South African radio audiences remain static

Despite key news and sports happenings in the mid-August to end-November 2004 fieldwork period, such as the death of anti-apartheid cleric, Dr Beyers Naude, the terrorist siege in a Russian school, the Olympic Games, and SAA Supa 8 and UEFA Champions League soccer, radio listening did not increase significantly.

School holidays in August and September also had little impact on the listening habits of South African adults, as recorded by 18 130 radio diary keepers. Total radio listening has remained constant, although time spent listening continues to creep upwards, with a gain of two minutes in an average day.

On average each week, South African adults tune in to their radios for 34 hours and 12 minutes, or four hours and 53 minutes a day. The latest total radio penetration figures are 92.5% for past 7 days, 81.0% on an average Monday to Friday, 78.1% on Saturdays, and 75.9% on Sundays.

Looking at radio from the point of view of individual stations, audience figures have mirrored the previous RAMS period. The station status quo remains unchanged, with the only significant movements coming from three stations whose audience profiles have altered.

Classic 102.7 FM has netted more SU-LSM 10 listeners (past 7 days and average Monday-Friday), seeing its listenership in cities and large towns (past 7 days) also on the rise. Motsweding FM shed listeners on the Vaal (past 7 days), and Talk Radio 702 has lost listeners in cities and large towns (past 7 days).

While its subject matter remained largely unchanged, RAMS itself has a new reporting schedule. Due to talks with stakeholders at the end of 2004 about the possible re-insertion of television into the radio-only diaries, RAMS 2005 fieldwork was delayed.

The six RAMS diaries of 2005 have therefore been shifted slightly forward, and will be released as follows: