Add Category
“Here we are now, entertain us,” challenged Kurt Cobain in Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana’s 1991 anthem for disenfranchised youth. But for Triple J, which relies on today’s young listeners to survive, it’s increasingly become a case of: “Where’d you go now?”
The fourth radio ratings survey of the year, released on Tuesday, has seen the national youth broadcaster take another hit in their core 18-24 age demographic, dropping audience share by 3.6 percentage points from 8 per cent to 4.4 per cent.
Despite a drop across the 18-24 demographic for Triple J, the station’s breakfast hosts Bryce Mills and Ebony Boadu saw a slight lift in their audience share, from 3.8 to 4.1 per cent. Credit:Sam Mooy
While Triple J’s overall audience share rose slightly from 3.9 per cent to 4.3 per cent, the shedding of listeners in the 18-24 bracket represents a concerning trend. In the previous survey, Triple J posted a significant dip in that same demographic, dropping 7.4 points from 15.4 per cent to an 8 per cent share.
This time last year Triple J was holding on to a 7.7 per cent market share in the 18-24 demographic, a figure that has almost halved this survey.
There has also been a switch-off in the 25-39 bracket over the last 12 months. In last year’s corresponding survey, Triple J maintained a 13.3 per cent share in that demographic, but that has dipped 3 percentage points to 10.3 per cent in this survey.
While NOVA and KIIS maintain dominance in the 18-24 market (17.9 and 17.3 per cent share respectively), the most recent figures will be a worry for the youth broadcaster. Triple J now finds itself behind WSFM (11 per cent), Smooth (9.7 per cent), 2DAY (6.5 per cent) and Triple M (4.5 per cent).
Ben Fordham and 2GB remain on top in Sydney’s latest radio survey.Credit:Louise Kennerley
Meanwhile, in the all-important breakfast battle, Triple J’s Bryce Mills and Ebony Boadu did see a slight rise (4.1 per cent; up 0.3) but the slot still belongs to 2GB’s Ben Fordham.
Fordham has maintained his reign as Sydney’s number one breakfast show host with a share of 15.5 per cent, a drop of 0.2 percentage points (from 15.7) in the previous survey. Kyle Sandilands and Jackie “O” Henderson on KIIS FM held on to second place (13.3 per cent, up 0.9 percentage points) while ABC Sydney maintained their position (10.3 per cent, down 0.3 percentage points).