Newstalk ZB dominates conversation

Radio station Newstalk ZB has not only kept its No 1 position in the commercial radio market but has increased its share, according to the latest audience survey results.

The six-monthly Radio Audience Measurement Survey released yesterday gives Newstalk a 13.6 per cent share of the nationwide commercial radio market, up from 11.7 per cent in the last survey in April.

Second nationwide was Classic Hits with a 10.1 per cent share, followed by The Rock network with 9.3 per cent.

The Edge holds fourth placing nationwide with a 7.7 per cent share and More FM comes in at fifth place on 6.8 per cent.

Newstalk ZB continues its hold over the key breakfast audience, with host Paul Holmes attracting 21.6 per cent of listeners, up from 18.8 per cent in the last survey. Overall Newstalk ZB has 17.3 per cent nationwide of breakfast listeners.

Second placing in the breakfast market is Classic Hits 97.4FM on 10.5 per cent share and the MoreFM network in third place on 8.8 per cent.

Classic Hits also comes second overall in the key Auckland market, with an 8.9 per cent share.

Mai FM makes a big jump this survey, pushing oldie station and relative newcomer Coast into fourth place in Auckland. Mai increased its audience share from 5.2 per cent last time to 7.5 per cent.

But Coast increased its audience share in Auckland from the last survey, going from 6.4 per cent to 6.7 per cent.

The Rock is in fifth place in Auckland on 5.3 per cent but takes fourth place at breakfast time in Auckland with the same share.

Newcomers Viva 98.2FM and Radio Live get their first ratings this survey with Radio Live, RadioWorks' news and talkback station, getting 2.1 per cent of the audience in Auckland but Viva taking more than double that, 4.8 per cent.

That compares with Radio Sport (2.6 per cent) and Radio Pacific (2.7 per cent).

Multi-media conglomerate APN, which owns the Weekend Herald, also owns The Radio Network, which includes the Newstalk ZB, Classic Hits and Radio Sport stations.

* The survey of 16,832 people aged 10 and over was done over six weeks in September and October. The survey takes into account the number of people tuning into a station and the time they spend tuned in.