Easy Listening Experiment Failing In New Radio Figures

New easy listening radio station Smoothfm, which was launched with much bravado in a big million-dollar campaign, has taken a solid hit in the latest Nieslen radio ratings.

DMG Australia re-branded the new station from Sydney's 95.3 and Melbourne's 91.5 and while only the first three weeks are included in this survey, figures are down from the last period. DMG would have hoped for strong figures given the interest-factor for listeners immediately after the re-launch.

Smoothfm has most of its on-air talent, including Michael Buble, on weekends, and has enjoyed growth there, but the weekday figures have suffered.

SYDNEY

In what has been a tough period for Nova, they've come back to earth losing 1 percent of their weekday share to 5.9 percent. 2GB strengthened their dominant share with 15.7 percent this period, up 0.8 percent. New station smoothfm, which was launched with a huge campaign behind it shed 0.4 percent, which is a lot considering they're only at 4.1 percent. 25-39 year-olds tuned out with a 1.8 percent drop to 3.6 percent. They went up 0.4 percent on weekend to just 3.7 percent and they'll be hoping that momentum turns into something real.

There was a bit of movement in triple j's listenership demographic, they lost 0.7 percent to 3.2 percent in 10-17, but gained 0.7 to a very healthy 15.0 percent in 18-24 and 1.3 to 10.7 percent in 25-39.

MELBOURNE

Mix 101.1 had a blinding period, with a 1.8 percent growth taking them to 7.5 percent on weekdays. A lot of that was thanks to a 3.9 percent growth in share of the 25-39 bracket, which saw losses for smoothfm (1.8 percent), triple j (1.4 percent) and Nova (1.2 percent).

Smoothfm is down 0.3 overall on weekdays to 4.2, while up 0.4 percent to 3.7 percent.

3AW still leads weekdays with 14.8 percent, but ABC774 enjoyed a 1.1 percent growth to 10.8, mainly thanks to a 3.2 percent jump in the breakfast slot. Triple j was down across the timeslots, losing 1 percent and dropping to 4.2 percent share during weekdays. They're down 1.2 percent on weekends to 3.5 percent share, far below their Sydney figures.

BRISBANE

The tight weekday battle went to Nova this period, a 1.2 percent growth, thanks to mornings being up 12.3 percent, gives them a 14.2 percent share. 97.3FM dropped 1.4 percent to 12.1 (they still lead weekends), while ABC 612's dream run faltered with a loss of 1.6 percent to 9.4 weekday share. They suffered across all timeslots.

Triple j seemed to steal a lot of listeners in the 18-24 demographic, up 3 percent to 16.7 while Triple M lost 3.9 in that bracket and 97.3 lost 5.3.

ADELAIDE

5AA enjoyed a 1.6 percent growth in weekday share to 13.5 percent, and an otherwise steady rating survey seems to suggests they took listeners from everywhere. They also boosted their lead in weekend share with a 1.7 percent jump to 14.1 percent. Cruise took a 2.1 percent hit to 8.3 percent, and triple j bled 1.2 percent to a disappointing 4.3. The public broadcaster's weekday figures are solid at 6.7 percent, after a small drop, though.

PERTH

96FM edge ahead in the weekday share this survey, with a 1.5 percent rise to 13.9 percent. Mix 94.5 also grew, but only by 1 percent to 13.4. 92.9, Nova and ABC720 all enjoy shares above 10 percent, while triple j fell out of that club, with a small drop to a still impressive 9.4 percent share in one of their best markets.

Where they lost it seems to be the 18-24 demographic, which they still hold 20.6 percent of despite being down 4.1 percent this survey. 92.9 lost even more in the same bracket, 4.3 percent to 20.6 as well.