Radio listenership improves significantly over 2012

Despite slight declines in listening seen in the new small-urban/rural data component, listening levels for RAMS May 2013 are stable on the previous survey, RAMS Feb 2013.

Two commercial stations, East Coast Radio and Ligwalagwala FM have cause to celebrate, as their audience figures have shown significant growth. Three commercial stations have lost audience. All other stations within the commercial radio sector have held their own.

The community radio sector showed a loss of listeners overall; the growth posted by four stations was not enough to mitigate the losses seen in the audiences of three others.

The third RAMS release for 2013 will be on 20 June.

New small-urban/rural database

A new small-urban/rural database is introduced twice a year for RAMS. This May release incorporates the first update for 2013, with data from the July-December 2012 fieldwork period.

This national May release was created by merging the new small-urban/rural data with the last two large-urban RAMS waves, which cover fieldwork from the third week of October to mid-December 2012 and from mid-January to early March 2013.

RAMS releases will carry this same small-urban/rural sample component until November this year. All figures are for adults, aged 15+. Only statistically significant changes are reported.

National listening levels

While stable in total over the previous RAMS release, radio listening levels are significantly stronger now than they were a year ago, both weekly and over an average Monday-Friday. These gains came from the large-urban audience.

Quarter-hour listening levels have remained consistent for an average Monday-Friday, although there are slightly higher morning listening levels over RAMS May 2012. Saturday levels are slightly lower in the afternoon compared to the previous year, while Sunday afternoon listening has climbed back to levels seen a year ago.

Listening levels for the new small-urban/rural sample have decreased in the early morning between 6am and 8:45am and in the late afternoon between 4pm and 6:15pm, on an average Monday to Friday.

Total listening levels

• Seven-day listening (p7d) - 89.0%, which is stable on the previous release but significantly up on the year previous (88.0%). Listenership gains came from the Northern Cape, while Western Cape levels were down.
  
• Average Monday to Friday - 69.3%, a significant improvement on the year previous (67.9%), with declines in Western Cape listening.
  
• Saturday listening - 64.9%
  
• Sunday listening - 65.1%, with fall-off in Limpopo

Large urban listening levels

• P7d: up from 86.0% to 87.3%, year on year
  
• Average Mon-Fri: up from 65.4% in RAMS May 2012 to 66.9%
  
• Saturday: 59.9%
  
• Sunday: 60.3%

Small-urban/rural listening levels

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With the introduction of the new small-urban/rural component, covering fieldwork done from July to December 2012, listening is stable over the January to June 2012 period, although showing a downward trend.

• P7d: 90.8%
  
• Average Mon-Fri: 71.6%
  
• Saturday: 69.9%

• Sunday: 69.9%

Time spent listening

Two minutes have been shaved off the total time that South African adults (aged 15+) spend listening to radio each day. Nation-wide, time spent listening (TSL) to radio is on average three hours and 28 minutes per day. Over a week, this adds up to 24 hours, 18 minutes (12 minutes less than it was in the previous release).

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TSL in large urban areas rose by two minutes a day and is currently three hours, 18 minutes. In contrast, radio time decreased in small-urban and rural areas, where the daily TSL of three hours, 40 minutes is four minutes less than it was in the January-June 2012 sample.

Individual station changes

Commercial radio - significant listenership changes over RAMS Feb 2013

• East Coast Radio grew its weekly audience from 4.8% in the previous survey, to 5.4%, giving it an audience of 1.873-million. Gains came from the black and rural markets.
  
• Ligwalagwala FM's reach has grown, from 3.1% per week to 3.7%, with a total audience of 1.294-million. Growth came from rural areas and KwaZulu-Natal specifically, with more female listeners and 15-34-year-olds. The station's average Monday to Friday reach is also up, from 1.6% to 2.0%, with gains made in cities and large towns and in the female and 15-34 demographics.
  
• 94.5 Kfm's weekly figures are down, on both the previous release and the year previous. Current reach is 2.6%, from 3.3% in RAMS Feb 2013. Declines occurred in rural areas and in the females and 50+ demographics.
  
• Average Monday-Friday listening declined from 1.8% previously, to 1.4%, with losses in small towns and villages and the 50+ market.
  
• Phalaphala FM: down from 2.9% previously to 2.1% (p7d), which is also significantly lower than a year ago. The station shed listeners aged 15-34 and listeners in settlements and rural areas and Limpopo.
  
• Average Monday-Friday listening is down to 1.3%, from a reach of 1.7% in both the previous survey and a year ago. There are fewer male and 15-24-year-old listeners.
  
• Thobela FM's weekly reach is 8.5%, down from 9.5% previously. Declines came through from rural areas, cities and large towns and amongst males and the 35-49 market.
  
• Over the previous year, however, average Monday to Friday reach is up from 4.3% to 5.2%. The addition of male listeners has contributed to this gain.

Significant year-on-year changes

• 657AM Radio Pulpit/Kansel: down from 0.2% to 0.1% (average Monday-Friday)
  
• Kaya FM 95.9: down from 4.4% in RAMS May 2012, to 3.9% currently (p7d)
  
• Metro FM: down from 18.0% to 16.4% across the week (despite gains on the Reef) and from 6.8% to 6.0% on an average Monday to Friday
  
• Munghana Lonene FM's May 2013 weekday audience is looking healthier than that of May 2012: up from 1.8% to 2.2%, with growth in the 15-24 demographic. Though not contributing to any significant listenership increases, audience levels were up across the week in rural areas, Limpopo and in the 15-24 market.
  
• OFM: down from 1.6% to 1.2% (p7d) and from 1.0% to 0.6% (average Monday-Friday)

Significant demographic shifts

All shifts are for weekly listening.

• Lesedi FM is up in the North West.
  
• Lotus FM is up in settlements and rural areas.
  
• Radio 2000 grew its audience in small towns and villages.
  
• More adults in the Northern Cape are listening to RSG.
  
• SAfm's audience is up in small towns and villages.
  
• Talk Radio 702: down in Pretoria.

Community radio

• Weekly audience figures for the combined community radio sector declined over the previous release
  
• Seven-day listening declined from 25.0% previously, to 23.3%, a reach, which is also down on the year previous (24.5%). Fewer listeners in settlements and rural areas and in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga contributed to this decline. There were also fewer 15-24-year-old listeners.
  
• Average Monday-Friday listening fell to 11.4%, from 12.6% in RAMS Feb 2013 and from 12.4% in RAMS May 2012. Declines in settlements and rural areas, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape and in the male and 15-24 demographics are behind this.

Significant audience shifts for individual stations

All shifts are for weekly listening. Reach stated is provincial, not national.