Radio Ratings: Gary Roberts’ golden touch pushes 96FM to #1 in Perth

Welcome to Radio Today’s coverage of the latest metro radio survey of 2020.

Last survey, released at the end of September, was the first round of results the market had been given in months. And with the survey drought came much speculation about how COVID-19 would hit, and shift, consumer listening habits.

This survey is again reliant on e-diaries in Melbourne due to lockdowns during the survey period.

Hit the refresh button throughout the day for all the key takeaways from each metro market, and later in the week, we’ll bring you chats with content directors from the major networks.

Editor Vivienne Kelly and publisher Jake Challenor will also host a special episode of the Radio Today Tonight podcast at 5PM AEDT today. So you don’t miss the episode, subscribe to the podcast now on Apple, Spotify, Google or iHeartRadio.

SYDNEY:

#1 FM Overall – smoothfm
#1 AM Overall – 2GB
#1 FM Breakfast – KIIS: Kyle & Jackie O
#1 AM Breakfast – 2GB: Ben Fordham
#1 FM Drive – Smooth: Byron Webb
#1 AM Drive – 2GB: Jim Wilson*

Biggest Mover Up: ABC Classic (+1.0)
Biggest Mover Down: ABC Radio (-2.2)

The reigning champions of Sydney last survey mostly all had carry-over victories in Survey 7. 

Nine Radio’s 2GB stayed on top with an audience share of 13.7% (down slightly from 14.2%, due in part to a 1.7 point decline in 10 to 17s, and a 1.8 point drop in 55 to 64s). 

In Breakfast, it also maintained its lead, with a 16.1% share, down 1.2 points from last survey’s 17.3%. The Ben Fordham fronted show was ahead of AM rival ABC Sydney, hosted by Wendy Harmer and Robbie Buck, which declined 1.9 points to 10.6%. 

ARN’s KIIS Sydney Breakfast show The Kyle & Jackie O Show maintained its FM lead, climbing 0.5 points to 10.7%. Its closest competitor in Breakfast was NOVA Entertainment’s smoothfm. The More Music Breakfast Show with Bogart Torelli & Glenn Daniel was up 1.3 points to 8.5%. 

The rest of the Breakfast market was relatively stable, however, SCA’s beleaguered 2Day FM Breakfast did manage a jump from 2.5% to 3.5%. 

This didn’t translate to a big overall share jump, however, with 2Day FM only climbing 0.1 points to 3.4%. 

Instead, it was smoothfm that remained on top with 10.8% share overall, up from 9.9% last survey. KIIS also managed a small climb, from 8.2% to 8.7%. 

It was a similar story in Drive, with smoothfm’s Byron Webb leading on 11.3%, up from 10.4%. KIIS’ Will & Woody also jumped slightly to 10.1%. 

In the AM battle, 2GB’s Jim Wilson took the lead. 2GB’s 0.7 point decline in Drive was offset by ABC Sydney’s more dramatic 2.8 fall, taking it to 7.4%.

MELBOURNE:

#1 FM Overall – Gold FM
#1 AM Overall – 3AW
#1 FM Breakfast – Gold: Christian O’Connell
#1 AM Breakfast – 3AW: Ross & Russel
#1 FM Drive – Triple M: Kennedy Molloy*
#1 AM Drive – 3AW: Tom Elliott

Biggest Mover Up: 3AW (+3.7)
Biggest Mover Down: ABC Classic (-1.0) / smoothfm (-1.0)

The lockdown effect was still evident in Melbourne’s ratings, with Nine Radio’s 3AW gathering an even larger share of the audience pie.

It climbed 3.7 points to a share of 20.6%. This trend was mimicked in Breakfast, with Ross Stevenson and Russel Howcroft climbing another 2.3 points to a massive 28.4% share.

Christian O’Connell was also able to hold onto his FM-leading position, remaining relatively stable with a 7.3% share, up from last survey’s 7.2%.

His station, ARN’s GOLD 104.3 also climbed 0.2 points overall to 8.9%, helping it stay on top of the FM pile.

Its stablemate ARN’s KIIS 101.1, however, had a less impressive run, falling 0.6 points to 4.4%. It did, however, have a small bump in Breakfast, with Jase & PJ up 0.3 points to 4.7%. In Drive, Will & Woody fell 0.6 points to a 4.5% share.

FM Drive did have a new leader, with Triple M’s Kennedy & Molloy taking the lead from GOLD’s Gavin Miller. Triple M was up 0.4 points to 7.9% in Drive, while GOLD was down 0.5 to 7.8%.

