Nielsen RAM stats show bounce back in radio listening for Q4
According to data company Nielsen’s UAE Radio Audience Measurement (RAM) survey, 93 per cent of the total UAE population aged 10 and above tuned into radio every week in the fourth quarter of 2018, which is 4 per cent higher (307,000 listeners) in reach compared with the previous quarter and reaching the same high levels when compared with Q4 2017. UAE residents and nationals listened to 61.5 million hours of radio in this period. The fourth quarter measurement covers all radio listening from October 1 to December 31, 2018.
RAM measures listenership of 53 stations across the country among all individuals aged 10+. While Q3 results showed that for the summer months, with residents travelling out of the country, listening in Dubai and the Northern Emirates saw a significant decline, in Q4 these emirates bounce back and much of the listening growth is seen here. Abu Dhabi is again the strongest of all the emirates in the Q4 2018 with almost universal reach – 99.9 per cent of Abu Dhabi residents listen to radio in an average week. In Dubai 90 per cent of residents listen in an average week, and 85 per cent in the Northern Emirates. Sharjah continued to maintain levels similar to those of the previous quarter with an increase of just 1 per cent (92 per cent reach).
Although the listenership for Emirati and Expat Arab nationality groups maintained levels similar to that of the previous quarter, it’s the Filipino (10 per cent growth Q on Q) and South Asian (5 per cent growth Q on Q) nationality groups that had a significant positive impact on the reach of radio in Q4 2018.
With five reported quarters now, it is the first time for Nielsen UAE RAM that the industry can look at year-on-year comparisons, Q4 2017 vs Q4 2018. “We expect the last quarter of the year to be a busy period for all categories and industries as people return to the region after the long summer months and school holidays,” said Sarah Messer, director of media – Arabian Penin- sula and Pakistan at Nielsen. “UAE radio has a significant boost in listenership in Q4, in-line with that expectation. With residents enjoying a long weekend holiday for UAE National Day, and arguably the best weather the UAE has to offer in these months, residents are staycationing and welcoming family and friends visiting from overseas.”