New research conducted by Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) and GfK reveals that 91.1% of daily radio listeners continued to tune in between 3 December 2023 and 28 January 2024. The study indicates that radio listening remains robust during the holiday period, debunking the common misconception of a significant drop-off in listenership during this time.

Ford Ennals, CEO of CRA, stated, "It's a common misconception that radio listening drops off as we all go on our break, but these figures show that average daily listening in Summer is close to year-round levels at 91%."

The research also suggests a shift in listening patterns during the summer months. Listening tends to start later in the day, with the proportion of listening increasing by 4.4% between 9.30am and 3pm from Monday to Friday. For listeners aged under 40, this proportion rises by a notable 10.8%.

"The research shows listening starts later in the day as we aren't rushing off to work. Between 9.30am and 3pm Monday to Friday the proportion of listening increases for all audiences by 4.4% over Summer, and for listeners aged under 40, this proportion increases by 10.8%," Ennals explained.

The data was compiled using the GfK MediaWatch, a wearable technology that captures and encrypts the sounds the wearer is listening to and matches it to recordings of every station in the metro markets. This is the first time insights from the GfK MediaWatch have been released.

"This is the first time we have released insights from the GfK MediaWatch, which captures and encrypts the sounds the wearer is listening to and matches it to recordings of every station in the metro markets," Ennals said.

These insights could prove valuable for agencies and their clients in informing their summer campaigns, reinforcing the idea that radio remains a powerful medium to reach audiences throughout the year.

"These insights are useful for agencies and their clients as they can use them to inform their Summer campaigns - and it is clear that radio remains a powerful way to reach audiences all year round," Ennals added.