At Ratings Time, Expect The Unexpected

Michael Hedges July 19, 2012 Follow on Twitter

There’s nothing like a bit of a shake-up when the ratings arrive. Media buyers have something new to think about, often stressful. Programmers are divided; either a bonus or out the door. It’s a good time for a beer.

German radio broadcasters cheered the news from Media-Analyse that total gross reach has risen to 80.2%, up from 79.6% in the previous survey. The biggest increases came from women, working people and 14 to 49 year olds. Time spent listening was slightly down to 250 minutes Monday through Friday, from 248 minutes daily in the previous survey.

On aggregate the 52 German public radio channels claimed 52.2% reach share against 45.7% for private radio stations. Several of the top ranked moved significantly, up and down. Geography – hence, sampling – may have contributed.

As always Radio NRW, the big commercial network in North Rhine-Westphalia (Düsseldorf), topped the national rankings. After that, the rankings shifted considerably. The MA Radio 2012/II survey was conducted January through April.

The big news was the return of Antenne Bayern, moving into the number 2 position from number 6 in the disastrous MA Radio 2011/II survey. Gross reach jumped 47.3% to 1.324 million for the oldies-based station covering Bavaria, arguably the home of beer. Staff and management were certainly overjoyed with the “unexpected” result. (See Antenne Bayern presser here – in German)

Clearly affected was Bavarian public broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR). Main BR channel Bayern 1 dropped to 5th place nationally from 2nd one year on and pop music channel Bayern 3 dropped to 9th from 7th. BR’s rolling news channel B5 aktuell was one of the big losers in gross reach.

Public broadcaster Südwestrundfunk (SRW) saw its pop-rock channel SWR 3 hold 3rd place with only scant increase in gross reach. SWR’s Rheinland-Pfalz and Baden-Württemberg regional channels SWR 4 RP and SWR 4 BW showed respectable gross reach gains, 8.5% and 7.7%, respectively.

The youth-oriented channel of public broadcaster Westdeutsch Rundfunk (WDR), EinsLive, held 4th place, also with a small gain in gross reach year on year. WDR’s main news and information channel WDR 2 ranked 6th nationally, down from 5th, gaining 4.9% gross reach year on year. Hit music channel WDR 4 held 8th ranking nationally, dropping 4.8% gross reach.

The adult-contemporary channel of public broadcaster Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR), NDR2, showed strong gains in gross reach, up 11.5% one year on, moving to 7th place nationally from 9th. Also in the north, once powerful private station R.SH Radio Schleswig-Holstein dropped to 30th nationally while Radio ffn gained.

In Hesse (Frankfurt), the radio market turned upside-down a bit like Bavaria. Hit Radio FFH gained 6.1% year on year, placing 11th nationally and leading the local market. Public broadcaster Hessischen Rundfunk’s hr3 lost 7.6% gross reach one year on.

Also taking a tumble were channels of public broadcaster Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR), based in Leipzig. Pop music channel MDR Jump dropped gross reach 9.6% and regional general interest channel MDR 1 Radio Sachsen lost 17.1% one year on. Private stations Hitradio RTL Sachsen and Radio PSR both lost significantly.

Public broadcaster Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB) celebrated gross reach gains by main channel Antenne Brandenburg of 25% year on year to 255,000 listeners, the best showing in years or since the AG.MA changed methodology. “This is a good day for the RBB,” said program director Claudia Nothelle in the afterglow statement. Rolling news channel RBB-Inforadio also gained. Youth channel Fritz “still something of a problem child” for the RBB, commented Märkische Allgemeine (July 18).

Berlin-based private station Radio Paloma showed the greatest daily reach gain over the last two surveys, up 37.3% to 103,000 listeners. It’s a multi-platform ‘schlager’ and folk music station. Oom-pah-pah!

See also in ftmKnowledge

Europe's Radio - Western Europe

Opportunity meets tradition in Western Europe's radio broadcasting. Change has come fast and yet oh, so slowly. This ftm Knowledge file contains material and resources on public and private radio broadcasting in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands and Switzerland. 156 pages. Resources. PDF (December 2011)

Order here

Media in Germany

Home to Europe's biggest broadcasters and publishers, Germany is a highly competitive media market. Transition to digital television was easy, other media not so simple, unsuprising with Germany's complex regulation and business structures. This Knowledge file reports on media leaders and followers. Includes Resources 143 pages PDF (April 2011)

Order here