What you need to know:

• Metro radio revenue in the December quarter reached $168.5m, a year-on-year decline of 10.4%.
• Figures represent significant improvement on September quarter (-28.15%).
• Ad spend in South Australia and Western Australia almost fully recovered

Advertisers are starting to move the dial on radio investment. Commercial Radio Australia says metropolitan revenue topped $168.5 million in the December quarter, following the re-opening of Victoria and a slight improvement in business conditions.

While back 10% YoY, the result is a significant quarterly improvement, given September quarter had fallen 28%. 

While restrictions have eased, Victoria, the largest radio market, reported a 15% decline in revenue to $51.7 million. New South Wales was back 10.9% to $50.9 million, Queensland was down 8.9% to $27.5 million.

Radio revenues in South Australia almost fully recovered in the quarter, standing at $16.1m, (down 2.68%). Western Australian is also close to normal, down 4.39% to $22.3 million. 

“2020 has been one of the toughest years for all Australian media but this is a sign that commercial radio is on the road to recovery,” said CRA chief executive officer Joan Warner.

“Average weekly audiences have stayed at very strong levels and that, coupled with unique local content and well-known personalities, makes radio an attractive consideration for advertisers as marketing spend returns more broadly in 2021.”

The figures, compiled by Deloitte, report actual revenue received by metropolitan commercial radio stations in the five major capital city markets and include agency and direct ad revenue.

Data from GfK released on Tuesday shows that an average of 11.1 million listeners tuned in each week to commercial radio across the five major capital city markets during 2020, 200,000 more than in 2019.