Audiences are spending a longer time listening to SPH Radio, and more of them are tuning in digitally, according to the most recent figures on the radio industry.
The five radio stations owned by leading media company Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) – English stations Kiss92 FM, ONE FM 91.3 and MONEY FM 89.3 as well as Chinese stations UFM100.3 and 96.3 Hao FM – maintained their overall share of audience in the first half of 2019, based on the findings of a Nielsen survey released today. The half-yearly survey, which measures the listenership of traditional analog radio stations, also showed that audiences are tuning in to SPH Radio's stations for a longer duration each time.
On the digital front, SPH Radio's listenership continues to expand at a healthy rate. Analytics tracked by SPH showed that most of its stations registered double-digit growth in digital audiences over the last half-year. More than 890,000 people tuned in digitally through either the SPH Radio app or website to at least one of SPH's radio stations in May 2019, up 10% from October 2018
Podcasts are also emerging as a highly popular format among listeners, as total downloads increased by 45% across all five stations, as compared to October 2018. In line with global trends, SPH's audiences have embraced this on-demand, long-form audio format, which provides them with high-quality content at their convenience.
SPH Radio's Chinese radio stations sustained double digit growth in digital listenership with UFM100.3 and 96.3 Hao FM registering a growth of 16% and 12% respectively. UFM100.3's podcasts in particular saw a surge in popularity, with downloads doubling in May 2019, compared to October 2018.
UFM100.3 remains SPH Radio's most popular station digitally. Into its seventh year, the station's signature event – U1000 Music Countdown – in April 2019 was another massive success, with 427,799 listeners tuning in digitally that month.
On the back of a near-doubling of digital audience numbers after a successful rebranding in August 2018, ONE FM 91.3 continued to register strong growth momentum as it saw a 13% increase in digital listenership.
Kiss92 and MONEY FM 89.3, the other two English radio stations under SPH Radio, also saw growth in digital listenership. MONEY FM 89.3 in particular, has a growing pool of engaged audience tuning in to the first and only business & personal finance radio station in Singapore. Digital listenership for the station is up 7% and listening time has increased by 28%.
Sim Hong Huat, General Manager of SPH Radio, said: “We anticipated the shift of audience tuning in digitally hence we have been working hard at delivering new audio formats such as podcasts, which has proven to be well received. These days, there is more to Radio than what you hear on air. All five stations have been effectively engaging audience on ground and even on social media and there will be more to come.”