SAARF RAMS February 2012
Click here to download
the latest RAMS 2011/6 PDF
Creatures of habit
Thank you to SAARF for providing the following analysis:
South Africans have shown little change in their radio listening habits, with SAARF’s latest RAMS release showing no significant listening changes over the previous survey.
Key results from RAMS February 2012, the sixth release from the 2011 RAMS programme, are:
Time spent listening
|
Technical Info *Fieldwork period: End of August- mid December 2011, with the Jan- June 2011 urban/rural sample *Sample size: 29 309 |
As was the case in RAMS Dec 2011, time spent listening (TSL) is stable on the previous release, and is one minute lower than it was a year ago.
Currently, TSL is three hours and 38 minutes per day.
Total listening
In total, radio listening levels are stable across the entire week.
- Past 7 day listening: 88.1% (lower listening in Durban)
- Average Monday to Friday (ave. M-F): 68.3%
- Saturday listening: 64.8% (levels are up in Kimberley, but down in metros and in Durban). Listening in the evening is lower than it was in RAMS Feb 2011.
- Sunday listening: 64.8%, with declines in listening in Pietermaritzburg. Listening on a Sunday afternoon is slightly higher than a year ago, while evening listening is somewhat down.
Individual station changes
Only stations showing statistically significant audience changes are reported on here. For a full list of audience figures, please visit www.saarf.co.za, and click on “RAMS® (radio)”.
While no individual radio station showed any movement this RAMS release over RAMS Dec 2011, five commercial stations and a number of community stations have significantly improved audience levels compared to RAMS Feb 2011.
- BRFM and Radiokansel/Radio Pulpit’s average Monday to Friday listening levels are at 0.2%, an improvement for both on their levels of 0.1% a year ago.
- Metro FM: looking better than it did a year ago, with weekly listening at 17.3%, compared to 16.2%. The station has however, lost listeners in cities and large towns on a past-7-day level, versus RAMS Dec2011.
- Radio 2000:now at 2.6%, compared to 2.1% in RAMS Feb 2011.
- Ukhozi FM commanded 18.4% of all weekly radio listeners in Feb 2011. Now, its national reach is 19.5%.
The community radio sector is stronger today than it was a year ago, reaching 24.3% of South Africans each week (compared to 23.0% in Feb 2011), and 12.4% on an average Monday to Friday (compared to 11.6% a year ago).In the short term however, the sector is showing declined listening in metro areas both across the week and on an average Monday to Friday, versus RAMS Dec2011.
Community stations whose improved year-on-year reach contributed to the sector’s stronger position are:
Stations showing lower audience figures compared to the year previous (RAMS Feb 2011) are:
Some stations have seen listeners from various demographic groups adjusting their listening habits, but not enough to affect the overall reach of these stations. Demographic shifts over RAMS Dec2011were seen for:
- Gagasi 99.5 FM: more LSM 8 listeners across the week.
- Kaya FM 95.9: fewer LSM 8 on a Monday to Friday.
- Lesedi FM: more listeners in large urban areas, Gauteng, and in LSM 8 (past 7 days), and more listeners in Gauteng and on the Reef on an average Monday to Friday.
- Motsweding FM: fewer LSM 7 listeners across the week.
- SAFM: more listeners from the Western Cape (past 7 days)
- Trufm: lower listening levels in large urban areas (past 7 days)
*All analysis provided by SAARF
Click here to download the figures!
RAMS 2011/5
Click here to download the
latest RAMS 2011/5 PDF
SAARF RAMS December 2011: Radio is as reliable as ever
Thank you to SAARF for providing the following analysis.
While stable figures may be bad news for a journalist looking for an angle, they’re certainly good news for radio. As 2011 draws to a close, SAARF’s final RAMS release for the year shows a medium that continues to demonstrate its stability and reliability, with stations maintaining their audiences at unchanged levels.
TOTAL LISTENING
Listening levels are unchanged over the October RAMS release. Sunday afternoon listening is higher now than it was in the year previous, while weekend early-evening listening is lower than a year ago. Neither movement is a significant change however. These are the only differences to be found in overall listening.
- Past-7-day listening (p7d): 88.5% of all adults aged 15+
- Average Monday to Friday: 68.8%
- Saturday listening: 65.7%
- Sunday listening: 64.9%
TIME SPENT LISTENING
Looking back over 2010’s RAMS releases, time spent listening was 3h47 per day in RAMS Dec 10, it is now 3h39, with a loss of one minute over the previous RAMS release. Most of this loss has come from the small urban/rural segment.
