Ad revenue for commercial radio climbs 16.8% in August

Commercial radio in the metropolitan markets generated $49.653 million for the month of August, according to Commercial Radio Australia (CRA).

This was an increase of 16.8% year-on-year compared to August 2020’s result of $42.527 million.

Prior to the pandemic, CRA released figures on a quarterly, rather than monthly, basis, making comparisons to pre-pandemic levels more difficult.

Figures for the first quarter of the 2022 financial year (July 1 to September 30, 2021) should be available next month for more direct comparisons. In the September quarter of last year, revenues were $130.402 million, down 28.15% on the previous year’s $181.432 million. This in turn was already down 10.2% from the year prior.

The soon-to-depart CEO of CRA, Joan Warner, noted the positive trajectory of the numbers, despite the continued lockdowns and uncertainty facing the country.

“With continued COVID lockdowns it is encouraging to see ad revenue remain in positive territory year on year,” she said.

“Melbourne stations for example, re-entered their sixth lockdown in August since the pandemic began, and reported a solid 33% year-on-year increase in ad revenue to $16.421 million in that month.”

Sydney stations also reported a 4.5% year-on-year increase in ad revenue to $13.356 million in August, Brisbane was up 14.5% to $8.027 million, Perth rose 13.8% to $6.984 million and Adelaide increased 13.2% to $4.865 million.

The figures include agency and direct ad revenue and are compiled by media data analytics company Milton Data, which took over responsibility for industry revenue reporting from Deloitte in July, 2021.