Last it’s beating Sky Sports Radio and Macquarie Sports 954.

Richard
28 Aug 2019 - 8:11 am

Mix Perth has been a big underperformed for a long time. It is going to get crushed. Gary Roberts will Show the SCA boy’s how it’s done.
More to come.

alright champ
28 Aug 2019 - 9:40 am

@Drums are beating

Not sure how Triple M brisbane is second last when breakfast is second and the station has some of the highest workday figures in the country

AJ
28 Aug 2019 - 11:33 am

A lot of comment on the power of the legacy Fox FM brand in the ongoing success of that station. Why then did they get rid of B105, SAFM and even PMFM. All three of them are not exactly setting the world on fire as generic HIT stations. Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth need another station or two on FM. Imagine if 4KQ and Cruise were on FM.

Drums are beating
28 Aug 2019 - 12:41 pm

@Alright Champ

Sorry mate, should of explained how I got that figure

First I noticed Nova was number 1 on a 12.5

Then I saw 97.3 were number 2 on a 12.2

Triple M was on a 10.8

And last was Hit on a 9.4

Then using prior knowledge that there were only four commercial FM stations in Brisbane, I concluded that Triple M was 2nd last.

Congratulations on your workday figures

Brian
28 Aug 2019 - 12:46 pm

This is very telling. The Hit Network Sydney – last Brisbane- last Adelaide- last Perth- last.
Melbourne- first and always has been for at least 20 years.

Nick
28 Aug 2019 - 12:49 pm

Triple M Melbourne now in last position. I think SCA have a major structural issue. They need the best CD’s in the most competitive and lucrative markets. Its not rocket science.

Sam
28 Aug 2019 - 2:51 pm

A great program director or a great EP can mean all the difference for a radio station, if I remember correctly hit105 lost both this year.

Checking survey 5 last year they were number 1 10+ and number 1 breakfast.

Number 1 is Number 1
29 Aug 2019 - 4:07 pm

Stating the obvious…But I though 2GB and 3AW are Overall #1 not #1 AM Overall?

Can you please report #1 Overall in each market?

Jobs

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