Radio ratings: Nostalgic bump for the ABC as Triple M keeps its lead
Triple M has finished the year well on top of Adelaide’s radio ratings, but the final survey of the year has seen the ABC make a bittersweet jump up the ladder.
Retiring ABC veteran Peter Goers enjoyed a huge surge in listeners in his final radio ratings survey. Supplied image: ABC
The ratings data released today sees ABC Radio Adelaide climb from the bottom of the ratings, with its now-defunct breakfast team making strong gains and a retiring favourite enjoying a stellar final survey.
The ABC’s local station has been struggling in the cellar all year, resulting in an upheaval in its schedule for 2024.
Breakfast duo Stacey Lee and Nikolai Beilharz have been under an unusual amount of pressure, including internally, despite being the best-performing in the shift for the ABC across the country.
Lee left the ABC a few weeks before today’s survey was completed, after accepting the afternoon shift at commercial rival FIVEaa. Beilharz will move to afternoons at the ABC next year.
However, in this survey, taken from September 24 to December 2, the ABC’s breakfast show put on a healthy 1.7 percentage points to move into second place overall, leapfrogging FIVEaa’s David Penberthy and Will Goodings.
That performance, coupled with a huge pre-retirement surge for veteran Peter Goers, saw the ABC overtake FIVEaa to be equal with Cruise.
FIVEaa finishes the year last among the local stations, but will be hoping the ABC’s bump was due to an influx of curious listeners farewelling Goers, replaced by Jason Chong, and attracted by the controversy in breakfast.
Adelaide radio ratings for survey eight, 2023. Source: GfK Radio 360 survey, taken from Sunday Sept 24 to Saturday Dec 2.
Triple M remains the leading performer in breakfast, followed by the ABC, FIVEaa and an improving Mix.
Overall, Triple M maintained a strong lead at the top, despite losing some share, with Mix in second place.
Nova remains third, followed by SAFM, Cruise and the ABC on level pegging, and FIVEaa last.
In mornings and afternoons, Triple M maintained a strong lead.
The impending battle between Lee and Beilharz in afternoons comes off some very low numbers for FIVEaa, which dropped to a miniscule 3.6 per cent of listener share, well below the next lowest local station, ABC Radio Adelaide, on 6.1. Even the ABC’s youth network, Triple J, outperformed FIVEaa, with 4.8 per cent of share.
In drive, Triple M was the winner, despite losing share.
In Evenings, Peter Goers had a fitting send-off – putting on a huge 4.7 percentage points to just lose out to perennial leader FIVEaa.
Adelaide radio ratings by shift. Source: GfK Radio 360 survey, taken from Sunday Sept 24 to Saturday Dec 2.
