Radio ratings: ABC off the boil as FIVEaa takes breakfast
FIVEaa has moved up the radio ratings ladder, with its breakfast team taking the lead and talk rival ABC Radio Adelaide losing listener share across its schedule.
Music station Mix 102.3 consolidated its longstanding position at the top of the ratings table, extending its lead in work hours and drive and pulling equal with previous leader FIVEaa in the evenings shift.
However, the biggest story in the fourth GfK ratings survey of the year is the reversal of fortunes for the two local talk stations – FIVEaa and ABC Radio Adelaide.
In the previous survey, ABC Radio Adelaide made a strong showing, led by Ali Clarke in breakfast who became the clear leader in the key shift.
That situation has reversed in the latest survey, covering April 22 to June 30, with ABC Radio Adelaide losing listener share across every program and FIVEaa doing the opposite in all shifts bar evenings.
In breakfast, Clarke lost 2.1 percentage points to fall behind both Mix and FIVEaa, where presenters David Penberthy and Will Goodings now lead on 14.4 per cent.
Source: GfK radio ratings survey four, 2018
The ABC’s drive program, hosted by Jules Schiller from Monday to Thursday, lost a huge 2.5 percentage points to be on level pegging with minnow Cruise and just barely ahead of ABC stablemate Triple J. The ABC’s veteran evening presenter Peter Goers lost 2 percentage points to fall from second place to fourth.
The ABC has tinkered with its afternoon, drive and evening schedules this year, shortening its World Today and PM currents affairs programs and shoehorning a nationally syndicated music program into the early afternoon slot.
FIVEaa’s morning presenter Leon Byner had a strong survey, to taken a clear second place to Mix in that shift.
Source: GfK radio ratings, survey 4, 2018
The talk ratings battle has been won and lost, as usual, in the older demographic segment: FIVEaa increased its share strongly among people aged 65 and over (up 7 percentage points), while the ABC fell back (down 1.8 points).
Mix’s dominance is based on its leadership in the 40-54 and 55-64 age groups, while Nova rules for people aged 10-17 and 18-24.
Overall, Mix remains at the top of the ratings, followed by FIVEaa – up from fourth place in the last survey – then Nova, which enjoyed a stronger showing, Triple M and ABC Radio Adelaide.
