Newcastle Radio Ratings, Survey 1 2009

24Apr09

No surprises really.

Big cumulative audience drop for KOFM, Wow!

What does this mean for old timers like Dave and Tanya? Are they on the way out?

There’s a story doing the rounds that Steven Smith, GM at KO/NX, opened his talk to staff yesterday by saying he’d just received a call from Guy Ashford, GM of NEW/2HD. Ashford & Smith have known each other for years and worked together in Central Coast. Ashford said: “Thanks for ruining my f@#&8%$ holidays”

Big question for me is, why is Ashford blaming Smith? KO/NX really haven’t done anything different on air for years now. Same meat, same gravy, day after day, month after month. And why would they change anything, they’re miles ahead of the opposition.

Ashford needs to look hard at the team he has assembled at Sandgate and the popular talent that has been driven out in the last year. The NEWFM PD is also the anchor of the lowest rating breakfast show ever. The same PD has created a playlist which is driving down TSL. Every man & his dog has been telling them the music is wrong and that NEWFM won’t catch the others by playing the same game, but they’re not listening.

Meanwhile the exit of King, Davis, Rabbitt has done major damage to 2HD.

Last year Ashford told the Herald that within two years NEWFM would be close to NXFM. Hearing what he told Steve Smith on the phone yesterday suggests he is starting to worry and big ol Big will be applying the pressure.

@Jay, 100% incorrect!

Bill doesn’t allow employees to have holidays, its apart of their contract.

Get you facts right:(

NewFm will sink much lower yet…
They need to put the Duck into brekkie straight away (as of monday)? Move meryl to 9 to 12 blanchy to arvos maybe a second person on drive with him? change the playlist back to rock an start palying the 70′s & 80′s 90′s with some new rock aswell.. this is what i really think they need to do before the end of may at the latest.

Or if it stays the way it is we’ll see new an hd pulled from ratings all together.

“NEWFM & 2HD are trying to look on the bright side of these results, reassuring everyone that they are still in a rebuilding phase”.

They need to build a hell of alot quicker if they are to ever make a comeback. Rob for brekkie? he has the experience to fix New’s problem now put him to use..
As for 2HD… well all have left an the localism is lost an proberly will never return. I think New is a much more easy problem to fix than HD..

An New fix your music it’s shocking can see why rating’s are so bad.

Jay, funny how you come out of the woodwork around radio ratings posts. Love to know where you are getting your info from. I heard the same story twice yesterday too. Do you work in radio industry?

Evolution, not bad suggestions. I think most outsiders feel that rock is way to go for NEWFM.

Kim B, KO or NX seem to take turns in taking a cume hit in this survey each year. They then get it back again. Not sure that there is a trend yet that would worry KO.

Sorry, can’t reveal my sources or I’d lose my job. Here’s another tidbit of info for you tho. Ashford promised Caralis that he’d get the two stations competitive in the ratings and would deliver $1m in revenue per month. They are currently doing less than 1/3 of that, and falling. How long til Bill calls Ashford out on his promises?

A few points about the latest Newcastle ratings:

1. THE DANGERS OF LOOKING AT SHARES ONLY

Just looking at the percentage figures can sometimes be misleading.

For example, 2HD rated 8% at Drive, and recieved an average audience of 5000.

At night, 2HD received a 24% share, and again received an average audience of 5000.

So, at first glance, 2HD appears to have a huge audience at night, but this is just because not many people listen to FM stations of a night, allowing 2HD’s older listners to dominate the shares.
Also, Hamish and Andy have a huge audience on Drive, which makes it difficult for other stations to pick up a decent share figure between 4 and 7.

Similiar results are seen with Brian Wilshire on 2GB in Sydney and Bruce and Phil on 3AW in Melbourne.

The Newcastle Herald journalists (and indeed most journalists from Metro papers) don’t understand how radio ratings work and so always only report on the share figures with no further analysis.

2. LUKE GRANT IS IN TROUBLE

Luke now only recieves an average audience of 16000 compared to 1233ABC on 15000. How long before Grant Goldman is networked in full to Newcastle?

3. STEVE MAY NEED TO CUT HIS PRICE

2HD is no longer number 1 in Mornings, the first time this has happened in over a decade. Will Steve Price survive or will 2HD just take the 2SM Morning Show?

Bring back brownie, Carly and beno…the best brekkie show new fm has ever had!

NOTE: I am moderating some of these comments carefully due to some people using the names of others when posting. I realise that plenty of you use aliases when commenting, but please don’t post as someone from the industry if you aren’t that person.
Thx

Defo with rock music, but play the older stuff all the stations seem to playing new music.. I recon duck & blanch should team up 4 brekkie. Luv 105mins with no adds really good..

I agree with Cess in the fact that 2HD is a lost cause, they went down in almost every session and with so little local content it’s continue in that direction, it’s little wonder that so many ex 2HD radios now seem to be tuned to 2NURFM.
As for NewFM, it has to have one of the worst brekky shows ever…it’s not even worth tuning in to. They really need to go back to rock and find their own identity. As for Matt’s comment re putting Blanchey on brekky- wouldn’t work because Blnchey’s head wouldn’t fit through the studio door.

