Study: Radio most trusted media source in Australia

Former Features Editor

Radio presenters are trusted more than ever, according to the latest survey by global research firm GfK.

The second GfK Radio Insights report for the year questioned 1,267 radio listeners across both metro and regional areas, and found that 42% of respondents consider radio trustworthy – well ahead of other media platforms including TV (24%), online (18%) and newspapers/magazines (15%).

According to GfK’s General Manager for Media Dr Morten Boyer, listeners turned to radio as a credible source of information for news, traffic information and emergency updates, with on-air personalities and the live nature of radio adding to the level of trust placed in the platform.

“Many people are questioning the truthfulness of the information they consume, and whether you agree with it or not the ‘fake news’ narrative seems to have touched a nerve,” he said.

“Trust is something that is earned over time through relationship building, so in an environment where people are unsure of which sources to trust, it’s not surprising to see radio come out on top.”

The survey also found that 71% of respondents considered radio a “great companion and 61% think radio “is like an old friend”.

Sense of humour, knowledge and honesty were seen as the most important traits for a radio presenter when it came to overall station choice, with more than half of those surveyed believing that radio connects them more to their community.

The pressure placed on radio presenters to maintain an audience was also highlighted by respondents, with 8 out of 10 listeners indicating that they would switch stations if their favourite presenter moved and 20% of them would then only listen to that new station.

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TheT
3 Jul 2017 - 1:53 pm

In other news…another industry commissioned a study for it be favorable to their core business

Hans Scheimpflug
3 Jul 2017 - 3:00 pm

The exception seems to be with the ABC. They seem loyal to the network, and don’t tend to follow presenters who leave and seek their freedom in the real, commercial world.
ABC listeners are an unusual lot. If they criticise you when you start on their air-ways, they will actually write back, a few months later and actually apologise for their earlier criticism.
Proof of the station loyalty is that they will put up with almost anyone on their stations. ABC presenters lean-over-backwards to show they are not actually broadcasters; they seem anti-announcer in their “I’m just a bloke presenting a program, ring now and tell me what you did on the weekend…”
style.
CDs have never sounded so good….

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