South Africa’s Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has released data showing independent and niche radio stations recording impressive numbers for the second quarter of 2024.
This has built on the 2022 report by The Conversation, that radio is thriving in South Africa, with listenership consistently higher than the global average.
IAB which empowers the media and marketing industries to thrive in the digital economy said the Industry Measurement Dashboard reveals dedicated radio listeners in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal for quarter two of the year.
According to the industry organization’s audience data across the months of April through June, independent radio station Jacaranda FM garnered 5.64 million daily listeners via its web application. Its closest competitor was East Coast Radio, which recorded 4.7 million daily listeners via web during the same time.
IAB says that niche radio stations which enjoyed high online daily listenership during this period include:
Sesotho sa Lebowa station, Thobela FM; isiZulu station, Ukhozi FM, and Setswana station, Motsweding FM.
According to the IAB, as of Tuesday, 16 July, the biggest online radio stations in South Africa for quarter two of 2024 comprise:
Jacaranda FM — 5 643 773
East Coast Radio — 4 718 614
Metro FM — 1 638 228
RSG — 1 587 326
Thobela FM — 340 114
Ukhozi FM — 288 243
Radio2000 — 230 864
SA FM — 152 239
Motsweding FM — 144 782, and
Umhobo Wenene FM — 134 263.
The IAB South Africa Industry Measurement Dashboard is a three-year partnership with dY/dX, a digital transformation company that provides product and service design, and content and digital sales optimization solutions.
The partnership provides a standardized audience measurement currency for publishers that can be used across the South African online industry, says the IAB.
The IAB concludes that its Industry Measurement Dashboard is available to the media and marketing industry, with no login required. Agencies and Publishers are encouraged to access this beneficial data for measurement and reporting purposes.