For the first time since digital radio launched in Australia back in 2009, audience numbers were released for commercial DAB+ radio stations as part of a DAB+ Digital Radio Report. This recent release of information from GfK is the start of commercial stations’ plans to focus more on sales for DAB+ only stations.
The report focused on the top 10 commercial DAB+ only stations, as well as the top three commercial DAB+ only stations by market in Australian metropolitan cities. Averaged from three surveys taken earlier this year, the results show a total DAB+ audience of about 3.2 million people across the five state metropolitan cities, including Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth. In addition, it found that more than 2.2 million listeners tune into AM/FM stations through DAB+ and that overall, 24.1 percent of metropolitan populations are listening to radio through DAB+.
“DAB+ only stations deliver more content to target audiences, which not only adds choice for listeners but also gives advertisers new opportunities to speak to specific listener groups,” said Joan Warner, CEO of CRA. “These strong numbers show that Australia are embracing the diversity offered by the new free-to-air DAB+ stations while also continuing to enjoy their favorite existing stations via DAB+.”
There are currently more than 45 DAB+ only radio stations in the five metropolitan cities, including formats like sports, talk and news, children’s programming, country, chillout and dance music, and focused event pop stations.
