Digital radio audiences are climbing ever closer to the one million milestone and sales of radios have hit more than 500,000, according to the latest figures from Commercial Radio Australia (CRA).
As the industry marks its second anniversary of full power digital radio services, the CRA said it is ecstatic with audience take up across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.
The CRA said the latest audience figures are equally pleasing given regional radio has not yet switched to digital.
In a year digital radio listeners have almost doubled, with numbers up from 523,000 for the first anniversary to 940,000 to date.
Digital radio sales have grown exponentially from 150,000 12 months ago to 508,462.
According to the latest figures 71,233 digital radio devices were sold in the second quarter of 2011 compared with 53,996 in the first quarter.
AdNews also understands that car manufacturer BMW, has become the first to commit to incorporating a digital radio device into their vehicles, and other makers are expected to follow suit.
CRA chief executive Joan Warner said the latest findings exceed the first two year's growth for digital television. The only problem is that just 7.6% of radio listeners have a DAB+digital radio – most of the listening is done over the internet.
Warner said the CRA is embarking on a campaign across 42 commercial stations in the five main metropolitan markets to promote digital radio, which will be backed up by a social media strategy supported by an online point of sale.
"For the first time in our digital ad campaign we are mentioning a price point in conjunction with retailer Harvey Norman to highlight the fact that digital radios are affordable," Warner said.
The campaign will be tied in with Fathers' Day.
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