On the face of it, buying 3AW would seem a no-brainer for an advertiser looking at the Melbourne radio market with an all-people share of 13.4% in GfK Survey 6, 2022.
Obviously, a marketer also looks at the demographic breakdown when researching its target market. And for advertisers doing just that, SEN 1116 (with an all-people share of 2.9%) has reminded the market why it now outperforms 3AW in one market segment.
The Sports Entertainment Network controlled specialist sports brand has pointed out that its flagship station in Melbourne is now a more compelling buy when it comes to reaching an under-50 audience listening to AM radio.
Key attractions for listeners to SEN are the Garry and Tim breakfast show and Gerard Whateley’s morning program. Both programs saw their ratings increase this week.
“SEN is celebrating its first ever number 1 ranking in Melbourne, now the most listened to commercial AM network for under 50s in town,” the station boasted on survey day this week.
“The stations of SEN have achieved the under 50 [AM] audience ranking for the first time in today’s survey 6 results.”
3AW’s Ross and Russel. Top: SEN’s Garry and Tim
Head-to-head in the under-50 demo, 3AW narrowly leads SEN 272,201 to 267,000. However, when SEN adds in the smaller audience listening to its other brands SEN Fanatic, SENTrack (a racing brand) and even the digital feed of its Sydney SEN station, that audience grows by 6,714 to 273,714. That gives SEN a lead of 1,513 listeners under 50.
SEN can sell its range of stations to advertisers in group buys. If SEN decides to add the audience from the popular pop-up station AFL Trade Radio to its next survey results the audience growth could be significant.
AFL Trade Radio enjoys pride of place on the home page of one of the biggest sports sites in Australia, AFL.com.au, and features a compelling proposition of content machine Kane Cornes and Matthew Lloyd at breakfast and Damian Barrett in drive.
AFL Trade Radio hosts: Riley Beveridge, Matthew Lloyd, Damian Barrett, Kane Cornes and Callum Twomey (Photo: AFL)
What this ratings examination doesn’t factor in is the size of the audiences under 50 listening to the FM stations in the market. All of the six commercial FM stations operating in the Melbourne market have bigger under 50 audiences than either AM station.
SEN noted this week the ratings result is the first time that SEN has achieved a win on the AM dial among commercial radio owners.
Sports Entertainment network chief executive Craig Hutchison said in a release it was a great reward for the hard work among its team of content producers and on-air talent.
“We’ve been clear that our objectives are to grow total audience and engagement, whether that be via linear radio and audio, streaming, podcast, DAB+, digital video, socials, or any of our other communications platforms,” Hutchison said.
“And at SEN we aim to appeal to all ages and demographics of sports fans of both sexes.
“So we are not entirely driven by radio ratings as a result.
“With that said, to have risen to be number 1 of all people under 50 in this survey is an amazing feat given the strength of the AM dial in Melbourne. We couldn’t let this moment pass without acknowledging the achievement and work of a lot of people against long-standing other platforms.”
The broadcaster noted the news was similarly positive in NSW, with SEN 1170am achieving a cume audience of 117,000 (inclusive of SEN 1170am, DAB+, SENTrack, and SENTrack DAB+).
The Sydney result follows a record month in August for digital consumption for SEN, including strong results in Sydney, said SEN. Breakfast with Vossy & Brandy saw an 87% month-on-month increase for program live streams along with The Run Home with Joel & Fletch who also increased their monthly live streams by 44%.
Read Mediaweek’s Trent Thomas on the Sydney Radio Ratings here.
See also: Radio Ratings: Nine Radio’s Greg Byrnes on the importance of cume audience