Media
The first commercial radio ratings for the new talk station Today FM are out and while it’s too early to be definitive, the challenge of getting people’s attention remains immense
Newstalk ZB has fallen from its historic highs in the latest ratings, but its new talk radio challenger still has a lot of dents after three months on the air.
newsstalkthe weekly average audience across the country dropped from 744,000 to 719,000 and the music channel’s main competitor The wind climbed sharply with 30,000 listeners to 654,000, which had become a gaping hole in the commercial market.
newsstalk‘s market share declined significantly in Auckland and declined in key markets and across the country. It clearly remains the number 1 commercial channel and so far it’s kind of a no-contest with MediaWorks’ new talk operation Today FMwhich registered only 136,200 weekly listeners nationwide in this GfK survey.
However, the study covers a much shorter period for Today than for the other participants, including: newsstalk, benefiting from public demand dating back to June last year for the regions and January for the metropolitan areas. Today’s numbers only measure the old ones Magic Talk from those dates until March 20th and then 13 weeks Today FM†
newsstalkBreakfast king Mike Hosking saw his ratings fall from the highest level reached in the first survey of the year announced in May – his market share fell nationally from 23.6 to 20.6 and in Auckland it dropped from 30. .3 to 22.4. These are still songs that every music station, Today or even the separately examined RNZ National would give them bonuses for it.
While Hosking attracts 504,200 listeners for an average week nationally (down from 11,000), 210,400 in Auckland, 36,600 in Wellington and 55,300 in Christchurch, the MagicTalk-Today breakfast result was 68,500 nationwide, 19,500 in Auckland, 2,500 in Wellington and 3,400 in Christchurch. Hosts Tova O’Brien and Mark Day may not be disheartened, given the survey’s shortcomings and long-term project Today has taken to try to take a bite out newsstalk‘s audience and advertising wealth.
In driving time, Heather du Plessis Allan’s newsstalk show posted a share of 14.6 nationwide to Lloyd Burr’s Today show with 1.4. The driving time figure for Today may have a little more meaning than other shows because Burr played the same role for Magic Talk in the previous study period.
None of the Today daytime slots are not yet able to withstand the low market share of the old brand, with Duncan Garner’s morning show at 2.2, the afternoon show at 1.6 and the nighttime show at 2.2 in the national figures.
newsstalkThe total national market share in this latest survey is 15.2, down from 16.9 last time, and for Auckland it’s 16.8, a significant drop from 21.5.
But in general MagicTalk-Today combo in 2022, with a national market share of 2.1 and 1.0 in the large target market in Auckland (ranked 19th), is below what MediaWorks’ old talk mark Radio Live achieved in the days before the combined ratings for Magic music and Magic Talk stations are registered in 2019.
In the equivalent survey released in July 2018, Radio Live achieved market share of 2.9 for NZ and 4.2 for Auckland – in a market where newsstalk was at a relatively modest 10.9 nationally and 13.9 in Auckland.
MediaWorks’ director of News and Talk, Dallas Gurney, pointed out that this 2022 study is a combination of the new Today FM with his predecessor Magic Talk† “While we won’t see full results for Today FM until early next year we are happy with the momentum that is being made.”
Elsewhere, MediaWorks touted a gain in its total stable’s market share, rising to 54.4 from 53.5, while rival channel owner NZME saw its overall market share fall from 38.4 to 37.2 – widening the gap between the two market giants. 17.2 points in The MediaWorks Favor.
MediaWorks dominates in music. The wind was the second most listened-to station nationally, after Newstalk ZBwith that total of 654,000 over an average week, for stable mates More FM at 593,000 and The edge at 581,200. NZME’s best music station ZM ranked 5th with 547,900 weekly listeners.
MediaWorks’ content director Leon Wratt noted: The Breeze, The Rock and More FM took the top three spots in the commercially coveted 25-54 demographic.
NZME’s press release said: ZM scored the most listeners nationwide across “the highly competitive 18-39 and 25-54-year-old demographics.”
Chief radio officer Jason Winstanley puts Newstalk ZBThe “sky-high” listenership over the past two and a half years to people who were at home during Covid lockdowns. “It’s gratifying to see the station’s ratings continue to be incredibly high, well above any other network and significantly above pre-Covid levels.”