Survey #5 released: analysis below

Survey #5 has just been released by GfK, with some big results around the country. The leading stations today are 2GB in Sydney, 97.3 Brisbane, Mix Adelaide, Mix Perth and 3AW has reclaimed Melbourne.

ARN is the standout network; leading in Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide, with Nova doing very well in Perth; and SCA and Fairfax having a good day in Melbourne.

See the full figures below:

See our analysis below……

Sydney

ARN

ARN will be pleased with Sydney, it has been a strong duopoly result.

• WS slipped slightly to 9.4% overall, but remains #1 FM, and KIIS has improved to 8.7% and now a clear #2.
• It’s all about Breakfast and the ARN stations absolutely dominate the FM band; Kyle & Jackie are again #1 with a big rise of 1.5% to 10.5%; around 5% clear of Triple M, Nova and Smooth, and a point ahead of WSFM.
• Jonesy & Amanda on WS have fallen by 2.1% to 9.4 and now sit behind KIIS, yet are still a long way ahead of the other FM stations.
• In the demos, KIIS has stretched it’s lead 25-39, and the KIIS/WS combo 25-39, and particularly 25-54 is the dominant combo in Sydney.

SCA

A tough day for SCA in Sydney with 2Day in last (commercial) place overall, and Triple M falling to be ahead of only 2Day, 2CH and 2UE.

• On 2Day; overall the result is down with the station declining marginally to 3.8%, and taking the unenviable title of the lowest ranked commercial station in the market.
• That said; Breakfast improved by 0.6% to a 3.6%, clearly still a long way to go, but at this point an increase for 2Day will be welcomed.
• The rest of the dayparts for 2Day were ordinary. Down everywhere, and with the exception of a 3.3 jump in teens, no exciting demo stories to tell.
• No doubt the male/female breakdown for Triple M will be more positive for SCA, but on the surface the results are not great. Falling by nearly a point to be the second lowest ranked FM station.
• Every demo, and every daypart, was down for Triple M.
• 25-39’s copped a whack, traditionally fertile territory for Triple M. In this book they are beaten by all other FM stations, aside from 2Day, in that demo.

Nova Entertainment

If it’s a good day for ARN, and a rough one for SCA, Nova are somewhere in the middle.

• Nova 969 has softened, with declines in all the key demos, and in all dayparts other than drive.
• The Breakfast result has again fallen, with Fitzy & Wippa now back in the 5-shares, 5 or so points behind KIIS, but 2 points ahead of 2Day.
• Nova look likely, on the surface, to have been knocked off by KIIS as the #1 under 40 station.
• Nova has fallen to be ranked 4th FM overall, behind KIIS, WS and now Smooth.
• Despite the weak Nova result, an excellent Smooth result with the station moving into 3rd position overall on 7.2%.
• Breakfast is tight between Smooth, Nova and Triple M.
• Smooth’s position as a strong workday play is clearly paying off, with the station seeing particularly solid growth in mornings, afternoons and drive.

So overall for Nova Entertainment a mixed duopoly result, but they would be celebrating a tremendous survey for Smooth.

Macquarie Radio

A good, solid result for Macquarie Radio

• 2GB improving to 13.1% and holding #1 overall, and 2CH jumping a tad to 4.1% overall.
• 2GB have recovered their losses 40-54 in the previous survey, and remain dominant in the 55+ demos.
• Alan Jones on Breakfast has added 1.4% to lead  702 in that daypart by 3 points.

Fairfax Radio

Well after what seems like years of pain for 2UE, some good news at last for the struggling talk station today;

• 2UE has improved nearly a point overall to 4.6%, ahead of 2CH, and just behind Triple M.
• The increase was driven by improvements in all dayparts, aside from drive, and some incremental demo improvements 40-54 and 65+.
• Clearly a long way to go, but perhaps some small rays of sunshine starting to emerge.

ABC

A mixed result for the ABC today, one up and one down;

• 702 has had a strong result, with some massive daypart performances across the board.
• Drive was particularly strong with a 2.8% jump consolidating the #1 position in the daypart.
• Triple J fell, but in the process did a Stephen Bradbury and leapfrogged Triple M who fell further.

MELBOURNE

ARN

You can't have it all. After a tremendous Sydney result, the Melbourne one would be a reminder that what the survey gods giveth, they can taketh away.

• Gold has slipped marginally from the (equal) #1 FM position to a 7.2% share overall. This ranks the station in 3rd FM place.
• The station was driven by a strong, albeit slightly down, workday performance with Mornings and Afternoons the leading dayparts for Gold. Breakfast improved slightly.
• Mix has had a poor result, falling to last FM place. 
• All demos for Mix were off, with the damage across all dayparts.
• Mix's Breakfast show fell by 0.6% to be in 3rd FM position, narrowly ahead of Gold in 4th place.

Nova Entertainment

On the surface there were minimal movements for the NE stations, with Nova up 0.1 and Smooth down 0.1 overall, beneath that there have been some movement however.

• Nova improved under 24 significantly, but fell slightly 25+.
• The Breakfast share only fell by 0.1%, which was enough for Nova to fall to the #5 FM ranking in the market behind both SCA and both ARN shows. 
• That said, whilst Nova's Breakfast ranking is low, they are only 0.5% off jumping Gold and Mix.
• The standout daypart for Nova, again, was drive which is equal #1 FM.
• Smooth was flatt-ish. Up in some areas a bit, down a bit, but overall a survey of consolidation for Smooth and one that NE will be likely to be happy with.

SCA

A good result for SCA overall in Melbourne, with Fox the standout.

• Fox are back to the #1 FM position, driven by big jumps in all dayparts, and all the key demos.
• Breakfast on Fox has improved by 1.0% to an 8-share, which ranks it as #2 FM behind Triple M.
• Drive on Fox is equal #1 with Nova.
• Triple M were flat overall, with Breakfast improvement offset by some small daytime declines.
• That said, Triple M's Breakfast show is #1 FM, leading the market by a healthy margin.

Fairfax Radio

• 3AW are back at where they feel they probably belong; in the #1 position overall.
• Improvements everywhere, particularly in Breakfast where they added a massive 2% overall.
• And rounding off Melbourne for Fairfax, Magic has improved by 0.8% to a 4.8% share.
• Magic improved in every daypart and pretty much every demo.
• Overall, a very strong result for Fairfax Melbourne.

Pacific Star

• Right in the guts of the footy season, this is SEN's time to shine, and they have done well.
• SEN improved to a 5.1% share, with strong daypart and demo performances.
• The male/female breakdown would be likely to show SEN as a compelling male proposition.

ABC

• 774 had a ripper book last time, and this survey has brought them back by 1.4%; meaning they are a couple of points behind 3AW overall, but still well ahead of the FM stations.
• The damage was done in Breakfast. Red Symons had a monster survey last time, and he has fallen this book by nearly 3%. The joy of waves and weightings.
• Triple J are up a little to a 4.3%, with all dayparts moving up a little.
• 25-39's remain fertile hunting ground for Triple J; they are in (equal) 3rd place 25-39, behind Triple M and Fox.