With just one more round of radio survey results to come this year, the networks already have their eyes trained on 2015.
In the last couple of weeks, the announcements have been coming thick and fast for line up changes that will take effect in the new year. So has round seven given the big networks confidence in their upcoming programming decisions? Let’s take a quick look.
Sydney
The two key time slots in Sydney, as with most markets, are breakfast and drive time.
Sydney breakfast has been dominated by the battle between ARN stablemates WSFM and KIIS 1065 all year. Kyle and Jackie O on KIIS take out this survey, pipping Jonesy and Amanda by 0.6 share points. KIIS saw a minuscule rise of 0.7 since the last survey. ARN would be pleased with its decision to hold firm with its breakfast offerings.
Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) has languished in the breakfast slot since the defection of Kyle and Jackie O to KIIS. This survey continues to reflect the beating 2Day is taking with the current breakfast show falling 0.4 to just 2.9% audience share. In late October, SCA announced it would be giving up-and-comers Maz and Dan a shot at the breakfast slot. SCA has crunched the numbers for the duo who currently host national drive across the Today network saying they reach more than 1.4m listeners. Will this convert to breakfast? Frankly, they haven’t got much to lose.
As for drive, over the weekend ARN announced Tim ‘Rosso’ Ross would be vacating his drive seat to make way for a national drive show featuring old hands Dave “Hughesy” Hughes and Kate Langbroek, known on-air as Hughesy & Kate. Rosso had a decent run this year buoyed by the success of KIIS’s breakfast show however this survey sees KIIS’s drive shop dip by 0.4 share points. Was it the right call to swap Rosso out? The jury is still out on this one. He certainly was up against it with Nova’s national drive team, Kate, Tim & Marty, doubling his share and Triple M not far behind.
Cathy O’Connor, NOVA Entertainment CEO said of the movement across the networks: “While the other networks tinker around with their station names and shows, NOVA Entertainment’s focus is on consistency, momentum and delivering strong demo results for our advertisers.”
In 2015, drive will be more hotly contested than ever before with Merrick Watts on Triple M and comedy duo Hamish and Andy returning to 2Day FM mid year. This is a time slot to watch.
See the full breakfast and drive survey results for Sydney below.
| Breakfast | Drive | |||||
| This Survey | Last Survey | Change | This Survey | Last Survey | Change | |
| 2CH | 3.5 | 3.5 | 0 | 3 | 3.3 | -0.3 |
| 2GB | 14.1 | 16 | -1.9 | 8.2 | 9.2 | -1 |
| 2UE | 5.3 | 5.1 | 0.2 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 2DAY | 2.9 | 3.3 | -0.4 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 0 |
| KIIS1065 | 10.5 | 9.8 | 0.7 | 8 | 8.4 | -0.4 |
| 2MMM | 6.7 | 5.5 | 1.2 | 6.3 | 4.8 | 1.5 |
| NOVA96.9 | 7 | 6.7 | 0.3 | 8.9 | 8.6 | 0.3 |
| smoothfm 95.3 | 3.9 | 5 | -1.1 | 6.5 | 7.5 | -1 |
| WSFM | 9.9 | 9.9 | 0 | 8.7 | 9.4 | -0.7 |
| ABC702 | 9.9 | 12 | -2.1 | 10 | 12.7 | -2.7 |
| 2RN | 3.1 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 2.4 | -0.5 |
| NEWSR | 3.1 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 0.5 |
| 2JJJ | 4.8 | 4.4 | 0.4 | 7.1 | 7 | 0.1 |
| ABCFM | 3.2 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 0.4 |
MELBOURNE
The biggest news out of Melbourne right now is the extension of the KIIS brand from Sydney to the southern state. Mix 101.1 was beaten in this survey period in both the breakfast and drive slots by Fox and Triple M. ARN could well be on the right track with the rebrand.
ARN is yet to reveal who will host breakfast on KIIS in Melbourne.
In a statement from the network, ARN’s national content director Duncan Campbell said: “This survey result further reinforces the consistency of the ARN network. Our ongoing success comes from a clear strategy, and one that we’re continuing to roll out. We’re looking ahead now with our plans in Melbourne with the launch of KIIS 101.1 and the strength that Hughesy & Kate will bring to the drive slot nationally. We’re also excited about the upcoming news for Melbourne’s KIIS 101.1’s breakfast show which we’ll be sharing very soon.”
ARN’s Chief Executive Ciaran Davis added: “As we approach the end of the year we’re happy to see our stations continue to demonstrate their strength in the market, consolidating our number one national network position.”
See the full breakfast and drive survey results for Melbourne below.
| Breakfast | Drive | |||||
| This Survey | Last Survey | Change | This Survey | Last Survey | Change | |
| SEN | 4 | 4.1 | -0.1 | 5.3 | 6 | -0.7 |
| 3AW | 16.7 | 18.3 | -1.6 | 9.1 | 11 | -1.9 |
| MAGIC 1278 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 0.1 | 3.4 | 3.7 | -0.3 |
| FOXFM | 7.4 | 8 | -0.6 | 10.1 | 9.1 | 1 |
| GOLD | 6.5 | 6.4 | 0.1 | 6.6 | 7.9 | -1.3 |
| MIX101.1 | 6.2 | 6.5 | -0.3 | 6.6 | 6.4 | 0.2 |
| 3MMM | 7.7 | 8.5 | -0.8 | 8.1 | 7.4 | 0.7 |
| NOVA 100 | 7 | 6.7 | 0.3 | 9.5 | 8.9 | 0.6 |
| smoothfm 91.5 | 5.1 | 4.8 | 0.3 | 7 | 6.6 | 0.4 |
| ABC774 | 15.4 | 13.4 | 2 | 10.3 | 9.7 | 0.6 |
| 3RN | 3.6 | 3.1 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 2 | 0.2 |
| NEWSR | 2.6 | 2.9 | -0.3 | 1.7 | 1.8 | -0.1 |
| 3JJJ | 4.3 | 4.3 | 0 | 5.9 | 4.9 | 1 |
| ABCFM | 1.7 | 2 | -0.3 | 2.4 | 2.8 | -0.4 |