Does anyone know where the old brekky show brownie carly and beno went to???

Melissa

Browney works in Central Coast radio.
Carly went to work at NXFM and now runs her own web based business.
Ben left the industry altogether.

so looking at the chart and we see that NEW FM, NX FM, 2KO and 2HD all down. but ABC and JJJ up…Are people turning to these stations and others.
Is it because they are getting sick of the same old stuff and wanting a change for a while…
what do you think Craig?
I also saw in the paper was it Radio National had ratings up…am i right about radio national?

Maree

Yes its possible that listeners are looking for alternatives to the commercial offerings, but we need a few more surveys to consider this a trend. ABC1233 has been on an overall upward trajectory for a few years now and I wouldnt be surprised if they had a very good result in Survey 2 as it contains more football.

Radio National has increased its share, but its coming off an extremely low base.

what is most amazing about this story is that the NXFM breakfast is not entertaining. If they were funny like Hamish and Andy or Merrick and Rosso then I could understand. Its the weakness of NEWFM thats the problem, not the strength of NX

Forget radio, buy an iPod. No ads, and no dickhead announcers.

Question …
How do you build The Opera House, The Eiffel Tower or The Statue of Liberty ?
Answer …
One brick at a time !
Some people just don’t know anything and other just don’t know something … am I making sense.
What I mean is, sometimes things can happen and sometimes things can’t happen and other times there are happening things … get my drift.
The thing you all have to understand is that once I build something … I build it for good, for keeps and to last forever. If you don’t believe me just have a look at the new building … it’s really starting to take some shape.
So just be patient … by the time its finished we’ll be Number 1 … mark my words !

Here’s a tip:

Richard King is joining 2NUR FM!

Not that I’m aware Todd Sergeant Programme Director

Further to other comments I have been made aware by a government colleague of an alleged serious license breach comitted by a non commercial broadcaster which will result in that broadcaster losings its commercial appeal after a lengthy process where it is directed to be more of a community asset. In reality, as they will soon discover, to be a commercial broadcaster, you must have a commercial license. Should break in the next month.

Don’t you just love HD’s line “You won’t miss a thing” I wonder how many people miss Mike Rabbitt, Peter Davis, Richard King, Local Sport, Local anything for that matter..and the list goes on and on..ohh did I miss something??

Todd

Thx for the clarification. Seems like there’s plenty of wild speculation flying around at the moment.

That’s funny Todd. You went to Brisbane to record the new on air sweepers which include Richard King!

2NUR FM is skating on very thin ice and it’s getting thinner! Soon it will break altogether. Take note Wayne.

Does anyone need a reminder of what type of license 2NUR holds??? COMMUNITY! NOT COMMERCIAL!

This has been going on for far too long and Media Hunter should definitely do a story on it and bring attention to this crazy radio station doing what it wants thinking it holds a commercial license.

Warren Netalbo, do you have anything further to add? 2NUR’s commercial days are numbered – and about time!

I’m with James, let’s have a story on 2NUR Fm…..i would love to hear more.

come on Craig-do your stuff and wave that magic wand around.

There’s no doubt that James is under some sort of Caralis spell and thinks that 2NUR should not exist, or at least should not flog them at their own advertising game.
Most radio listeners couldn’t care if a station is commercial or community they only care whether it’s good or bad.
I feel it would be an injustice if 2NURFM is penalised for being a good radio station and if this was the case then 2HD should be penalised for being a bad radio station.

Time to refloat the one that wont go away. Bye bye David, swappsy Steve and Hello new guy on NX. Word is Steve is getting a little too old for the NX fit and David is about as popular as
Dennis Fitzgerald at a Brett Kenny party amongst some of the important Charlestown folk. Start your clocks now. Moves are afoot. Tanya wants out anyway so it certainly wont bother her. See how right I am.

Note: we’ve been receiving plenty of interesting comments like the above. Obviously a few people are trying to redirect the attention. I’ve no idea whether they have any substance or not.

Wow Craig, you let stuff slip into this that is inaccurate about HD or NEW. Nice of you to stand up for the poor souls at Charlestown. Any chance you could drop your bitterness?

Craig’s response: For the record “Col” I have unfortunately had to block or moderate quite a few comments of late, many of which are actually are actually directed at 2HD and NEWFM staff. Some comments are published automatically if the address has been previously approved (as yours was), however new addresses require moderation before being published. This is to prevent the numerous people in the industry who are using fake names, or other people’s names to post derogatory comments about their competitors. Unfortunately some of these comments can unfairly affect some staff who don’t deserve to be dragged into the mud-slinging. My previous comment merely questions the authenticity of the claim. I’d like to be able to run all comments on this site but it seems when it comes to the local radio industry it will no longer be possible unless everyone starts supplying true addresses.

Thanks Graig and all the staff for an interesting web site.
All the work and effort that goes into each article is great, and allowing people to comment as well just puts that cherry on top.
Even if it may make your life difficult at times we love it. (especially the radio section) thats why we keep coming back for more.
Good job guys.

What were the ratings for Talkin League…sorry Sport on HD?

Is anyone listening?

Looking forward to ratings #1 for 2010