Radio listening increases, as over half the population tunes in

Average hours TV viewers spent watching the box was 1.73 hours a day, 14 minutes less than that of previous BA audience survey

The latest Broadcasting Authority audience assessment has revealed that radio listening has increased by 0.20 hrs from 2.97 hrs in October 2016, to 3.17 hours in February 2017 and increased over that of the same period last year [2.49; Feb 2016] by 0.68hrs – an increase of 41 minutes over the same period last year.

The national average increased by 20 minutes over the previous assessment period of October 2016 and by as much as 41 minutes over the same period last year, February 2016

During February 2017, an average of 198,000 persons, or 52.6% of the population aged 16 years and over, stated that they had listened to radio.

On the other hand, an average 68.5% of the population aged 16 and over or 257,000 persons said they followed at least one TV station during February 2017. The average amount of hours that TV viewers spent watching television amounted to 1.73hrs every day. This was 14 minutes less than that of the previous assessment at the start of the broadcasting season during the month of October 2016 [1.97hrs] and was 6 minutes less than that registered for the same period last year in February 2016 [1.83hrs].

For the whole population aged 16 years and over, the national average for TV viewing stood at 1.29hrs every person.

Data was collected by the National Statistics Office and 34.71% of all contacted persons accepted to participate. A sample of 1,240 was collected with the eldest person contacted was 98 years old.

Respondents were directly asked what type of programmes they like to watch on local television stations and a list of eleven genres was read out by the interviewers.

TVM remains the most popular station with 38.6%, followed by ONE [17.9%], and Net TV [11.3%].

Overall 71.9% of all viewers followed a local station while the other 28.1% followed a foreign station with Mediaset Channels [9.73%], RAI channels [7.04%] and Other stations [6.5%] being the most popular stations.

Respondents were asked what type of programme they like to watch on local television. Local and Foreign News were the most favorite programme genre [65.0%] followed by local Drama programmes [42.2%], while Discussion & Current Affairs programmes ranked third [29.3%].

Bay Radio remains the most popular station with 17.8% of all radio listeners followed by ONE Radio [16.8%] and Vibe FM [10.6%]. Bay Radio is popular with all those under the age of 50 whereas ONE Radio is popular with those who are above the age of 50.

On average radio listeners spent a total of 3.17hrs each listening to their favourite radio station. This was 0.68hrs [41 minutes] higher than that registered for the same month last year in February 2016 [2.49hrs] and was 0.20hrs [12 minutes] higher than that registered for the previous assessment period of October 2016 [2.97hrs].

On a national basis over the whole of the population aged 16 years and over, the national average of radio listening amounts to 1.69hrs every person.