Every sector has had to navigate the new norm of the implications of the electricity crisis — and the advertising industry is high on the list of sectors impacted.

Most South Africans can't watch TV when the power goes out, which plummets viewership numbers. The power cuts also wreak havoc on cellphone network coverage and audiences accessing the Internet, which unfortunately impacts digital reach.

As we are forced to spend more time in traffic with traffic lights out, the radio is the consistent commute-based companion. According to the latest BRC RAMS figures, listening to the radio in the car and at work has seen an upward trend compared to the previous survey.

The most popular listening device for audiences that listen to the Mediamark portfolio of radio stations (East Coast Radio, Jacaranda FM and Kaya FM) is via the car radio, at 44%.

Despite the debate that there is an analogue decline with spending increasingly moving towards digital, the statistics show that radio still drives significant engagement. There is also the unrivalled intimacy that radio offers as a trusted media source.

BRC RAMS Amplify highlights that the top reasons for audiences tuning in to radio include:
  • the music (95%)
  • the local news (88%)
  • the weather updates (87%), and
  • the traffic updates (79%).


The reasons for tune-in among listeners show that radio is really at the centre of the community — the original social media.

This community-centred listening is also why Mediamark recently launched CommVibe, a package of Western Cape-based community radio stations with a combined audience of just over 860 000 listeners.

According to the BRC, it is excited to tap into radio stations that fully understand the vibration of their communities.

Invested audiences are what makes radio such a powerful medium. BRC RAMS Amplify shows that over 52% of our radio listeners are heavy users who actively tune in to the radio six or seven times a week.

At a time filled with uncertainty for many advertisers, the strength of radio in the face of load shedding is evident.

For more information, visit www.mediamark.co.za. You can also follow Mediamark on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.