The digital strength of the Nine Radio talk stations reached new heights in September, achieving more than 11 million stream starts and more than one million podcast downloads.
According to the Triton Webcast figures released by Nine, the talk radio network recorded 11.07 million streams.
As Sydney and Melbourne emerge from lockdown, listeners are turning to Nine’s talk radio stations for the latest and most reliable news, information and opinion.
In September, the week of the Melbourne earthquake and mass protests saw 3AW hit a streaming record for the station with 1.34 million stream starts in the wake of these events.
The network’s broader push into podcasting has also resonated with podcast listeners, with data showing the talk network’s podcast downloads in September are up 16 per cent year on year, and 11 per cent month on month.
Nine Radio’s head of digital audio, Hayley Bourne, said: “It’s clear our listeners have embraced a new era of talk radio, streaming us anytime, anywhere on any device.
“Events like Melbourne’s earthquake reinforce that we are the only radio network broadcasting live and local content, all day, every day, and when something big happens in Melbourne people turn to 3AW for fast, accurate, reliable and trustworthy information.
“We have a clear and large signed-in digital user base that we are commercialising at scale, improving the content experience and providing targeting for advertisers.”
Speaking about the most recent radio ratings survey, when asked if the stations are employing a strategy to lock in some of the extra listeners, Nine Radio head of content Greg Byrnes gave Mediaweek three words: “Live and local.”
Byrnes explained: “That is the strategy. We can put it in station promos, but we have to make sure we actually do it day in and day out.
“Our stations can also get stuff done. People power is a wonderful thing – we can help get decisions overturned and we can hold people to account. If we are putting presenters on air who are passionate about achieving that, it’s a recipe for success.”