Mediacorp cements audio dominance among key audience segments, achieves over 20% growth in digital engagement and social media following
Results demonstrate the company’s success in transcending the airwaves, transforming its audio offerings into a holistic lifestyle experience
Singapore, 10 January 2024 – As Mediacorp’s radio reach1 grows to a record 3.9 million listeners weekly, the national media network, which commands 82.2% of the radio market share2 and owns eight out of Singapore’s top 10 radio stations, has continued to achieve breakthroughs in its reach and engagement across platforms. Reflecting the sustained appeal of its audio offerings, key audience segments3 that continue to record substantial gains include:
- PMEB segment: 10% increase in listenership, highlighting the network’s strong appeal among professionals and business executives. This is evident not only for the segment’s top three stations CLASS 95, LOVE 972, and YES 933, but also in the success of Singapore’s premier English news station CNA 938, which boasts a reach two times that of its nearest competitor.
- Women aged 15 and above: 6% increase in listenership, with LOVE 972, CLASS 95 and CAPITAL 958 standing out as their preferred choices.
- Youth aged between 15 and 34: 4% increase in listenership, showcasing the enduring appeal of radio. Youth-centric stations YES 933 and 987 have further achieved heightened engagement with tertiaries aged 15 to 24, while RIA 897 tripled its listenership in the same age bracket.
- Vernacular audiences: Malay listenership increased by 3% and that for Indians increased by 7%, cementing Mediacorp’s robust 95% market share in both segments.
These findings are based on the latest Nielsen Radio Survey conducted from August to October 2023, which tracked radio listenership via diary recordings by 2,034 adults aged 15 and above, with the results weighted by age, sex and race to be representative of the Singapore population.
Dominance in the digital sphere
Following continual investments in its digital portfolio from podcasts to livestreams, Mediacorp’s digital radio network has achieved a compound annualised growth (CAGR) of 17% over five years since 2019, translating into a weekly reach of 1.51 million listeners, or 93% of all digital listeners1. This growth is accompanied by:
- 20% upswing in time spent listening on digital platforms to reach 8.4 hours4
- 8.6% increase in melisten audio streams to almost 70 million5; and
- 40% surge in monthly podcast downloads to hit 1.4 million6.
In addition to reflecting a shift in consumer preferences towards digital audio – and more specifically, a burgeoning demand for on-demand content and flexible listening options – these figures underscore Mediacorp’s success in staying ahead of market trends with its customer-centric and multiplatform strategy, leading to increased listener engagement and loyalty.
Surge in followers and engagement on social media
Beyond digital audio achievements, Mediacorp’s strategic shifts to engage digital natives and enhance its presence in the everyday digital spaces of its listeners have also gained ground. Across social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, Mediacorp’s roster of radio stations have witnessed a 23% increase in followers, with its top three stations, YES 933, 987 and OLI 968, making up a cumulative 1.3 million followers7. Accompanying the growing reach is a surge in engagement including likes, comments and shares, which increased by 20% across these platforms8.
A key driver of Mediacorp’s growth on social media has been its doubling down on video livestreams of helmed by its audio personalities across different social media platforms. This has not only expanded reach but also fostered real-time interaction with fans, adding a new dimension to audience engagement. Its appeal is undeniable: on TikTok, for instance, YES 933’s monthly average engagement multiplied over six times to more than 178,000, 987's engagement soared by 32.5 times to over 223,000, and RIA 897 skyrocketed close to 1279 times, surpassing 650,0009.
Angeline Poh, Chief Customer & Corporate Development Officer, Mediacorp, said: “Mediacorp is constantly looking to redefine audio entertainment, transcending traditional broadcasting to create a holistic a lifestyle experience that is seamlessly integrated into the daily lives of our audiences. Our record growth in digital engagement stands testament to this commitment, and our success in digital innovation, from interactive livestreams to on-demand podcasts, is reshaping how we interact with our audiences.”
Added Ms Poh, “With wider audience reach and deeper engagement, radio advertising on our network grew by 13% year-on-year in the second half of 2023, with a corresponding 8% growth in the number of radio advertisers. As we continue to evolve and lead in this dynamic landscape, we remain dedicated to delivering content that entertains, informs, and inspires our audiences.”
1Reach is measured by the total number of unique, unduplicated radio listeners.
2Market share is measured by the quantity of 15-minutes spots listened across Singapore’s radio stations
3Audience segments include: Female aged 15+, Youth aged 15 to 34, Tertiaries aged 15 to 24, PMEBS, Malays aged 15+, Indians aged 15+
4Time Spent Listening (TSL) or Engagement Rate is defined as the average amount of time a listener spends listening to a radio station in a week.
Source for footnotes 1 – 4 above: Nielsen Radio Survey 2023 (Mon-Sun-Whole Day). From 2021, Mediacorp digital radio stations are calibrated with Triton census-level data. Please use the data with caution when comparing with non-Mediacorp digital radio stations
5 Apr 2022 to Nov 2022, and Apr to Nov 2023 (Source: Triton)
6Apr 2022 to Nov 2022, and Apr 2023 to Nov 2023 (Source: Omnystudio)
7Jan 2023 to Dec 2023 (Source: Emplifi)
8Jan 2022 to Dec 2023 (Source: Emplifi)
915 May 2023 to 30 Nov 2023 (Source: Emplifi)
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Media contact
Lim Zi Ai
Communications Specialist
Email: ziai.lim@mediacorp.com.sg
About Mediacorp
Mediacorp is Singapore’s national media network and largest content creator. Its purpose is to create engaging and trusted content, as well as to connect communities and inspire people. Mediacorp engages over three million people in Singapore daily across four languages on its digital platforms including mewatch, melisten and CNA.asia, six TV channels and 11 radio stations. Beyond Singapore, Mediacorp also has a growing international audience through CNA and content distributed across markets.
With a focus on nurturing talent and growing the sector, the company is committed to investing in nation-wide initiatives like Star Search, Anugerah, Yaar Antha Star and SPOP, commissioning a wide variety of work from local content creators, and collaborating with institutes of higher learning. As Singapore’s first local Multi-Channel Network in partnership with YouTube, Mediacorp is also committed to developing a network of digital content creators.
For advertisers, Mediacorp has partnered industry-leading brands like ESPN, Mothership, theAsianparent, VICE, YouTube and 99.co to form the Mediacorp Digital Network in offering more effective content-driven solutions.
Mediacorp is the recipient of industry accolades including New York Festivals, World Media Festivals, PromaxBDA (World and Asia) and Asian Academy Creative Awards.
For more information, please visit mediacorp.sg.
