Summer surveys are traditionally dominated by young listeners, who are on holidays from School or University during the first survey of each year. An analysis of today’s results shows the effect of those listeners in many markets.

Analysing this sector of the audience, Commercial Radio Australia’s CEO Joan Warner told radioinfo the amount of time young people listen to radio across Australia has increased significantly this year compared to the same period last year.

“The figures show that people aged between 18 and 24 increased the time they spent listening to radio in the first survey period for this year by one hour and 46 minutes to nvarchar(15)een hours and 36 minutes a week – up from seventeen hours and 50 minutes in survey one last year.

“This is indicative of a trend over the past few years which shows that commercial radio continues to gain in popularity among younger listeners – which is great news for the industry.”

Recent trends research, conducted by Nielsen Media Research of its ratings surveys over five years, shows young people (aged 18-24) spent one hour and three minutes more time listening to commercial radio in 2003 (18 hours 31 mins in an average week) compared to 1999.

The research also shows that commercial radio reached 81.5% of people aged between 18-24 in 2003 compared with 78% in 1999.

“Today’s young people love radio because it complements a faster-paced lifestyle and it is also the most interactive and immediate medium,” says Warner.

“Younger audiences, particularly the under-25s, have access to new technology and mobile phones, and they have taken very quickly to interacting with their favourite radio stations and DJs via email and SMS to request songs, have their say or enter competitions.”