While commercial radio stations remain at the top of Canberra, they are losing listeners and ABC stations are growing in popularity, new rankings show.
Mix 106.3 remains the most popular station in the capital, with 17.9 per cent listening share.
However, the station's share of listeners dropped by 2.3 percentage points from the first survey of the year, which was released on April 10.
Hit 104.7 was the second most listened to station, with 13.9 per cent of market share, but it declined by 2 percentage points.
This is according to the most recent GfK Radio Ratings, which conducted a survey from April 28 to June 22.
Canberrans turn off commercial stations
The top commercial stations have lost big audience numbers since the last survey from February and March this year.
There were 4000 fewer listeners recorded across all radio stations.
Mix 106.3 and Hit 104.7 are both half owned by Australian Radio Network and Southern Cross Austereo.
They broadcast from the same studio in Crace.
Mix 106.3 lost 19,000 listeners from 5.30am to midnight.
The station's biggest market share decline was the morning slot from 9am to 12pm, which had 6000 fewer listeners than the last survey.
Nigel Johnson hosts the show from 9am to 10am, and Pat Griffin takes over from 10am to 4pm.
It was still the most popular radio show in that time slot.
Even Canberra breakfast royalty - Mix 106.3's Kristen and Nige - lost a whopping 16,000 audience members.
Market share for that show dropped by 1.6 percentage points.
Radio station Hit 104.7 had 17,000 fewer listeners than the last survey.
The drive show hosted by Sydney-based hosts Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little had the biggest audience share decline of any radio show.
They lost 5.2 percentage points of listener share, or 8000 audience members.
Both 104.7 and 106.3 remained at the top of the Canberra rankings, general manager of amplifyCBR, Craig Wagstaff, said.
He said the two stations made up nearly 48 per cent of the market share in Canberra.
"To again be placed [numbers one and two] is as always, equally humbling, and genuinely rewarding," he said.
Content director Rod Cuddihy said Kristen and Nige's continued number one streak was "outstanding".
"Canberrans under 40 told us they love the most exciting new show in the city this year, Wilko and Courts," he said, referring to 104.7's breakfast show.
The show lost 0.9 percentage points in market share and 9000 audience members.
GfK ratings did not specify how popular each radio slot was among different age groups.
Neil Wilcock and Courtenay Kneen, or Wilko and Courts, took over the breakfast slot after Ned Breward and Josh Torney were axed as hosts in October 2023.
Good news for Aunty
Meanwhile, ABC radio stations gained popularity among Canberrans.
ABC Classic, which has 11.2 per cent market share, increased by 4.1 percentage points and 12,000 listeners.
The station's popularity increased in every age demographic except 10 to 17-year-olds, with the weekend pulling in 9000 Canberra listeners.
ABC Canberra had 12.2 per cent of market share, rising 1.4 percentage points.
It also increased in popularity among almost all age demographics.
While 6000 more Canberrans aged 40 to 54 tuned in, they did lose 5000 listeners aged 65 and over.
The breakfast program had the biggest increase in listeners across ABC Canberra.
It continues to be hosted by Adam Shirley.
The ABC Canberra afternoon show, hosted by Alice Matthews, was the only program on the station to have a drop in market share (-0.6 percentage points).
ABC News Radio, which holds 4.7 per cent market share, also went up by 1.1 percentage points.
Triple J had a mild increase in market share with 0.8 percentage points up to 9.3 per cent of listeners.
It had more listeners in the 10 to 17, 18 to 24, 40 to 54 and 55 to 64 age groups, but the core demographic of 25 to 39-year-olds tuned out (a drop of 5.3 percentage points).
ABC's radio national lost 1.6 percentage points in market share.
Acting editor of ABC Canberra, Louise Willis, said Canberrans have a fondness for all ABC stations.
"This is a very encouraging survey for 666 ABC Radio Canberra, with strong rises in share and reach, survey on survey," she said.
"There's been hard work from all the 666 ABC Radio Canberra program teams, and Breakfast presenter Adam Shirley has secured great gains.
"ABC networks reach more than half the population of Canberra."
Generational divide
Hit 104.7 is the most popular station for young people in the 10 to 17, 18 to 24 and 25 to 39 age groups.
Mix 106.3 dominates the middle age market, as the top listened station for 40 to 54-year-olds and the 35 to 64 age group.
The oldest demographic, people aged 65 and up, prefer ABC Classic, followed by ABC Canberra.
-
What radio programs did you listen to? Comment below.
