Sparring over the recent Community Radio Listenership survey continues.

In a radioinfo story last week, Barry Melville stated the community radio sector’s position after comments from commercial radio’s Joan Warner, questioning aspects of the survey.

Warner this week has told radioinfo:

“Just in response to Barry Melville’s comments re comparing apples with apples.

“I will quote our official surveys once again in relation to reach – every single person who tunes to a station, no matter for how long, is counted once, and once only – the split is still commercial around 80% with ABC around 33% and Other FM/Other AM – 21%.

“That means all other radio services aside from commercial stations and ABC in a licence area share reach of maximum 22%.
That is, that 22% reach is shared by SBS, all community stations, all low powered narrowcasters, all high
powered narrowcasters and all those commercial stations in neighbouring licence areas that can be heard in one or more parts of the surveyed areas.

“A far cry from the claims of anywhere between 25 and 35% in reach being claimed by CBF solely for community broadcasters.

“As I said earlier, we respect and work well with the CBAA on a number of matters but cannot allow erroneous claims to
audience reach or share to go unchallenged.”