Section 2 Overview Julian Morrow from The Chaser conducting the ABC 75th Birthday Quiz in Federation Square, Melbourne (August 2007). The event attracted around 55 000 people. ABC Audiences Audience Trends The last 12 months marked a period of television and radio audiences, while its online unprecedented change and evolution in the audiences grow at a rate three times faster than distribution and consumption of audio and video total Australian internet usage.2 The ABC has content both in Australia and around the world. developed and nurtured audiences for ABC Online In Australia, the ABC has positioned itself as a by offering increasing quantities of audio and leader in free-to-air multi-channelling, digital visual content—including complete television television, digital radio and the distribution of programs—via streaming and downloading. both audio and video content online. As the Corporation redefines its role as a At June 2008, the ABC’s combined reach across distributor, producer and programmer of content, television, radio and online was 72%, consistent the need to understand audience expectations with the result recorded in June 2007 (72%).1 In 1 Newspoll, ABC Awareness and Usage Survey 2008 and ratings analysis conducted in an increasingly fragmented media environment, the same month in 2007 and 2008. the ABC is largely maintaining its traditional 2 Nielsen Online, NetView, AU–Monthly–Home and Work Panel, July 2007–June 2008. 32 ABC OVERVIEW SECTION 2 and behaviour across generations of Australians Demand for the DVD was also strong, with nearly is more vital than ever. Moreover, the ABC is 60 000 units of The Chaser’s War on Everything, operating in an increasingly global media market. Series 2, Volume 1, shipped to commercial outlets Audiences are gaining greater control over when, since its release in August 2007. where and how they consume content. They On 12 September 2007, The Chaser’s War on also participate more actively in its creation. Everything achieved the third-largest audience on Research commissioned by the ABC shows that, record for a television program broadcast by the among users of ABC Online, close to 60% have ABC.6 This episode featured an APEC-related listened to ABC Radio content via the site.3 In the stunt7 which generated significant online and off- same period, there were significant increases in line pre-broadcast publicity for the program. The viewership of ABC Television and News content, so-called “APEC episode” of The Chaser’s War on with one in two ABC Online users now watching Everything achieved a five-city average audience video content on the site. of 2.3 million and a free-to-air viewing share of The ABC is increasingly using the internet in 42.5%.8 On ABC Online, vodcast downloads of combination with traditional broadcast media the program also peaked in that week (10–16 to enhance the audience experience. While it September) at 1.05 million.9 In September, almost is not yet possible to measure the net reach of 177 000 Australians visited The Chaser’s website, programs across multiple platforms, platform- driving a record number of visitors that month to based audience measures demonstrate audience ABC Television Online.10 interest and demand for content through a variety The significant audience achieved by The Chaser’s of sources. War on Everything across platforms illustrates the The second series of The Chaser’s War on power and potential to reach a mass audience Everything, broadcast on ABC Television, illustrates on television, while an active presence in the the effect of cross-platform marketing and digital media space is also extending the reach, distribution: in the period from July to December accessibility and life of ABC content well beyond 2007, the program achieved a five-city series the broadcast. In the past 12 months, there average of 1.6 million viewers on ABC1 when has been a continuing evolution of ABC Online screened on Wednesday evenings at 9 pm, content and with this a concomitant rise in usage positioning it as one of the highest-rating ABC1 of its various rich media offerings.11 While some of programs of the year. In the aggregated regional these newer content areas are not able to attract markets, it achieved a series average audience of the mass audiences of traditional television and 635 000.4 The vodcast of the program was made radio, their influence on community perceptions available for download on ABC Online shortly and their longer term contribution to the wide after the broadcast. In the period from July to reach and appeal of the ABC will become pivotal. December 2007, 7.2 million vodcast downloads were recorded. During the broadcast period, more than 800 000 plays of video clips from the 3 Newspoll, ABC Appreciation Survey 2008, June 2008. series were streamed via ABC Online5 and other 4 OzTAM and RegionalTAM data, July–December 2007. 