Nova takes out first four surveys in 2023: 96FM retains #2 position followed by Mix 94.5

Nova has taken out top spot for the fourth survey in a row in 2023. 96FM keeps it’s #2 position with Mix 94.5 starting to close the gap! Stela Media’s Marianne Stelmach, who has over two decades of radio industry experience, takes a closer look at the results of the latest radio ratings survey period.

#1 Overall – Nova
#1 Breakfast – Nova’s Nathan, Nat & Shaun
#1 Drive – Nova’s Kate, Tim & Joel

Nova have kept their #1 position with a 0.9% increase and keep showing their dominance this year by making the gap bigger between 96FM (#2) and Mix 94.5 (#3). They had their biggest increase, 8.3%, with 18 to 24 year olds. They are #1 in every demographic from People 10 to 54 year olds. They are also #1 in every session across the day and week. They also had a big increase in Breakfast of 3.5% making them dominate that time slot. Drive also had a big increase of 2.2%, keeping them in #1 position and furthering the gap to the others. Nova has the biggest cume of 682,000 listeners.

96FM will be happy they’ve kept their #2 position even after an overall decrease of 1.5%. Their demographic strengths are with the 40 to 54 year olds (#2) and 55 to 64 year olds (#1). 96FM went down in their daytime sessions except for Drive where they have moved to #2 position. They are #2 in Afternoons (equal with Mix 94.5), Drive, Evenings and Weekends. They still have strong listenership with 518,000 weekly listeners.

Even after an overall decrease of 1.2%, Mix 94.5 have closed the gap between them and 96FM and are still in #3 position overall. They had a strong increase of 10 to 17 year olds keeping their #2 position and are also #2 with People 18 to 24 and 25 to 39 year olds. Even after a 1.5% decrease, the Mix 94.5 Breakfast Show have maintained #2 position. They are also #2 in Mornings and Afternoons (equal with 96FM). Mix 94.5 have the second biggest audience of 585,000 weekly listeners.

92.9 Triple M had a 0.3% overall increase and have stayed in #4 position with 6PR closing the gap. They had their biggest increases with 40 to 54 and 55 to 64 year olds. They are a solid #3 with 25 to 39 year olds. 92.9 Triple M didn’t have any decreases across the sessions and went up slightly in Breakfast (#5), Mornings (#4), Drive (#4) and Evenings (#5). They have a strong audience of 375,000 weekly listeners with an increase of 22,000 listeners.

6PR had the biggest increase with People 10+ of 1.2%, still leaving them in #4 position but have closed the gap with 92.9 Triple M. They also had good increases with 40 to 54 year olds (#6), People 55 to 64 year olds (#4) and People 65+ (#1). 6PR will be pleased with their session movements with Breakfast having a 1.9% increase taking them to #3. Mornings (#5), Afternoons (#6), Drive (#5), Evenings (#4) and Weekends (#4) also all had increases. 6PR had an increase of 20,000 weekly listeners taking them to 213,000 cume.

6IX had an overall increase of 0.7% and have stayed in the #6 position. They had strong increases in 18 to 24 (#6), 40 to 54 year olds (moved up to #5) and People 65+ (#3). All daytime sessions increased They are #5 in Afternoons with a clearer lead from 6PR. They also had a strong increase of 17,000 weekly listeners taking them to 168,000 cume.

People 10+
Nova – 17.0% (0.9% Increase)
96FM – 12.9% (1.5% Decrease)
Mix 94.5 – 12.2% (1.2% Decrease)
92.9 Triple M – 7.1% (0.3% Increase)
6PR – 7.0% (1.2% Increase)
6IX – 5.3% (0.7% Increase)

Breakfast
Nova’s Nathan, Nat & Shaun – 20.8% (3.5% Increase)
Mix 94.5’s Pete, Matt & Kymba – 12.3% (1.5% Decrease)
6PR’s Millsy & Karl – 11.5% (1.9% Increase)
96FM’s The Bunch with Clairsy & Lisa – 10.1% (2.3% Decrease)
92.9 Triple M with Xav & Michelle – 8.0% (0.6% Increase)
6IX’s Classic Breakfast with Rob & Nat – 4.9% (0.3% Increase)

Cume Audience
Nova is still dominating with 676,000 listeners after the biggest increase of 26,000 listeners. 96FM had the biggest increase of 32,000 listeners but are still #3 with Mix 94.5 staying in #2 position. A really solid increase for 6IX of 11,000 listeners.

Nova still has the most weekly listeners with 682,000. Mix 94.5 have the second biggest with 585,000 listeners. 92.9 Triple M had the biggest increase of 22,000 weekly listeners.

Nova – 682,000 (6,000 Increase)
Mix 94.5 – 585,000 (4,000 Decrease)
96FM – 518,000 (28,000 Decrease)
92.9 Triple M – 375,000 (22,000 Increase)
6PR – 213,000 (20,000 Increase)
6IX – 168,000 (17,000 Increase)

Perth DAB+ Stations
Smooth FM Perth have had a slight increase of 2,000 listeners taking them to 100,000 weekly listeners and are still dominating the digital stations in Perth in the #1 position. MMM Classic Rock had the biggest increase of 12,000 listeners and then My Perth DAB Radio had a 9,000 increase.

Smooth FM Perth (Nova) 100,000 (2,000 Increase)
Oldskool 90’s Hits (SCA) 64,000 (4,000 Increase)
96FM 80’s (ARN) 43,000 (8,000 Decrease)
RnB Fridays (SCA) 39,000 (7,000 Decrease)
Easy 80’s Hits (SCA) 38,000 (2,000 Decrease)
My Perth DAB Radio (6IX) 37,000 (9,000 Increase)
Double J 36,000 (5,000 Increase)
MMM Classic Rock (SCA) 35,000 (12,000 Increase) – Moved up by 6 stations
ABC Sport 33,000 (No Change)
Coles Radio (Nova) 29,000 (1,000 Decrease)
Triple J Unearthed 26,000 (2,000 Decrease)
ABC Jazz 26,000 (1,000 Increase)
MMM Country (SCA) 25,000 (4,000 Decrease)
MMM 80’s (SCA) 22,000 (2,000 Increase)
Blender Beats 17,000 (3,000 Increase)
KIX Digital 15,000 (7,000 Decrease)
MMM Tradie Radio (SCA) 13,000 (11,000 Decrease)

Survey 4 2023 GFK’s Radio 360 new audience measurement system was conducted for Commercial Radio Australia from 16th April to 24th June 2023.

Click here for more information on Commercial Radio Australia’s new radio measurement system:

Following a 25 year career at SCA, Fairfax, Macquarie Media, ARN and Nine, Marianne Stelmach (pictured below) has launched media representation company Stela Media.