Mediaweek editor James Manning looks at the first radio ratings survey for 2018 in the Sydney market.
• GfK Radio Ratings, Survey 1 2018: Highlights + full results
• GfK Radio Ratings, Survey 1 2018: Network performance roundup
Highlights:
• 2GB and WSFM the clear AM and FM market leaders
• Biggest improver: 2GB with breakfast jump for Alan Jones
• Despite drop at KIIS FM, Kyle and Jackie still #1 FM breakfast
• Kate, Tim and Marty push Nova drive ahead of KIIS newcomers
• ABC Radio: Triple J surges including Ben and Liam in breakfast
• New Wendy Harmer and Robbie Buck breakfast up, #2 overall
2GB 11.8%
The market leader has started with a bang as Alan Jones records his best breakfast share since survey 7, 2016. Highest share belongs to Steve Price on 17.0%, which is the same as his previous survey result. The station is again #1 overall 55-64, overtaking smoothfm and Gold this survey. 2GB remains #1 65+ but with a bigger share – +1.5 to 28.4%.
WSFM 9.0%
Despite a drop of 0.7, the station remains #1 FM and has posted its best survey 1 result in 12 years. Jonesy and Amanda dropped 1.0 to 9% as WSFM maintains 9% or better shares also in morning, afternoon and drive. WSFM drive is in fact #2 drive overall without a drive show. Despite dropping share 40-54, the station remains a clear leader in that demo. It was also down 55-64, surrendering top spot to 2GB, with smoothfm #2 FM in the demo.
smoothfm 95.3 8.5%
Breakfast with Bogart Torelli and new author Glenn Daniel was up 0.3 to 6.8%. Station highpoints are 9% in afternoon and 9.3% in evening, where it is #1 FM. smoothfm is the new FM champ 55-64 and remains competitive in other demos 18+.
KIIS 1065 8.1%
After its best survey result in two years at the end of 2017, the station has the staggers with share down 1.8. Kyle and Jackie O remain in double figures, which is where they were for six of the eight 2017 surveys. All dayparts were down with evening tumbling 3.0 to 6.2% while the new Wil and Woody drive show was off 1.7 to 9.1%. KIIS hit a sweet spot on the demos though and is now #1 18-24 and 25-39.
Nova 96.9 7.4%
Reliable as ever, the station is bang on its 2017 average although breakfast with Fitzy and Wippa was down 0.9 to 6.5%, its lowest share since 2016. Morning is the station low point with 5.5%. Kate, Tim and Marty are the new Sydney drive champs, displacing KIIS where Wil and Woody are now hosting. Share was down in all demos except 40+.
Triple M 4.9%
The station was out of sync with its interstate counterparts as share dropped 1.3. Breakfast with the Grill Team was down 1.9 to 6%. The new Kennedy Molloy drive show was the only slot not to dip this survey, albeit lifting by just 0.1 to 5.5%. The demos indicate listeners checked out 18-24 and 25-39, with the station relatively stable, and still competitive, 40-54.
104.1 2Day FM 4.1%
It seems like a recovery, but share was better than this in four surveys last year. The new breakfast with Em, Grant and Ed saw share lift 0.6 to 3.4%. The old breakfast show with Em had a share equal to that or better three times last year. With a new breakfast show and new music format, 2Day 18-24 share dropped 4.4 to 6.4% while 25-39 was up 2.3 to 9.1%.
2CH 1170 3.7%
Share was back below 4%, where it was for only the last survey of 2017. Breakfast was on 2.7%, which is the second-lowest result in the past eight surveys. Bob Rogers’s morning show remains station’s best on 5%. Share of 65+ was steady just over 10%.
Talking LifeStyle 954 3.4%
It only launched a year ago and already it is gone. No certainty about the future except that it will be a sport format. John Stanley and Garry Linnell’s breakfast started the year on 3.7%, which is their second-lowest share in the past 12 months. With an 8.1% share 65+, buying the audience in combination with 2GB makes sense.
Sky 0.8%
For the past two years the station has operated in a narrow band between 1.3% and 0.8%. The Big Sports Breakfast did 1.4%, which is below four of the 2017 results.
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