Despite uncertainty still surrounding the election result, the Australian Electoral Commission is sure about one thing, the succcess of its pre-election awareness campaigns. The AEC has given its ‘primary vote’ to Radio Release after the company’s news grabs for the 2010 Federal Election reached more than 1.3 million Australian radio listeners. A review of broadcast monitoring and download reports throughout the election period reveals Radio Release grabs were broadcast on up to 235 radio stations with a combined average audience exceeding 1,308,200.
The audience figures do not account for multiple broadcasts on those radio stations, so the total audience figures are likely to be far higher according to the company; nor does it account for repeat listeners.
The guys at Radio Release must be glad they don’t have to wait on negotiations with Bob Katter until they can announce their election results. AEC Media Director Phil Diak says the newsroom response to the Radio Release grabs which prompted last minute enrolments, voter participation and voting correctly was unprecedented.
“The news grabs distributed through Radio Release have been an outstanding success. Alongside our advertising campaign, Radio Release delivered a massive amount of radio news coverage and was really effective in boosting the awareness levels of people urgently needing to enrol or update their details. We were also able to inform voters of essential details like where and how to vote on Election Day.
“At the same time, instead of recording hundreds of interviews or keep newsrooms waiting for essentially the same grabs, we were able to accommodate them quickly and proactively at key points of the campaign.”
Radio Release Managing Director Dan Wilson has told radioinfo the response to the AEC’s campaign was overwhelming and reinforced their potential to deliver a win for newsrooms and widespread radio coverage for their clients.
“It’s a great example of what Radio Release can achieve for our clients and the fact we’ve established ourselves as a genuine provider of free newsworthy content to Australian radio stations. When you achieve coverage on 230-odd radio stations, from major metropolitan networks right through to local newsrooms in regional areas, you can’t deny the reach or effectiveness of our service.
“On the basis that most stations would broadcast Radio Release grabs on two or three occasions per release, we could be looking at a gross impact exceeding 3 million people, or perhaps far greater than that. So while the election outcome is still to be finalised, what is clear is that Radio Release was able to deliver a classic win-win scenario for the AEC and radio newsrooms right across the country.”
Established in 2004, Radio Release has built a list of clients which includes high-profile government, corporate, non-profit and community organisations speaking on issues of national, statewide, regional and local significance. “More than a press release, Radio Release is a pre-packaged radio news item which includes free audio ‘grabs’ that can be broadcast in news bulletins or relevant talkback programs.” The figures on coverage were determined by broadcast monitoring and newsroom downloads.