Media Releases
Record Audiences for RNZ after latest Radio Survey
Released at 1:00 pm on 11 May 2017
RNZ is reaching more New Zealanders than before on the back of a strong radio survey and growing online audiences.
RNZ chief executive and editor-in-chief Paul Thompson said RNZ’s excellent showing in the latest GfK Radio Audience Measurement survey complemented the success of its online strategy,
“These live listening results show the continuing relevance of radio as a medium in New Zealand. RNZ is delighted to be a successful part of a thriving New Zealand radio industry.
“RNZ is growing audiences in radio and in other ways – online, on-demand and through content sharing partnerships with other media outlets. Our strategy is working and we are getting RNZ’s high-quality news and current affairs to more people than before.”
The new GfK Radio Audience Measurement nationwide figures relate to the 12-month period to 8 April, 2017. They show that 85.1% of New Zealanders 10-plus listen to radio each week.
RNZ National’s weekly cumulative audience nationwide is 579,400 listeners, up from 535,200 in the previous survey. This is 13.9% of the 10-plus population.
“RNZ National has had a strong result as people responded to our refreshed programming and commitment to providing credible news and current affairs,” said Thompson.
“Average time spent listening has increased to 12 hours 45 minutes a week, a terrific result at a time when people have more media choices than before.”
RNZ Concert had a stable result with a weekly cumulative audience of 151,400 people (3.6% of the 10-plus population).
Across RNZ National and Concert combined, RNZ reaches 645,100 people a week, or 15.5% of New Zealanders.
Online growth remains very strong, with the monthly audience now 54 per cent higher – at 1.8 million users – than the previous year for rnz.co.nz. Partnerships with other outlets, including Fairfax, NZME, MSN, TVNZ and Bauer have added further reach.
Thompson said: “RNZ is committed to creating the highest quality journalism, current affairs and programming and ensuring it reaches as many people as possible across multiple platforms.
“The 9th Floor series profiling five living New Zealand prime ministers is a great example of how we are working.
“The series provided RNZ with news angles, news packages, written content, video, podcasts and radio output. Most major media outlets in New Zealand have also made good use of the series and it will be broadcast on free-to-air television by TV3 later this year.”
The most recent RNZ audience results are available here.
