Overview Section 2 ABC Audiences Audience Trends In 2008–09, the ABC continued to demonstrate its commitment to ensuring content is available For audiences one of the greatest benefits to audiences when and where they choose, across of the digital age is increased choice. New different channels, formats and devices. At June television and radio channels offer greater 2009, the combined average weekly reach of ABC variety to audiences, while richer and Television, Radio and Online was estimated to be more diverse content is available online. 73%. This result was consistent with the past Understanding audience behaviours and three years.1 preferences is central to the ABC’s content delivery strategy. Offering a vast array of content ranging from news and current affairs, television, radio and sport; to health, science and technology, children’s content and parenting, ABC Online offers audiences an opportunity to watch, listen, read and engage in a variety of ways. ABC Online audiences can create and share their own content and mash-ups, and join conversations and share experiences via message-boards and forums. In 2008–09 ABC Online averaged nine million visitors and 20 million visits a month.2 Podcasting and vodcasting allows the audience to download audio and video files to their computer or portable digital device so that they can listen to or watch programs at a time and in a location more convenient to them. The ABC is one of the largest creators of podcasting and vodcasting material in the world, with a wide variety of television, radio and news programs available for download. 1 Newspoll, ABC Awareness and Usage Survey 2006–09 and ratings data analysis for same periods. 2 WebTrends OnDemand data, July 2008–June 2009. 38 OVERVIEW SECTION 2 Victoria Country Hour host Libby Price talks to the crowd at Meningie about the condition of Lake Albert; Russell Woolf, presenter 720 ABC Perth Drive program broadcasting from the most marginal seat of Kingsley during the Western Australian state election in September 2008. ABC Radio Networks and Content In 2008–09, ABC Radio continued to grow its audiences in terms of overall number of listeners In the six months to June 2009, 23 million and share of listening. The average weekly reach podcasts and vodcasts were downloaded from of ABC Radio in the five major mainland capital ABC Online. Of these, 19 million were podcasts cities was a record four million, up by 6.2% on downloaded from ABC Online, with Radio National the previous year. The number of listeners to ABC alone delivering eight million podcasts. The most Radio grew in every city with growth ranging frequently downloaded programs included triple from 4% in Brisbane and Perth, to almost 8% in j’s New Music, News’ AM program and Radio Melbourne. When the cities of Newcastle and National’s Late Night Live and Breakfast programs. Canberra are added the reach of ABC Radio grew The interplay of the traditional media and new to 4.3 million listeners a week, up by 6% on the media was embraced by ABC Television’s The previous year.7 Gruen Transfer. Available to audiences in a variety Overall ABC Radio share was also on the rise in of forms, The Gruen Transfer was one of ABC 2008–09. In the five cities ABC Radio share was Television’s most popular programs in 2008–09, a record 22.6%, up 1.9 points on the previous achieving a combined five-city average audience year. Increases in share were recorded in all cities. of 1.3 million across ABC1 and ABC2.3 It was also Growth in share ranged from 0.4 of a point in watched via ABC iView, recording 70 000 views 4 Perth, to 3.0 points in Adelaide, while share in and downloaded 260 000 times via ABC Online.5 Sydney and Melbourne increased by 2.2 points The Gruen Transfer website was visited by and 2.0 points respectively. Share in Newcastle 185 000 Australians in the quarter ending May was also up, at 23.7% (22.7% in the previous year) 2009.6 and share in Canberra was 47.6% up 2.9 points 8 on the previous year. Overview ABC Local Radio reached a record 2.3 million listeners a week in the five cities and when Newcastle and Canberra were added, reach was 3 OzTAM data, March–May 2009. just under 2.5 million. Local Radio reach ranged 4 WebTrends OnDemand, April–June 2009. 5 WebTrends Analytics, downloads of MP4 and WMV files, January–June 2009. from approximately 200 000 to 300 000 in the 6 Nielsen Online, Home and Work Panel, ABC Custom Reports, quarter ending smaller cities of Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane, May 2009. 7 Nielsen Radio surveys, five-city, Newcastle and Canberra, 2008–09 and while in the larger cities of Sydney and Melbourne 2007–08. 