Paul Jackson on Nova Entertainment’s five from five
Highlights:
• Nova is Australia’s most listened to metro network with cume of 3,717,900
• smoothfm 95.3 #1 FM station in Sydney for 7th radio ratings consecutive survey
• Nova 969 biggest cume audience in Sydney with 1,076,000
• Kate, Tim and Joel #1 drive show across five metro markets
• Best of Fitzy and Wippa is #1 show 6pm M-F nationally in share and cume
• Nova 106.9 Brisbane #1 in share (11.1%) and cume (643,000) – highest cume in Nova 106.9 history
• Nova 93.7 is Perth’s #1 station in share (13.5%) and cume (606,000)
• Nova 919 is Adelaide’s most listened to station with cume of 337,000
Nova Entertainment’s programming and marketing chief Paul Jackson usually carries a welcoming grin, but he was even chirpier than usual with the news that five of five Nova-branded stations went up on survey day, with four of their five breakfast shows climbing too. Adding to the joy was the ranking of smoothfm as #1 FM again in Sydney.
Jackson said the part of his survey day presentation where he talks about the issues and what they need to fix wasn’t very long this week. “Everybody around me was ecstatic,” he told Mediaweek.
“The Nova brand is in rude health and good shape.”
Drilling down into the Nova numbers the odd daytime listening slot might be able to do better. In Sydney Jackson noted smoothfm and KIIS do well in mornings, the latter because Kyle and Jackie O are still on air until mid-morning. “As the day goes on Nova’s daytime performance gets better. On weekends too we are very strong.”
Looking at smoothfm differences between Sydney and Melbourne, the shares in Sydney are almost double what Melbourne does in the older demos. “The market dynamics are very different,” said Jackson by way of explanation.
“2Day is very weak in Sydney while Fox is much stronger in Melbourne. We are mindful of the different smoothfm performance. We have always run both stations the same and we will consider if there is enough of a difference now to think about programming the stations slightly differently.” Jackson also noted the other Melbourne stations have been spending on marketing. “smoothfm hasn’t, but its moment will come later in the year.”
Duncan Campbell on ARN’s 19th consecutive radio ratings win
Highlights
• ARN #1 network with 17.7% share (excluding DAB) and #1 for all key demographics
• KIIS 106’s Kyle & Jackie O #1FM Sydney for 19th consecutive survey
• KIIS 106’s Kyle & Jackie O 12.9% share is highest ever for their breakfast show
• #1FM station for the eleventh consecutive survey for GOLD 104.3
• Adelaide’s Mix 102.3 is #1 station overall for ninth consecutive survey on 13%
• Adelaide’s #1FM breakfast Mix 102.3’s Erin Phillips & Soda up 0.3 to 12.3%
Broadcasting from ARN’s Sydney HQ, Kyle Sandilands and Jackie Henderson recorded their best-ever breakfast share this survey. ARN’s chief content officer Duncan Campbell told Mediaweek: “I am glad they achieved that at ARN as it indicates the show has been getting better after all this time.”
Campbell also praised the performance of Jonesy and Amanda, just across the ARN corridor at WSFM. “They are close to the station average. Content director Mike Byrne and the team are doing a great job making sure the music product is strong. Jonesy and Amanda have never sounded better. They are always good, but there are times when they really are excellent and this is one of those.”
In Melbourne Gold is clear radio ratings #1 FM. “There is movement in breakfast where Christian O’Connell is on 8% along with Nova on 8% and Fox on 7.9%,” said Campbell. “That result for them comes off the back of some heavy marketing from Nova and SCA. We are not being flippant, but we are not overly concerned about it. The quality of Christian’s show continues to be outstanding and there is now considerable PR surrounding his book which was published this week.”
Regarding KIIS 101.1, Campbell noted he has repeatedly said how consistent the show quality was and how hosts Jase and PJ sounded strong on air this year. “PJ is more relaxed. It is still only one result, but the consistent quality of the content resonates at some point. A 1.8 rise is a strong increase and there is definitely something going on with the audience.”
KIIS is now one of four Melbourne stations with cume audience over 1m. Good news for the industry. “Radio is not dying,” said Campbell.
“Brisbane is the one station we are looking at most closely,” said Campbell. Brisbane 97.3 breakfast dipped this survey.
“The ARN network remains a clear leader with its 12th consecutive #1 result. We are 3.9 points ahead of SCA nationally in metro markets and we are the choice for advertisers with the campaigns we are running. We had a million-dollar campaign for Stan which was full of integration and it was 100% share which we won.”
One aim at ARN is for 96FM to climb above Mix to get to #2 FM in Perth. “That would be a great win for us.”
SCA’s Dave Cameron on power of Hit and Triple M network reach
SCA highlights
• Combined Hit and Triple M network broadcast and DAB+ audience 5m+ weekly
• Hit broadcast and DAB+ #1 network women 25-54
• Triple M broadcast and DAB+ #1 network men 25-54, #1 breakfast men 25-54
Southern Cross Austereo focuses on group performance with no market-leading stations this survey. SCA chief content officer Dave Cameron told Mediaweek about the combined success in demos by its two networks.
“Triple M is already the #1 Perth station for males 25-54 which is fantastic after just three surveys,” said Cameron.
“Melbourne has been a good result for us and the ratings look a little more like pre-Covid as the AM talk stations come back to the pack. The FM stations are improving with shares between 7-9%. It is ironic as Melbourne is in lockdown again this week.”
Cameron noted the refreshed breakfast line-up at Fox is now close to taking the #1 FM radio ratings breakfast position as it trails Nova and Gold by just 0.1.
“Momentum for Marty Sheargold at Triple M continues to grow as we change the audience profile at the station, but it could take a little time.” Although Triple M’s #1 demo is 55-64, Cameron noted Sheargold’s afternoon show is #1 nationally in the timeslot with men 25-54.
Moonman’s Triple M Sydney breakfast went backwards despite some bitingly funny content. “You do get survey days where you know you haven’t changed the product or altered the format, yet you get a different result. You just have to trade out of some data that has given you a different set of results for no apparent reason.”
The market in Adelaide liked Roo and Ditts at Triple M this survey. Cameron surmised it was related to the time of year. “Roo is the unofficial mayor of Adelaide, as opposed to our Basil Zempilas at Triple M Perth who is the real mayor of Perth.
“Triple M Adelaide tends to do a lot better in the second half of the year and deeper into the footy season.”
SCA also again confirmed it is playing a long game with the new 2Day breakfast. “It is going to take a long time for Hughesy, Ed and Erin to crack the market against competitors who have been there for 10 or more years. All we can do is remain committed and have full confidence we have a good product for the long term and back it in with marketing and continue to fineness it.”
Sydney radio ratings leadership war: Story of the year
When asked at developments elsewhere this survey, the battle to be #1 overall in Sydney is attracting some attention as two FM stations close in on 2GB. The gap between the leading AM and FM stations is possibly the closest since Alan Jones first arrived at 2GB.
Paul Jackson noted how KIIS and smoothfm are now positioned in Sydney to take over from 2GB as the market leader. “That would be quite something,” Jackson said.
Jackson noted nobody should be expecting quick results for the new Hit Network Sydney breakfast and new Triple M Melbourne breakfast. “It takes a very, very long time. Most other Sydney breakfast shows have been around for a decade or longer. You have to give a show time, although we live in an era where we don’t have time so who knows what will happen.”
Campbell: “If Kyle and Jackie O do get ahead of Ben Fordham it will be the story of the year.”
See also: Radio ratings Survey 3, 2021 summaries by market from Mediaweek‘s James Manning and Trent Thomas