We are all familiar with the impact load shedding has on our daily lives, businesses and economies. All sectors will have to navigate the new norms of impact associated with the power crisis, with the advertising industry high on the list of affected sectors.
Without electricity, most South Africans will not be able to watch TV, and viewership will plummet. Power outages also wreak havoc on cellular network coverage and viewers with internet access, unfortunately impacting digital reach.
Radio listening has never been more powerful
But there is one medium that seems to have been less affected. Radio listening has never been more powerful.
BRC RmsS Amplify shows that 77% of South Africa’s population have listened to the radio in the last seven days, with a whopping 5 hours and 15 minutes of listening time.
Radio is a consistent commuter-based companion as we are forced to spend more time in traffic without traffic lights.
According to the latest figures from BRC Rams, listening to radio in the car or at work is on the rise compared to previous surveys.
Car radios are the most popular listening device for viewers listening to Mediamark portfolio stations (East Coast Radio, Jacaranda FM, and Kaya FM) at 44%.
Radio still drives great engagement
Despite the argument that spending is increasingly going digital and there is a decline in analogue, statistics show that radio still drives significant engagement.
It also has the unparalleled intimacy that radio offers as a trusted media source. BRC Rams Amplify found that the top reasons audiences listen to the radio include music (95%), local news (88%), the latest weather (87%) and the latest traffic (79%). It emphasizes that
Listeners cite why they tune in, demonstrating that radio is the true heart of the social medium it was meant to be: community.
This community-centric listening is also why Mediamark recently launched CommVibe. CommVibe is a package of community radio stations based in the Western Cape with a combined audience of over 860,000 listeners.
We are thrilled to have a radio station that fully understands the vibrations of the communities they serve.
In my opinion, a devoted audience is what makes radio such a powerful medium. BRC Rams Amplify shows that over 52% of her radio listeners are heavy users who actively listen to her radio 6-7 times a week.
In times of uncertainty for many advertisers, radio’s strengths in the face of load shedding are clear.
