Is broadcaster John Campbell as popular on National Radio's Saturday morning show as his predecessor, Brian Edwards?
We may never know, as Radio New Zealand is no longer taking the radio industry's audience rating survey, choosing to run its own instead.
It is understood money was the main factor in Radio NZ's decision to pull out of the radio station rating survey at the end of last year. It would have cost RNZ about $100,000 a year to be part of the Research International survey, which compares the ratings of all commercial stations.
Under this, Edwards' show pulled in about 173,000 listeners each week, making it the most popular show on National Radio. He left the station late last year after a disagreement with RNZ chief executive Sharon Crosbie over pay and format changes to the show. Gary McCormick, who took over the show in the interim, said he copped "quite an amount of flak."
Ms Crosbie said RNZ's new ACNielsen survey was not ratings oriented. Its focus suited RNZ better as it was more specific and looked at listener preferences. She would not reveal how much it cost. The results are due at the end of the month.
Ms Crosbie said listeners had taken to Campbell, a TV3 news anchor, "like ducks to water."
She told a parliamentary select committee in March that there was evidence listener numbers had dropped after Edwards' departure.
But Ms Crosbie said Campbell was performing very well and had received numerous messages of support from people who had resumed listening when Campbell went on air on May 6.
Research International manager Julie Hall said the only way RNZ could do its ratings effectively was to be included with all other radio stations.
- NZPA
Radio NZ pulls out of ratings survey
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