8 Nielsen Radio surveys, five-city, Newcastle and Canberra, 2008–09 and reach ranged from 700 000 to 800 000. Section 2 2007–08. OVERVIEW 39 ABC Audiences continued Aggregate ABC Radio Audience Share % 2004–05 Sydney 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 Melbourne Brisbane Adelaide The average weekly reach of Local Radio in both Newcastle and Canberra was just under 100 000 listeners a week.9 Perth ABC Local Radio’s share was also at a record high of 11.3% in the five cities in 2008–09, up by 0.9 Five City Metro of a point on the previous year. Share was over 10% in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, and over 12% Newcastle in Melbourne and Adelaide. Local Radio share was 10.3% in Newcastle and 18.2% in Canberra.10 Canberra 774 ABC Melbourne, on radio and online, performed a vitally important role for communities 0 10 20 30 40 50 affected by the February 2009 bushfires in Victoria. (%) Source: Nielsen Media Research ABC Local Online and ABC News Online combined forces to provide extensive coverage and a space for communities to share their experience. Content that generated strong interest among audiences Average Weekly Radio Reach—Five City included interactive elements (such as maps) and user-generated content (such as blogs and photos). Emergency and assistance information provided ABC Local Radio local communities with vital facts and links. In the five days of peak fire activity, from 7 February to 2004–05 Radio National 2005–06 11 February 2009, ABC News and ABC Local Online 2006–07 11 2007–08 recorded a total of 17 million page views. In the 2008–09 month of February 2009, more than one million triple j Australians used the combined ABC Radio websites, representing the peak month of audience reach for these sites.12 ABC Classic FM In 2008–09, triple j reach grew for the third consecutive year to an average of 1.1 million ABC NewsRadio 9 Nielsen Radio surveys, five-city, Newcastle and Canberra, 2008–09 and 2007–08. 10 Nielsen Radio surveys, five-city, Newcastle and Canberra, 2008–09 and 2007–08. 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 11 WebTrends OnDemand data, 7–11 February 2009. Millions 12 Source: Nielsen Nielsen Online, home and work panel, Australia, 2008–09. 40 OVERVIEW 377% SECTION 2 triple j’s 2008 Hottest 100 event attracted a crowd of about 6 000. Over 800 000 votes were cast from around the country. listeners a week in the five cities. Share in the five cities was also up for the third year running, Television averaging 4.5% for the year. Among those aged 18–24 triple j share was 12.6% in the five cites, up The take-up of digital television continues to by two points on the previous year.13 increase. The Digital Switchover Taskforce’s Digital Tracker estimated, in a report released in triple j also enjoys a significant online presence. Over March 2009, that 47% of Australian households 250 000 Australians engaged with the site in January had converted to digital terrestrial television.17 2009 when it featured the countdown to the triple j The Tracker acknowledged that a further 16% 14 Hottest 100. In the first six months of 2009, triple j use subscription television. The majority of these recorded just under four million podcast downloads. would also have access to ABC digital services. New Music files proved to be most popular, with a total of 2.3 million downloads for the period.15 In the past 12 months, the ABC’s digital channel, ABC2 has experienced significant audience ABC Classic FM and ABC NewsRadio both grew their growth, providing complementary programming audience reach by 8% in 2008–09, both reaching an to ABC1. Network Ten has launched its high- average of 700 000 listeners a week in the five cities. definition digital channel, ONE, and SBS has ABC Classic FM five-city share was up half a share launched its standard definition channel, point to 2.9%, while share for ABC NewsRadio share SBS TWO. In the coming year, Australians will was up by 0.2 of a point to 1.6% in 2008-09. In have even more choice with the launch of the five cities in 2008-09, Radio National reached additional free-to-air digital channels including more than 600 000 listeners a week and share ABC Television’s children’s channel, ABC3. held steady at 2.2%. In the first six months of 2009, Radio National delivered eight million podcast ABC Television Programs downloads to audiences. Among the more popular and Content downloads from the more than than 50 regular 2008–09 marks the first full year of television Radio National programs available to audiences as ratings available for ABC2 in the five major podcasts, were Late Night Live (880 000 downloads), mainland capital cities.