Half of listeners aged 10 to 24 say they would feel ‘lost’ without radio

Staff Writer

Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) has released its Summer Listening study for 2021.

The industry body said the study shows that the medium still appeals to both young and old, with 72% of those aged 55 to 64 agreeing radio is “like an old friend”, and almost half of those aged 10 to 24 saying they would “feel lost” if they could’t listen to radio for a week.

The theme of friendship and companionship continued, with 70% of listeners saying radio is a “great companion”, and 57% agreeing it makes them feel more connected to the local community.

CRA said the study also showed radio made people feel happy when they were off work and enhanced time spent with family and friends.

“Radio serves a critical role during the summer months as a medium that listeners can turn to 24/7 to meet their needs for information, entertainment and companionship,” said Joan Warner, CEO of CRA.

The study also showed 63% of all people aged over 10, and almost three in four radio listeners, said they are more likely to listen to media than watch it over summer. Of those who identified as radio listeners, nine in 10 said they listened to as much or more radio over summer.

In addition, 62% of radio listeners, and 35% of people who don’t usually listen to radio, said they tuned in at their holiday destination.

Warner added: “For advertisers, radio reaches audiences while they are travelling or at their holiday destination, at a time when they have more time to consider purchases.”

The study ran from January 12 to 28 with a nationally representative sample of 1,272 people aged 10+.

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Mike Hammond
17 Feb 2021 - 2:37 pm

ok… now they just making it up out of absolutely nothing. CRA… if you’re gonna lie about Radio, at least make it vaguely believable. CRA is not fit for porpoise.

radionerd
17 Feb 2021 - 4:50 pm

Absolute BS. I work with teenagers everyday and because I’m ex radio I often ask them if they listen. Not one. Zilch. Zero. Out of hundreds I talk to. They may listen in the car with their parents but not one chooses to listen themselves, instead getting their music from TikTok, YouTube and Spotify.

Peter Matheson
17 Feb 2021 - 6:41 pm

Another “everything is awesome” piece from CRA designed to take our attention away from the declining TSL (looking at a 10 year period) across the board.

Most (if not all) agencies and/or potential advertisers would look at this and question how strong this argument is. Of course if you ask a bunch of radio listeners if they like radio, they are going to tell you what you want to hear.

If I surveyed 1000 people who love apples, I’d get an overwhelming response painting a picture that apples are great.

90s Jock Shocked
17 Feb 2021 - 8:21 pm

If there was a high demand on other platforms for a 50 year old male to put callers over the intro of Chicago songs, could he then seem more progressive on an industry site than CRA is as an industry body.

Come in Spinner
18 Feb 2021 - 12:08 pm

No they wouldn’t.

Commercial Radio Australia
19 Feb 2021 - 1:35 pm

With all due respect to the everyday pollsters amongst us, this was a nationally representative survey conducted by GfK, not CRA, and we wouldn’t be able to publish the statements unless they are true.

The research covered both listeners and non-listeners, but some questions drilled down on listener insights for potential advertisers. For instance, GfK asked listeners why they listened to more radio in the last month. These were some of the responses from those aged 10-24:

The time off work allowed for it. Also it was a great thing to work out to instead of sitting around on the laptop
Home more often
Want to get more news and relax.
Very cool, I love listening to the radio more
To entertain myself
It makes me feel happy now that I am off work for a while. It keeps me busy
Pop song
Holidays
I am lazy
Summer
It’s Covid 19 so I did not (do) any work
Stay more at home
School holidays
So it is very nice to sit next to the house and listen to the radio
Because I like it
Find interesting program
Relax
Was home more
TV less interesting and need something to listen to
I have been home more
Because I am on holidays
Because I was driving to more places in the car like the beach
Just preferred to. Whilst out and about more too.
Staying at home most of the time because of Covid 19
It is very much helpful and effective.
I was recommended some interesting contents
I like listening to the radio presenter and it’s available on more platforms
Because I do.

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