Study: how smart speakers are growing radio listenership in Australia

Global firm Edison Research’s latest The Australian Infinite Dial Study found that radio listenership rises as smart speakers enter the audio space.

The study is commissioned by Commercial Radio Australia (CRA), Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) via their PodcastOne subsidiary, and Triton Digital

Key findings show:

* More Australians are consuming radio  across multiple platforms in the marketplace, with 88% of people having listened to an AM/FM/DAB+ either via free to air broadcast or online in the last week, three times as many people than the second highest audio platform.

* After just 17 months, awareness of the Australian radio industry’s free mobile app with access to more than 250 stations, RadioApp is 15%, compared to the long established Tunein 20% and iHeartRadio 37%.

* Radio continues to dominate listening in the car with 89% of people (over 18 years) having listened to AM/FM radio in the car in the last month.

* 13% of Australians have listened to a podcast in the last week, with 16% of 25-54 year olds listening to a podcast weekly.  

An average of five podcasts are listened to each week by those who are weekly podcast listeners. 14% of weekly podcasts are by Australian radio stations or Australian radio personalities.

* Overall social media usage by Australians is up 2% to 82% in 2018, with 94% of 12-24 year olds using some form of social media.

However, the social media used most often finds Facebook use down to 60% from 73% in 2017 and Instagram up to 14% from 8%.

* Smartphone ownership in Australia continues to outstrip the US with 90% of Australians owning a smartphone and the 25-54 year olds have the highest ownership with 96% owning a smartphone.

* Brand awareness of smart speakers in Australia shows Google Home leading with 61% awareness, compared to Amazon Alexa at 28%.  

* Smart speaker ownership is 5% in Australia compared to the USA at 18% but the US ownership more than doubled from 7% in 2017.   

* Netflix remains the most popular on-demand video service, with 41% of Australians subscribing.  Foxtel Play, Go or Now is up in 2018 to 18%.

In the last week in Australia 49% of people have used Netflix, Foxtel Play, Go or Now, Stan or Amazon Prime.

CRA chief executive officer, Joan Warner said: “It’s an exciting time for radio in Australia.

“Audio innovation and development across the world has provided radio with another way of reaching audiences, whether it is via a traditional AM/FM radio, on a DAB+ device, via a podcast or on a smart speaker.  

“Australian radio listeners interact with their radio station across, social media, on the mobile and in the car.  

“The Edison study is an essential tool informing the industry on the technology habits of Australians.”

The full Infinite Dial study can be downloaded at www.radioalive.com.au tomorrow (Friday May 4).