- Daily TSL: 3h39
- Weekly TSL: 25h30
STATION FIGURES
Please note that all figures for commercial radio reflected in this article are percentaged on a national basis, while community radio figures are percentaged on a provincial basis.Only stations showing statistically significant audience changes are reported on here. Results reflect all adults aged 15+.
There were no significant listenership changes over the previous RAMS release. Discernible differences in listening were only seen when looking back across the year, comparing current station audience levels with those of RAMS Dec 10.
STATIONS SHOWING HIGHER REACH THAN THE YEAR PREVIOUS
|
Station |
RAMS Dec 10 |
RAMS Dec 11 |
|
COMMERCIAL/PBS STATIONS |
||
| BRFM (average M-F) |
0.1% |
0.2% |
| Good Hope FM (p7d) |
1.8% |
2.2% |
| Good Hope FM (average M-F) |
0.8% |
1.1% |
| METRO FM (p7d) |
16.2% |
17.6% |
| Munghana Lonene FM (p7d) |
2.8% |
3.4% |
| Radio 2000 (p7d) |
2.1% |
2.7% |
| Radio 2000 (average M-F) |
0.7% |
1.0% |
| Ukhozi FM (p7d) |
18.1% |
19.6% |
| Ukhozi FM (average M-F) |
11.2% |
12.0% |
|
COMMUNITY RADIO |
||
| Total community radio (p7d) |
23.1% |
24.8% |
| Total community radio (ave. M-F) |
11.6% |
12.7% |
| Alfred Nzo Community Radio 98.3/93.8 fm |
5.5% |
8.2% |
| Inkonjani FM |
4.2% |
5.8% |
| IzwiloMzansi 98.0fm |
1.9% |
3.5% |
| KASIE FM 97.1 |
1.4% |
2.5% |
| KHANYA Community Radio |
1.2% |
2.7% |
| Motheo FM |
7.7% |
13.9% |
| Radio 786/VOC |
6.2% |
8.9% |
| Radio Namakwaland 93.4 Fm |
0.8% |
1.8% |
|
Station |
RAMS Dec 10 |
RAMS Dec 11 |
| Radio West Coast 92.3 fm |
0.7% |
1.5% |
| SEKGOSESE COMMUNITY RADIO |
2.7% |
4.8% |
| SEKHUKHUNE COMMUNITY RADIO (SKFM) |
0.2% |
4.0% |
| Umgungundlovu FM (U107.6 FM) |
0.0% |
0.8% |
| Vaaltar FM (VTR FM) |
2.0% |
7.6% |
STATIONS SHOWING LOWERREACH THAN THE YEAR PREVIOUS
|
Station |
RAMS Dec 10 |
RAMS Dec 11 |
|
COMMERCIAL/PBS STATIONS |
||
| Classic 102.7 (p7d) |
0.6% |
0.4% |
| Ikwekwezi FM (average M-F) |
2.5% |
1.9% |
| Ligwalagwala FM (p7d) |
4.2% |
3.5% |
| Ligwalagwala FM (average M-F) |
2.5% |
2.1% |
| Phalaphala FM (average M-F) |
1.9% |
1.4% |
| Thobela FM (p7d) |
8.8% |
7.9% |
| Thobela FM (average M-F) |
5.1% |
4.5% |
| UmhloboWenene FM (p7d) |
12.2% |
11.2% |
| UmhloboWenene FM (ave M-F) |
7.8% |
7.0% |
|
COMMUNITY RADIO |
||
| Eden Fm |
4.9% |
3.3% |
| Univen Community Radio 99.8 FM |
6.1% |
3.8% |
The results of the first RAMS study for 2012 will be released in mid-February.
RAMS 2011/4
Click here to download the
RAB RAMS 2011/4 PDF.
To download this presentation, please click here
RAMS 2011/3
Click here to download the
RAB RAMS 2011 / 3 PDF.
To download this presentation, please click here
RAMS 2011/ 2: The story behind the numbers
You may have seen the latest RAMS figures but we’ve now gone one-up by bringing you the stories behind some of the movers, non-movers, shakers and just about anyone making waves on the RAMS scale…
It’s no secret that ‘connect’, ‘engage’, ‘user-generated content’ are the latest buzzwords when it comes to speaking to the modern-age consumer. More and more stations, advertisers, strategists and creatives are seeing the increased value of ‘tuning in’ to who their audience really is, it seems. This is evidenced by a common thread of focussed research, underpinning the programming strategies on the South African radio landscape.
