If it was up to Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, total commercial radio revenue growth for the five biggest metro markets would be in positive territory. Even the small decline recorded in Perth would not have been enough to halt the upward trend for the nine months YTD financial year as compared to the same period in the year before. But a downward spike of 2.76% in Sydney was sufficient to cause a retreat of 0.39%.
While those figures may not sound like anything to worry about, the numbers for just last month are a little more dramatic. In March 2012, total revenue fell by 3.41%, compared to the same timeframe a year earlier, to a total of $57.325 million. Growth was recorded in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth but the two biggest markets, Sydney and Melbourne both fell to the tune of – 4.23% and – 9.84% respectively.
The official line from Commercial Radio Australia is that market conditions are “sensitive,” with the industry body’s CEO Joan Warner saying, “The radio industry continues to show itself as a very resilient market in tough trading conditions, with some markets recording growth, but others more patchy results.
“Brisbane had a strong March, and Perth also performed well, but the past several months have shown a flattening of the market and a tougher overall trading environment, with Sydney particularly not performing as well, “Ms Warner said.
The March 2012 figures for the five metropolitan markets show a fall of 3.41%, compared to the same timeframe a year earlier, to a total of $57.325 million. Growth was recorded in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth but the biggest markets of Sydney and Melbourne both fell.
Brisbane grew 5.18% to $9.701 million in March, Perth grew 1.92% to $7.967 million, Adelaide grew 0.04% to $5.290 million, Melbourne fell 4.23% to $16.880 million and Sydney fell 9.84% to $17.485 million.
According to the 2012 Metropolitan Commercial Radio Advertising Revenue, as sourced by Deloitte, advertising revenue for the nine months financial YTD (ending March 2012), shows a slight decrease of 0.39% for the five metropolitan markets combined to a total of $507.100 million.
Adelaide grew 4.08% to $48.109 million; Brisbane grew 0.55% to $82.645, Melbourne grew 0.25% to $152.993 million, Perth fell 0.42% to $68.4 million and Sydney fell 2.76% to $154.952 million.
The Deloitte figures report actual revenue received by metropolitan commercial radio stations for the calendar month and include all metropolitan agency and direct revenue.