Audience changes reflect developments in society - RAMS

For the radio industry, 2008 closes with little fanfare - only one station has succeeded in growing its audience over the previous SAARF RAMS release survey. Several stations, however, as well as total radio listening, are looking better than they did a year ago in this final release for the year.

27 Nov 2008

“These changes, both for total listening and for individual stations, are reflecting the upward mobility of the South African population,” says Dr Paul Haupt, CEO of SAARF. There have been substantial decreases in the number of SU-LSM 1 - 3 listeners, while SU-LSM 5, 6 and 9 listeners have shown significant growth.

Sharing in the swelling ranks of the middle classes is the only station to have shown growth over RAMS October 2008: 94.7 Highveld Stereo. Across the week, the station is up from 4.0% reach to 4.3% nationally, with audience figures rising from 1.237 million listeners in the previous survey, to 1.361 million presently.

Stations which attracted more listeners on a weekly basis (past seven days), over RAMS Nov 2007, are:

99.2 YFM: up from 4.0% to 4.6% reach, with a current audience of 1.435 million, compared to 1.226 million in the year previous.
Gagasi 99.5: once again on the list of winners, Gagasi's year-on-year growth has been substantial, up from 4.6% to 6.2% penetration, and with listeners up from 1.434 million a year ago, to 1.949 million currently.
Talk Radio 702: With a repeat performance of the growth seen in the previous survey, this talk station has once again grown its audience base. With elevated numbers of listeners aged 25 - 34, figures have risen from 360 000 to 506 000, with an improved reach of 1.6%, up from 1.2%. 702 has however, lost listeners in the 35 - 49 demographic.
Ukhozi FM: up from 20.0% reach to 21.3%. The station's November 2007 audience of 6.233 million is now pegged at 6.667 million, with gains amongst those aged 35 - 49, and in SU-LSM 4 and 6, but declines in the 16 - 24 age group.
Total community: significantly larger numbers of people tuning into community stations in the North West and the Eastern Cape have resulted in gains for the sector over the year previous. Reach is up from 19.6% to 22.6%, or 7.073 million listeners.

The audiences of the three new licences - Capricorn FM, M-Power FM and North West FM - have remained stable. Audience figures are 1.537 million, 105 000, and 403 000 respectively.

Downward movement was seen for SA fm, with national penetration declining from 2.2% to 1.7%, or 527 000 listeners (from 670 000). A large contributor was a decline in listening in Port Elizabeth.

The state of the medium

Stepping back from individual stations, radio overall has grown significantly year-on-year, both across the week, and on weekdays.

Seven day listening has risen from 92.1% to 93.9%, while average Monday to Friday listening is now at 77.2%, up from 74.9% in RAMS Nov 2007. Saturday broadcasting reaches 71.6% of the adult population, with slightly less on Sundays, at 70.0%.

Across all filters, significantly more SU-LSM 5, 6 and 9 listeners were picked up, while SU-LSM 1-3 audiences have declined.

The decreasing trend for time spent listening (TSL) is continuing, and although audience levels are stable, TSL has not reversed. Due in part to a loss of 16 minutes spent listening per day in Gauteng, and a loss of 11 minutes in North West, total TSL has dropped by four minutes a day, and by 27 minutes per week.

Seven day audience shifts

A number of radio stations saw shifts in their audience profiles over RAMS Nov 2007:

5FM: up in SU-LSM 2, Northern Cape and Limpopo, down in the Western Cape and Cape Town, and on the Reef.
94.2 Jacaranda: up in SU-LSM 9 and 10, and amongst 35 - 49-year-olds, down amongst 16 - 24-year-olds.
East Coast Radio: up in KwaZulu-Natal
Good Hope FM: up in the Western Cape
Ikwekwezi FM: up in the 25 - 49 age groups, as well as SU-LSM 6, down in SU-LSM 2 and amongst the 16 - 24s.
Lesedi FM: up in SU-LSM 5 and 9, down in SU-LSM 3, and in Greater Joburg and Soweto.
Ligwalagwala FM: up in SU-LSM 6, and down in SU-LSM 2
Metro FM: up in SU-LSM 9, down in SU-LSM 3 and 8, and in the Western Cape, Cape Town and the Reef
Munghana Lonene FM: up in SU-LSM 6
OFM: up amongst 16-24s, down in SU-LSM 10
Radio 2000: up in SU-LSM 2 and 5
Radio Pulpit: up among females and in Pretoria, down in SU-LSM 8 and in the Western Cape
Thobela FM: up in Pretoria, amongst women, and SU-LSM 4-6
Umhlobo Wenene FM: up on the Reef and in SU-LSM 4, down in LSM 8