With Metro fm having just hit the whopping 6-million listener mark (6 172-million), from 5 198-million in June 2010 and with a 19% year on year growth, ecstatic Metro FM Programming Manager Caren Olson explains; “Knowing that a review of our systems and policies was a necessity in getting results, we completed a thorough analysis of the RAMS figures to see where the year-on-year decline was coming from, followed by a fine-tooth comb look at all the shows to pinpoint problem areas and rectify.
We then conducted a complete database overhaul, introduced an international ‘station voice’, equipped presenters with style-guides on how to present and conduct interviews, and appointed a specialist production crew to take care of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and other events.
In addition to this, METRO FM conducted a very successful national core listener focus group research project in November 2010. This allowed us to take an in-depth look at what our listeners like/ want, helping us to work on a change-over strategy for April 2011. We’ve since introduced hot and happening presenters and every show is on an upward incline!
Focus group research is a vital part of the success of a station – but it’s what you do with those insights that really matters. Draw up a strategy and stick to it. Listenership figures go up and down but this doesn’t mean that you need to change your strategy every time there’s a shift”, she says.
If you thought you were seeing double, it’s probably because you are. Between June 2010 and June 2011, Talk Radio 702’s listenership figures have steadily moved up to healthy 646 000.
Talk Radio 702 Programming Manager Alastair Teeling-Smith says; “On the back of a figure of about 300 000 in 2005, as well as 350 000 in mid-2007, we are delighted with 702’s audience having doubled over the last few years. Our success can be attributed to having a rock-solid line-up of extremely talented presenters, producers, controllers and others behind the scenes who consistently deliver shows which are of interest to our audience. We are an essential part of life in Gauteng for those who are interested in knowing what is happening. Eyewitness News is the first to inform listeners about breaking stories and our talk shows provide platforms on which listeners can express their views and opinions”.
Another station that reworked its strategy during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and hasn’t looked back, is SABC owned Phalaphala FM, which broadcasts in Limpopo, Gauteng and parts of the North West. Programming Manager Tshamaano Nepfumbada attributes the 34% year on year growth to a ‘shake-up’ before the World Cup which included the introduction of a midday daily talk-show and fun, interactive breakfast show. “We’ve done extensive qualitative research, meaning that our music and content is well-researched. The midday talk-show discusses service-delivery, entrepreneurial and labour issues – which all resonate with our progressive and ambitious listeners. Adapting our content, so as to not alienate our Gauteng-based audience, whilst staying true to our roots and 40% talk/ 60% music is our recipe for success!”
A station that looks like it could soon be hitting the 2-million listener mark is East Coast Radio whose impressive leap from 1.6 to 1.9 million listeners, year on year, speaks volumes about the growth of upwardly mobile and affluent black people. According to research group Eighty20 Insights, the black upper middle class has grown by 21% between 2003 and 2010. Programming Manager Naveen Singh says; “Our promotions are geared at rewarding listeners in an entertaining manner. This, together with a well thought out music strategy is seeing some good growth in black numbers, market category and listenership figures! The upwardly mobile and affluent are finding a home in ECR, and this is definite win for us”.
‘Humble beginnings’ is a phrase best not used on Capricorn FM which broke into the SA radio market in November 2007 and already boasts more than a million listeners. A dip in audience figures (1.461-million (RAMS 2010/2 against 1.2-million RAMS 2011/2) is naturally common, however, Programming Manager Shonisani Muleya says the station has undertaken an intense marketing drive to up their visibility within the Limpopo province.
“Capricorn FM sees itself as an agent of change, progressively moving forward with Limpopo by engaging with them on radio and via all social networking platforms. The result is that most of our listeners no longer believe that Johannesburg/ Gauteng is the place to be.
Having experienced problems with the three tribes living together in one province, the birth of Capricorn FM created a melting pot of these three tribes. Capricorn FM speaks to the upwardly mobile youth and young adults of Limpopo who do not want to be categorised by language or along tribal lines. We’re also maintaining a good balance between urban music, without ignoring up and coming musos in the region”.
Loeries CEO Andrew Human sums it up for us, with some food for thought; “I think a critical oversight of media owners today is the importance of quality material – not for content but for commercials. Traditionally radio stations divide broadcast time between content and advertising – with a program manager looking after the content and a sales manager selling the ‘black holes’. The program manager doesn’t consider the ads as content and the sales manager doesn’t particularly concern himself or herself with what the actual ad sounds like. The end result is a ‘commercial break’ during which the listener (remember him?) changes station or makes tea.
Now imagine this scenario: treat ads like content. Imagine if the listener actually likes the ad. Better yet, all the ads. Everybody wins because the listener is happy and doesn’t change stations, the marketer is happy because the effectiveness of their ad increases and the media owner is happy because the value of their commercial space increases”.
