DAB+ Listening Boost

With the first survey of 2015 cleared, there has been a boost in the numbers for DAB+ listening.

3.2 million People are now tuning in via DAB+ across the five metro markets based on the latest slice and dice from GfK and Commercial Radio Australia.

The DAB+ quarterly update released today shows listening continues to grow with:

• 24.2% of people in the Metro markets where it is available now listening on a DAB+ digital radio device.  

• The figures also indicate 1.5 million more people listen to radio on a DAB+ device than listen to radio via streaming and on DAB+ they are listening for twice as long.

• 153k of vehicles now sold with DAB+ and sold by 21 vehicle brands  

CEO of Commercial Radio Australia Joan Warner said:  “Australian radio listeners continue to support DAB+ digital broadcast radio.  The industry has invested in a robust reliable future technology that is easy for listeners to access, is free, live, local with high quality content.”

The variety of DAB+ listening choices also continues to grow. Outside the mainstream brands – a new DAB+ country music channel from SCA The Range has launched in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide.  Also ARN have rebranded Mix ‘90s and ‘80s to PureGold ‘80s and PureGold ‘90s and Capital Radio’s Hot Country stations has been rebranded to KIX Perth Digital and KIX Canberra Digital. 

All of the radio industry including commercial broadcasters, community along with the  ABC and SBS, have requested that the Federal Government establish a Digital Radio Industry Planning Committee to work on policy and timetable for phased rollout of services outside of the five capital cities – aiming for 2017.

The DAB+ digital radio quarterly update can be downloaded here.