Avon slides in radio survey

Press, 26 August 1982, Page 10

Avon slides in radio survey

Radio New Zealand's 3ZM has ousted the private Radio Avon from second place in the latest Broadcasting Corporation ratings survey. Radio 3ZB retains its top placing in the ratings with 43 per cent of the audience share, an increase of 4 per i cent since the last survey. three months ago. Its sister station, 3ZM has risen from 19 per cent in the last survey to 23 per cent, its highest audience share since private radio began in Christchurch ■ eight years ago. Radio Avon has fallen to an all-time low of 16 per cent and ranks third in the ratings, only just ahead of the National on 3YA, with 15 per cent. In the . last survey, Radio Avon held 22 per cent of the audience share. In its heyday, more than four years ago, its ratings had risen to slightly over 50 per cent.

At the same time, 3ZM, was calling itself Radio Nova and was playing “beautiful music,” which did nothing to pull it out of the doldrums, with ratings about 3 per cent.

The survey was made over eight weeks in July and August, from 6 a.m. to midnight, of the 240,000 people aged 10 and over in the Christchurch survey area. The manager of 3ZM. Mr John McElhinney, has said he attributed the success of the station in the latest survey period to the station’s dedication to servicing the

city's young adult market. The station, a clear leader in the young adult market, has a 48 per cent average share of listeners aged 15 to 29. This compares with 3ZB's 24 per cent and Avon's 22 per cent.

Mr McElhinney said he did not yet have the figures for the audience of the different disc jockeys working on Christchurch's three commercial stations, but he suspected that the arrival of the popular disc-jockey, Murray Inglis, would have had something to do with 3ZM's rise in the ratings. “He wasn't the only reason for our rise. I would say he was the icing on the cake,” Mr McElhinney said. Murray Inglis, who earned himself the name, “Mouth of the South.” while working for Radio Avon five years ago, came -to work for 3ZM's breakfast session at the beginning of July — the first time in his lifetime career in radio that he had worked for State radio.

He left Christchurch. 4‘i years ago as the city’s most popular disc-jockey, drawing a 53 per cent audience on Radio Avon’s breakfast session. He was dismissed for making rude remarks about someone on air.

His return to Christchurch to work for 3ZM was seen as a coup for State radio in the continuing ratings battle in Christchurch between State and private stations. Radio Avon’s programme director, Mr Ric Ditchburn, said he had no comment to

make until he had seen the McNair survey results, expected to be' released in about two weeks. The survey is commissioned by private radio stations throughout New Zealand.

The chairman of Radio Avon, Ltd, Mr P. L. Mortlock. said the survey results were no guide to current listening patterns. Radio New Zealand had reduced the survey period to eight weeks and had packed television advertising and cash give-aways into that period. "As a taxpaying body. Radio Avon cannot afford to match this." he said.

Listening patterns would change after the survey period. Advertisers knew this and had for some time discounted Radio New Zealand audience survey figures, with the result that the 3ZB and 3ZM share of advertising revenue was far less than the audience share, Mr Mortlock said.

Another unfortunate aspect of the survey results was that Radio ’New Zealand questioned listeners in some of its phone-in promotions about the songs they listened to. If the right' answer was given, cash was paid out, he said.

“The same organisation then asks people what their listening habits are. Many listeners will have in the back of their minds the thought that, if they give the right answer about their listening habits to the survey people, they might get a prize." Mr Mortlock said.