Media Releases

RNZ Rides the Radio Wave - 691,600 New Zealanders now tune to RNZ

Released at 1:01 pm on 5 October 2017

Over 691,000 people are now tuning in to RNZ’s radio stations in an average week – the highest figure ever recorded.

RNZ continues to ride the radio wave with latest audience data released today showing strong growth for RNZ in a buoyant market where 87% of New Zealanders 10-plus listen live to radio each week.

Radio listenership remains a key factor in the RNZ success story as the public broadcaster broadens its appeal and delivers services across multiple media platforms. The new GfK Radio Audience Measurement nationwide figures relate to the 12-month period to 9 September, 2017.

RNZ National’s weekly cumulative audience nationwide is 625,500 listeners a week, up from 619,100* in the previous survey and 579,400^ in the survey before that. This is 15% of the 10-plus New Zealand population.
Growth for RNZ National is reflected by RNZ’s flagship Morning Report which increased its cumulative audience to 474,600 a week, up from 467,000*.

RNZ Concert’s audience remains steady. It has a weekly cumulative audience of 172,400 people
(4.1% of the 10-plus population).

RNZ chief executive and editor-in-chief Paul Thompson said the strength of RNZ radio networks enhanced RNZ’s strategy to innovate and grow audiences across multiple platforms - on radio, online, on-demand and through content sharing partnerships with other media outlets.

“Live listening is a key component of RNZ’s overall reach. Across radio and online, RNZ reached more than 840,000 people a week (unduplicated) in September 2017.” ^^

“These live listening results are a testament to the strength of radio as a medium in the evolving New Zealand media environment. RNZ continues to thrive in a dynamic and successful radio industry and we are getting RNZ’s high-quality news and current affairs out to more people than ever before.”

Online growth for RNZ remains very strong, with the monthly (September) audiences now 18 per cent higher at 2 million users – than the previous year for RNZ websites. Partnerships with other outlets, including Fairfax, NZME, MSN, TVNZ and Bauer have added further reach.

The most recent RNZ audience results are available here:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/about/audience-research
http://www.gfk.com/en-nz/insights/

Source: GfK Radio Audience Measurement, All Radio Stations, Total New Zealand - RNZ – S3/2017, All 10+, Mon-Sun 12mn-12mn, Cume (‘000’s) and Share (%). Morning Report, Mon-Fri 6am-9am.
* S2 2017 GfK Radio Audience Measurement, All Radio Stations Total New Zealand
^ S1 2017 GfK Radio Audience Measurement, All Radio Stations Total New Zealand
Refer: www.gfk.com/en-nz/insights
^^ Unduplicated cross platform audience based on RNZ / third party data / Google Analytics