Mix on top as 96FM, Nova battle it out in Nielsen ratings

Austereo's mix 94.5 still dominates the Perth airwaves, according to the latest Nielsen Media Research radio ratings tables, with Southern Cross Broadcasting's 96FM winning in its battle with DMG Radio's Nova 93.7 for second place.

In the period recorded between September 17 and November 25, according to Nielsen's Monday to Sunday tables, mix recorded an 0.1 per cent gain to 17.5 per cent of total audience share, with 96FM regaining one per cent to put it at second place overall with 12.6 per cent.

Nova came in third place overall with 11.3 per cent, down 1.3 per cent, followed closely by ABC 720 at 10.6 per cent, down 0.2 per cent, followed closely by Austereo's 92.9 at 10.5 per cent, up 0.1 per cent, and Southern Cross' 6PR at 9.1 per cent, down 1.1 per cent from the previous reporting period.

For the lucrative grocery buyers' demographic, Mix added 0.6 per cent to its already sizeable listener base to hold a total 19.6 per cent of audience share, followed by 720, unchanged at 12.2 per cent. They were followed by 6PR, down two per cent to 10.6 per cent, 96FM up 0.3 per cent to 10.2 per cent with Nova in fifth place at 8.9 per cent, down 0.2 per cent.

Mix also retained its firm grip on the 40 to 54 year-old demographic with 28.6 per cent of the total audience share, up 2.7 per cent from the last survey period, ahead of second-placed 96FM at 13.2 per cent, up 1.3 per cent, and 720 in third place with 9.3 per cent, down 1.5 per cent. Capital Radio's 6IX had its best performance in this category, down 0.1 per cent to 8.8 per cent of audience share, attaining fourth place ahead of 92.9 at 7.8 per cent, down 1.2 per cent.

Listeners over 55 stayed loyal to Aunty, with 720 winning 24.1 per cent of total audience share, up 1.5 per cent, followed by 6PR with 20.5 per cent, down two per cent, then 94.5 on 12.1 per cent, down 0.1 per cent, ABC Classic FM in fourth place with 8.3 per cent in its best result, up 0.5 per cent, and 6IX in fifth place with 6.2 per cent of audience share, up 0.4 per cent.

Still the coolest kid in school was 92.9, which again dominated the 10 to 17 year-old demographic with 33.7 per cent of audience share, up one per cent on the last survey period and with 10 per cent more than its nearest competitor, Nova, which fell 4.1 per cent to 23.7 per cent. 96FM was up 5.1 per cent to take third place with 15.5 per cent, followed by Mix at 12 per cent, up 0.5 per cent, with 6IX way behind in fifth place with 3.6 per cent, up 0.2 per cent.

Despite a 4.1 per cent audience loss, Nova remained on top with the 18 to 24 year old demographic, reaching 31.5 per cent of the audience, ahead of 92.9, up 6.4 per cent with 27.6 per cent, miles ahead of the nearest competitors, Mix, with 9.9 per cent, down 2.6 per cent, 96FM with 9.4 per cent, down four per cent, and the ABC's Triple J, up one per cent to take fifth place with 8.6 per cent.

96FM made its resurgance to carry the 24 to 39 year-old demographic, up 3.6 per cent to 23.9 per cent of the total audience, ahead of Mix, which fell 0.9 per cent to 17.2 per cent, then Nova, down three per cent to 15.9 per cent, Triple J up 2.1 per cent to 15.7 per cent, and 92.9 down 0.4 per cent to retain fifth place with 12 per cent.

The result is not all bad news for Nova, which has remained the leading station in a combined 18 to 39 year-old demographic throughout the year, and their breakfast duo, Nathan and Nat, also the most popular among that demographic. The station said in a tounge-in-cheek announcement that the pairing, one a graphic designer and the other a chiropractor, would be rewarded with a choice of either $2, matching Ferraris or continued employment. WA Business News is betting on the third option.

But Nova would have to be content with third place in breakfast (5:30 to 9:00am) as Mix's Bunch remained on top with a 17 per cent audience share, up 0.3 per cent. They were followed by 720's breakfast team which lost 0.1 per cent to 15.3 per cent, followed by Nova, down 0.7 per cent to 12.2 per cent, 96FM, down 0.4 per cent to 10.3 per cent, and 6PR in fifth place with 9.4 per cent, down 2.1 per cent.

Mix stayed on top in the mornings (9:00 am to 12:00pm) with 18.9 per cent of the total audience, up 1.2 per cent, followed by 96FM on 13.9 per cent, down 0.7 per cent, Nova on 11.1 per cent, down 1.3 per cent, 6PR on 10.5 per cent, down 1.4 per cent, and 92.9 down 1.1 per cent to 8.7 per cent of listeners.

A similar pattern occurred in the afternoons (12:00 to 4:00pm), with Mix losing 0.2 per cent but remaining on top with 19.8 per cent of listeners, followed by 96FM on 15.5 per cent, gaining 0.7 per cent. 92.9 came in third, down 0.2 per cent to 11.4 per cent, followed closely by Nova, down 2.5 places to 11.2 per cent, and Triple J up 2.2 per cent to 7.8 per cent in fifth place.

Drive time (4:00 to 7:00pm) was also held by Mix's Couch, down 0.6 per cent to 15.4, followed closely by a resurgent 96FM with Gavin Miller, up 2.8 per cent to 14.2 per cent, with 92.9's Hamish and Andy holding third place for the station with an unchanged 13 per cent. Nova's Merrick and Rosso were down 1.1 per cent ot 12.5 per cent in total, and 6PR held fifth spot with an unchanged 8.5 per cent.

But Mix could not hang onto those listeners during the evening shift, with 720 winning the timeslot with 14.8 per cent, up 1.5 per cent, followed by 92.9 in second place with 13.7 per cent, up 1.4 per cent, then Mix in third with 13.5 per cent, down 0.7 per cent. 6PR was up 2.3 per cent to 12.9 in total, followed by Nova in fifth place with 11 per cent, down 2.4 per cent.

Overall Mix won the working week, with 17.6 per cent, up 0.2 per cent, followed by 96FM on 12.8 per cent, up 0.6 per cent, Nova on 11.6 per cent, down 1.5 per cent, 92.9 steady on 10.5 per cent and 720 also steady on 10.4 per cent.

Mix also stayed on top during the weekends, winning 17.3 per cent of the available, down 0.3 per cent, followed by 96FM on 11.8, up 2.1 per cent, 720 down 0.9 per cent to 11.2, 92.9 up one per cent to 10.8 per cent and Nova in fifth place with 10.2 per cent, down 0.6 per cent.