5 WebTrends, July–December 2007. websites, including YouTube. 6 OzTAM, five-city data, January 2001–June 2008, and Nielsen Media Research 1991–2000. 7 Asia–Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, Sydney, September 2007. During the same period, the program attracted 8 OzTAM data. additional viewers when repeated on ABC1 late 9 WebTrends. 10 Nielsen Online, ABC Custom Report, AU–Monthly–Home and Work Panel. on Friday evenings and when broadcast on ABC2. 11 Newspoll, ABC Appreciation Survey 2008. ABC OVERVIEW 33 Audiences continued Aggregate ABC Radio Audience Share % Radio 2003–04 In a constantly changing and evolving radio Sydney 2004–05 market that is subject to the vagaries of multiple 2005–06 2006–07 layers of domestic and international competition, 2007–08 Melbourne ABC Radio continued to achieve audience growth. ABC Radio’s overall five-city average weekly reach Brisbane increased to 3 765 000 or 33% of the five-city metropolitan population aged 10+, up by 2.1% on its 2006–07 reach of 3 687 000. ABC Radio’s Adelaide reach was up in all cities other than Adelaide, where it was steady. Average weekly reach was up Perth for all five ABC Radio Networks—ABC Local Radio, triple j, ABC Radio National, ABC Classic FM, Newcastle and ABC NewsRadio—when compared with the previous financial year. Canberra ABC Radio’s overall five-city share in 2007–08 was 20.7%, an 0.2 percentage-point increase 0 10 20 30 40 50 on the 20.5% share recorded in 2006–07. Local (%) Source: Nielsen Media Research increases were recorded in Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, while share was down in Sydney and steady in Perth.12 Average Weekly Radio Reach–Five City ABC Radio’s estimated average weekly seven-city reach in 2007–08 was 4.1 million.13 The ABC’s 12 Nielsen Media Research, five metropolitan cities, 2006–07 and 2007–08. ABC Local Radio 13 Nielsen Media Research, radio ratings surveys 2006–07 and 2007–08. The cities surveyed in metropolitan ratings surveys are Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth and Sydney. 2003–04 ABC Radio 2004–05 National 2005–06 2006–07 The Classic 100 Concerto Concert presented by 2007–08 ABC Classic FM at Hamer Hall, Melbourne Arts Centre–John Chen, piano, with the Australia Pro triple j Arte Chamber Orchestra (31 October 2007). ABC Classic FM ABC NewsRadio 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 Millions Source: Nielsen Media Research 34 ABC OVERVIEW SECTION 2 share in Newcastle, New South Wales, was down Television to 22.7% from 23.1% in 2006–07, but increased ABC Television experienced a strong year, in Canberra to 44.7% from 41.0%—the highest attracting significant audiences on ABC1 and level recorded in ten years. via ABC Television Online. These audiences were ABC Local Radio’s average weekly reach of further supplemented by continuing growth in 2 258 000 was the highest annual average reach viewing on ABC2. on record, up 3.8% on the 2006–07 figure of In 2007–08, ABC1 achieved its highest prime- 2 175 000. ABC Local Radio’s share remained steady time free-to-air viewing share on record in the at 10.4%, compared with 10.3% in 2006–07. 702 metropolitan markets of 17.2% (up from 16.3% in ABC Sydney’s average weekly reach of 685 000 was 2006–07). The channel increased its viewing share the highest on record, up by 1.9% on 672 000 in in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide and 2006–07, although its share was down marginally remained relatively stable in Perth. to 9.1% from an all-time high of 9.4% in 2006–07. 774 ABC Melbourne’s reach increased to 781 000, All-day (6 am to midnight) free-to-air share for up 3.4% on 755 000 in 2006–07; its share ABC1 in the metropolitan markets was 16.5%, remained steady at 11.4%. 612 ABC Brisbane’s compared with 15.7% in 2006–07.16 reach increased by 5.7% to 299 000, its highest Many programs on ABC1 recorded strong reach in the past ten years, and its share increased audiences in 2007–08, especially Australian to 9.4% from 8.9%. 891 ABC Adelaide’s reach and programs including The Chaser’s War on share were steady: reach was 194 000 (197 000 in 2006–07), while share was 10.7% (10.8% in 2006– 07). 720 ABC Perth’s reach increased by 10.3% to 298 000 from 270 000 in the previous year, and ABC1 Television Reach 2007–08, Four Weekly share was 12.0%, up from 11.1% in 2006–07.14 Sydney The five-city average weekly reach of triple j increased by 0.8% in 2007–08 to 1 032 000, up Melbourne from 1 024 000 in 2006–07; its share remained Brisbane steady at 4.4% from 4.3%.