Commercial Radio & Audio have released figures today showing ad revenue for metropolitan commercial radio stations grew by 18% to $62.7 million in September, compared to $53.1 million a year ago.
This is the 19th successive month of year-on-year growth and reflected ad spending across entertainment, homeware and electrical retailers, and travel and communications providers.
- Sydney stations increased ad revenue by 34% to $18.8 million
- Melbourne by 27% to $21.1 million
- Brisbane stations are up 1.5% to $9.2 million
- Adelaide was down 0.2% to $5.5 million
- Perth was up 2.4% to $7.9 million
CRA chief executive officer Ford Ennals said revenues were now close to levels recorded before the pandemic.
“Categories like live entertainment and travel, which were impacted last year by Covid, have come back strongly this year and the market remains buoyant heading into the peak retail season,” Ennals said.
“Commercial radio advertising has real and sustained momentum which has seen a strong recovery back to pre-pandemic levels of revenue and in some major markets are setting new record revenue levels.”
September quarter revenue totalled $167.1 million, 10% higher than the same quarter a year ago.
The strong results follow a 12% increase in ad revenue in the month of August and weekly commercial radio audiences hitting a record high of 12.1 million in the most recent GfK radio survey 6.
The figures were compiled by Milton Data.