Nova’s Drive show remained steady in Melbourne on 6.3% despite the talent shake-up. Nova has previously led Drive in all capital cities, however has declined in recent months and last survey it lost the crown in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.

Joel Creasey, Marty Sheargold’s replacement in Drive, started on Monday, September 14. Survey 7 covers August 23 to September 19, and September 20 to October 24, so gives a better idea of how the new show is tracking than Survey 6 was able to.

SCA’s Fox FM had another subdued book, down 0.7 points to a 5.2% share. This survey, the station celebrated its 40-year heritage, bringing back former talent and shows for a one-week period to reminisce and reflect on the station’s legacy. Its current Breakfast program, Fifi, Fev & Byron did manage to climb 0.2 points to a 5.0% share.

Nova’s Breakfast program of Chrissie, Sam & Browny also managed a slight recovery, up 1.3 points to 5.9%.

Triple M’s Hot Breakfast with Eddie McGuire had bounced up last survey, but this time around was back down 0.9 points to 5.8%.

Melbourne has moved away from paper diaries due to the pandemic.

BRISBANE:

#1 FM Overall – Nova
#1 AM Overall – 4BC*
#1 FM Breakfast – Nova: Ash, Kip & Luttsy with Susie O’Neill
#1 AM Breakfast – 4BC: Neil Breen*
#1 FM Drive – Nova: Kate, Tim & Marty
#1 AM Drive – ABC Radio: Steve Austin

Biggest Mover Up: 4BC (+2.4)
Biggest Mover Down: 4KQ (-2.1)

It was another win for Nine Radio in Brisbane, with 4BC overtaking 4KQ and ABC Brisbane to become the AM leader.

It jumped from a 7.1% share to 9.5%. It also jumped 2.4 points in Breakfast, with Neil Breen now commanding 10.6%, putting it in front of all other Breakfast programs.

Nova maintained its command of the overall market, with an 11.9% share, up 0.4 points from last time around. Its Breakfast line-up of Ash, Kip & Luttsy with Susie O’Neill also stayed on top with 12.6%.

And despite losing the Drive crown in other market’s Brisbane’s love of Nova’s Kate, Tim & Marty, and now, Kate, Tim & Joel, kept them on top despite a 0.8 point drop to 13.7%.

Joel Creasey, Marty Sheargold’s replacement, started on Monday, September 14. Survey 7, covers August 23 to September 19, and September 20 to October 24, so covers both hosts.

SCA’s recently rebranded B105 had a relatively stable book, going from 10.4% overall to 10.5%. It suffered slightly in Breakfast, down 0.8 points to 10.2%.

97.3 FM was also down in Breakfast to 9.0% from 9.9%. The station had a talent shake-up in Breakfast this year, reuniting the team of Robin, Terry & Bob. Last year, with Bianca, Mike & Bob, the station did briefly take the Breakfast crown.

ADELAIDE:

#1 FM Overall – Mix
#1 AM Overall – FIVEaa
#1 FM Breakfast – Mix: Jodie & Soda*
#1 AM Breakfast – ABC Radio: Ali Clarke*
#1 FM Drive – Nova: Kate, Tim & Joel*
#1 AM Drive – FIVEaa: Rowey & Bicks

Biggest Mover Up: Cruise (+1.5)
Biggest Mover Down: FIVEaa (-1.2)

More to come

PERTH:

#1 FM Overall – 96FM*
#1 AM Overall – 6PR
#1 FM Breakfast – Nova: Nathan, Nat & Shaun
#1 AM Breakfast – 6PR: Steve Mills and Basil Zempilas
#1 FM Drive – Nova: Kate, Tim & Marty
#1 AM Drive – 6PR: Oliver Peterson

Biggest Mover Up: triple j (+1.0)
Biggest Mover Down: 6iX (-0.8)

Perth has a new radio champion, with 96FM taking the overall lead in audience share.

The last time the station was on top was way back in 2013’s Survey 6.

The station now commands 13.2%, up from 12.6%, ahead of previous leader Nova 93.7, which fell back 0.4 points to 12.5%.

96FM brought back radio stalwart Gary Roberts last year to take the helm as managing director. Roberts had helped launch the station in 1980, and was program director and general manager for over a decade.

More recently, he had been at Nova as managing director in the Western Australian capital.

The station was unable to take out the Breakfast win though, with Botica’s Bunch falling 0.8 points to 9.9%. Reigning champions Nathan, Nat & Shaun on Nova maintained their lead with a 14.0% share.