Community radio listening reaches new heights

The latest listener survey for Australia’s community radio sector shows the highest national listenership on record – 5.362m listeners per week. 

The survey also shows an increase in people listening to community radio exclusively.

“This new record listenership figure reflects the value that Australians place on community radio and its role in providing locally produced, diverse content and a voice for under-represented communities.”

“Independent, diverse and accessible media like community radio has never been more crucial to supporting an open society, strong democracy and vibrant culture,” says CBAA Chief Executive Officer Jon Bisset.

There are 450+ not-for-profit community-owned and operated radio services broadcasting in communities in rural, regional and metropolitan areas of Australia. Listeners’ top reasons for tuning in are for local information and news shared by local voices, specialist and Australian music and because stations are free from the influence of big business and government.

The National Listener Survey is conducted by McNair yellowSquares on behalf of the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA). It is a survey of the community radio listening habits of Australians though a hybrid telephone and online survey of a representative sample of 10,000 Australians over the age of 15, across all Australian states and territories.