Latest RAMS: not all bad news

RAMS June 2009, based on data from mid-January 2009 to early May 2009, reports that total radio listening is down on both the previous year, and on the previous survey, and weekly listening has fallen from 93.8% a year ago, to 92.6% reach in RAMS April 2009, to 91.0% currently. Much of this decline came from losses in metros and Gauteng, in LSM 6, 7 and 10, and from the 35+ demographic.

Across an average Monday to Friday, radio listening is down by two and a half percentage points year-on-year, and from 76.0% in the previous survey to 74.2%. Fewer listeners in metros, the Western Cape and Gauteng, in LSM 6-7, and in the female and 50+ demographics, contributed to this decline.

Saturday listening has been the hardest hit year-on-year and is down by 7%. Current Saturday reach is 67.8%, down from 69.5% in RAMS April 2009. Metro, Gauteng, female and LSM 7 audiences are down.

Listening on a Sunday has been slightly less affected than on Saturdays, down by four percentage points over RAMS June 2008. Current levels are at 66.8%, down from 68.4% previously, primarily due to losses in metros, Gauteng, in LSM 7 and amongst audiences aged over 35.

Listening time increases

While audiences may have shrunk, listeners have increased their time spent listening (TSL) over the previous survey. TSL is up by 18 minutes per week, to 29 hours 6 minutes. While an improvement on RAMS April 2009, TSL levels have still not recovered enough to match the 29 hours 54 minutes recorded a year ago.

Daily TSL is 4 hours, 9 minutes, up two minutes on the previous survey.

SAARF reports that over the same 12-month period, television viewing increased significantly, which may have contributed to these lower radio listening levels. According to SAARF TAMS, Audience Ratings (ARs) for television are up by 15% over the past year - from 3,206 million viewers in an average minute to 3,693 million currently.

Bucking the trend

Community radio is bucking the total radio trend of declining listenership. Compared to RAMS June 2008, community radio figures are significantly up, from 20.1% reach per week to 22.5%. This growth can be attributed to significant listenership gains in the KwaZulu-Natal, North West and Limpopo community radio sectors.

Total community radio now attracts 7,037 million listeners, up from 6,259 million in the previous year.

These are up

Nine radio stations have also been able to resist the industry trend, growing their audiences over RAMS June 2008 (although no stations significantly grew their listener bases over the previous survey):
• 5FM's weekly reach is up from 5.1% in RAMS June 2008 to 5.9%, with audience growth from 1,574 million to 1,839 million.
• 99.2 YFM is almost at the 1,5 million mark, with a weekly reach which has grown from 4.1% a year ago to 4.8%.
• Eden FM has grown its weekly reach into the Western Cape from 1.9% to 3.4%, bringing its audience to 106 000.
• Gagasi 99.5fm has improved both its weekly and average Monday to Friday reach. Its weekly audience now stands at 1,846 million (5.2% to 5.9% reach nationally), and during the week at 1,089 million (from 2.9% to 3.5%).
• Izwi loMzansi 98.0 fm has seen an increase in its weekly reach into KwaZulu-Natal: from 0.8% to 1.7%.
• Kasie FM grew its weekly reach into Gauteng from 0.9% to 1.7%, with 110 000 listeners.
• The weekly Free State reach of QwaQwa Radio has risen from 6.6% to 10.6%, giving the station a weekly audience of 213 000.
• Radio 2000 has grown its weekly audience from 314 000 to 490 000, upping its reach from 1.0% to 1.6%. Weekday reach is up from 0.3% to 0.5%.
• The weekly audience of Talk Radio 702 is up from 1.4% to 1.9%, with 584 000 listeners in total.

These are down

A number of stations showed significant audience declines over the previous year:
• Jacaranda 94.2: weekly reach is down from 8.4% to 7.1%, and weekday listening is down from 4.1% to 3.2%. RMFM's weekday reach has dropped from 0.8% to 0.5%.
• Lesedi FM: Average Monday to Friday reach is down from 7.3% to 6.5%.
• Soshanguve Community Radio: down across the week from 2.0% to 1.3% reach in Gauteng.
• Thobela FM: national weekday reach is down to 5.6%, from 6.6%.

The fourth release of SAARF RAMS for 2009 is scheduled for 12 August 2009.