Media Releases
RNZ connects with more New Zealanders with strong online growth
Released at 1:00 pm on 24 September 2021
Fresh figures show that RNZ continues to attract new audiences, thriving as a multi-platform media organisation. The overall audience growth in recent months has been driven by trusted quality journalism, particularly on RNZ.co.nz.
Chief Executive and Editor-in-Chief Paul Thompson says RNZ’s role as a trusted news source and the emphasis on content sharing and delivering stories across digital platforms and radio have connected our unique commercial-free services with more people.
“In the past five years RNZ has had a strong focus on using the most effective form of delivery for a story, whether it is on broadcast radio, a podcast, a video feature or a website feature. This is enabling us to tell a broader range of stories, and is attracting more New Zealanders, particularly in the 25-49 age group.”
“We have an important role in times of crisis or emergency, and it’s a tribute to the RNZ team that we remain New Zealand’s most trusted news organisation. We see that trust reflected in the way our audience numbers continue to peak around major news events, particular Covid-19.”
Key numbers
Website/App
RNZ.co.nz is now the third most popular news site in New Zealand. In August, 1.23m New Zealanders aged 15+ visited RNZ.co.nz, up from 877,000 in July, and almost three times its audience of 417,000 reached in January last year.
The website had 5.28m global users in August, the third largest audience ever. In a typical week in 2021 1.13m users visit RNZ.co.nz, in the three weeks to Sunday 19 September, this increased to 1.89m users.
In August 2021, 613,000 New Zealanders aged 25-54 accessed RNZ.co.nz, up from 373,000 in July. This audience has almost grown five-fold since the start of 2020.
User numbers for the RNZ app have increased to 130,377 in the past four weeks, up 24% on this year’s average.
Radio
RNZ’s share of the radio market in New Zealand has increased slightly to 11.1%. RNZ’s radio audience numbers have slightly decreased across RNZ National and RNZ Concert. Audience levels are now in-line with those reached prior to the emergence of Covid-19 last year.
Typically, 693,700 New Zealanders tune into RNZ National or RNZ Concert each week.
589,600 New Zealanders typically tune in to RNZ National each week. 210,300 New Zealanders typically tune into RNZ Concert each week.
Storytelling is at the heart of RNZ, whether that’s breaking news and analysis, In Depth investigations, podcasts and video series or magazine-style radio shows and music content. It is the calibre of storytelling that sees our people continue to be acknowledged amongst the best in the world. RNZ has 10 finalists in the New York Festival Radio Awards to be announced next month, and four entries shortlisted in the IABs (Association for International Broadcasting) to be presented in November. RNZ nominations range across radio, news, podcasts and video.
"Strong public media is more important than ever and RNZ is in a great place, thanks to the hard work of our team across all parts of the organisation, and I'd like to especially acknowledge their flexibility and commitment over the recent challenging weeks of lockdown," Paul Thompson said.