Digital radio figures at five year high following new car sales

Figures published in Commercial Radio Australia’s 2014 Digital Radio Report have shown digital radio listening is the highest it’s been in five years.

The reports for the five metropolitan capital cities alone state 21.4%, or almost 2.8 million people, tune in to digital stations each week, a direct result of extensive growth of digital radio in vehicles.

97,177 new vehicles had been sold with a DAB+ digital radio in the last financial year in 16 Australian vehicle brands while Australian household penetration of DAB+ is tracking ahead of forecast at 23.3%. The number of vehicle brands with DAB+ digital radio has doubled in Australia since 2013 when only eight manufacturers supported the service.

Since digital radio’s launch in late 2009, 1.677 million digital radio devices have been sold, and inclusive of the near 100,000 new vehicles sold the total number of DAB+ devices in the market is 1.8 million.

Commercial Radio Australia chief executive officer, Joan Warner said in a statement: “Five years on Australians are embracing digital radio.  Listening to live, local radio in the car is important to our listeners and the number of vehicles sold with a DAB+ digital radio is an outstanding result, showing great support from the automotive industry in Australia.”

Released yesterday, the 2014 Digital Radio Report is the fifth edition issued by CRA with data compiled by radio industry audience measurement survey provider, GfK.