Terwyl 2020 as 'verstikkend' beskryf is, was daar ’n silwer randjie te midde van die donker wolk van COVID-19 vir media en, veral, vir radio.

Maar wat het ons geleer? 

Ons het geleer dat terwyl alles besig was om uitmekaar te val en betroubare nuus moelik was om te vind, OFM een van die min bronne was wat akkurate en geloofwaardige inligting ten opsigte van die Coronavirus gebied het.

Radioluistersgetalle het teen Mei 2020 met 30% gestyg (Kantar) en 71% van Sentraal-Suid-Afrikaners het tydens die inperking na meer radio as gewoonlik geluister op al die beskikbare platforms van OFM – radio, selfoon, asook rekenaartoepassings.

Die afwesigheid van die BRC (Broadcast Research Council of South Africa) se RAMS (Radio Audience Measure) het beteken dat OFM homself verder moes inlig oor sy luisteraar- en mediaverbruiksgewoontes. Met die laaste telling is OFM se 7-dae kumulatief op 315 000 luisteraars bereken. BrandMapp (wat onafhanklik ekonomies aktiewe Suid-Afrikaners se aanlynaktiwiteit volg) het OFM se luisteraarsgetalle op 479 000 vasgestel. Alhoewel die pandemie oor die algemeen ’n beperkende uitwerking gehad het, het dit die handelsmerk gedwing om meer insiggedrewe te wees as ooit tevore. Hierdie onafhanklike navorsingstudies en insigte het die weg gebaan vir meer vaartbelynde produkte wat voldoen aan 'n vraag na iets wat andersins nie noodwendig ontdek sou geword het nie, soos OFM LIVE LINK en BrandMAX.

Radio is egter meer as ’n uitgebreide lugdraad met ’n ontvanger en ’n luidspreker. Die moderne tyd het radio die geleentheid gegee om sy gehoor in die kuberruimte uit te brei en hulle ook daar te ontmoet.

OFM het die afgelope drie jaar gebruik om aggressief in uitgebreide aanbiedinge te belê en om hulle te ontwikkel, insluitend op verskillende digitale platforms soos sosiale media, rekenaar- en selfoontoeps, ’n opgeknapte webwerf en die stromingsdiens OFM Stasie2. OFM se aanlyngebruikers het teen Desember 2020 met nagenoeg 2% toegeneem tot 1,745 miljoen aanlyngebruikers asook ’n verdere 260 000 unieke aanlynstromers. Die bogenoemde sluit nie die potgooi planne van 2021 in nie, waarby die voorste potgooi-uitgewer, Wondery, betrokke is.

Wat beteken dit alles? 

OFM skep hiermee ’n ekosisteem – ’n plek waar die handelsmerk en luisteraars mekaar op verskillende platforms vind en toegang het tot mekaar. Dit alles het vinniger gebeur as gevolg van die Coronavirus.

Dus, wat weet ons nou? 

Ons weet dat OFM-luisteraars aangedui het dat hulle in 2021 waarskynlik na meer radio- en stroomradiodienste gaan luister as in 2020. Van ongeveer 1 100 respondente: 

• het 54% van die OFM-luisteraars aangedui dat hulle waarskynlik meer radio gaan verbruik; 
• 65% het aangedui dat hulle reeds tussen 06:00 en 09:00 na meer radio luister en dat baie mense hul radio vanaf 06:00, in die motor, tuis en by die werk, op OFM ingeskakel hou. ’n Feit wat telkemale deur die BRC RAMs uitgewys is, is dat OFM-luisteraars oor ’n tydperk van sewe dae tot 20,97 ure na die radiostasie luister;
•  en 16% het aangedui dat hulle waarskynlik meer gestroomde klankaanbiedings sal verbruik. 

“Die studie dui op die absolute krag van radio- en klankverbruik, luisteraar betrokkenheid en die lojaliteit van OFM-luisteraars. In 2021, word OFM 35 jaar jonk, en die stasie kan hulle daarop roem dat radio- en klankverbruik net sterker word,” – Nick Efstathiou, uitvoerende hoof van Central Media Group, die ouermaatskappy van OFM.

Dit alles word omskep in die absolute waarde van klank. Waar daar betrokkendheid is, is daar ’n moontlike oplossing en radio sit aan die tafel van hierdie digitale rewolusie. Klank bly ’n onafwendbare realiteit en OFM is van plan om voort te bou op die nalatenskap van die afgelope 35 jaar in klank.

EINDIG

Vir meer besonderhede, tree in verbinding met Lindiwe Mtwentula by 051 5050 900, 082 416 1665, of lindiwe@ofm.co.za.

Loyalty in audio consumption

While it is hard to absorb any learnings from the year that was 2020, any chance to learn something should be met with an open mind if we are to unlock any opportunity for the future. While 2020 was simply dubbed ‘stifling’, there was a silver lining amidst the dark cloud of COVID-19 for media and, most especially, for radio.

So, what did we learn?

We learned that while everything was falling apart and credible news was hard to come by, among its audience, OFM was one of the few brands that could be relied upon for accurate and credible information related to the Coronavirus.

We learned that, in general, radio listening was up by 30% (Kantar) by May 2020 and that 71% of Central South Africans listened to more radio than usual, during the then lockdown, across all of OFM’s available platforms – radio, mobile and desktop apps.

The absence of the BRC (Broadcast Research Council of South Africa) RAMS (Radio Audience Measure) meant that OFM had to further inform itself about its audience and media consumption habits. The last reading pinned OFM’s 7-day cume at 315 000 listeners. BrandMapp (who independently track economically active South African’s online activity) pinned OFM’s listenership at 479 000. Thus, while the pandemic had a limiting effect overall, this forced the brand’s hand to be more insights-driven than ever before. These independent research studies and insights paved the way for more agile products that met a demand that otherwise would have not necessarily have been discovered, such as OFM LIVE LINK and BrandMAX.

But radio is more than an extended aerial with a tuner and speaker. The modern age has given radio the opportunity to expand and meet its audience in cyberspace.

OFM spent much of the last three years aggressively investing in and developing adjacent offerings, like various digital platforms, including social media, desktop and mobile apps, as well as a revamped website and streaming service, OFM Stasie2. OFM’s online users have increased almost 2% year on year to 1.745-million online users by December 2020 and a further 260 000 unique online streams. All of the above excludes the ambitious podcasting planned for 2021, which includes an association with leading podcast publisher – Wondery.

What does this all mean?

OFM is creating an ecosystem. A place where the brand and listeners can find and access each other across various and different platforms. Discoveries fast-tracked by the Coronavirus.

So, what do we know now?

We know that in 2021, OFM listeners indicated that they are likely to listen to more radio, and streamed audio services than they did in 2020. Of the little over 1 100 respondents:

• 54% of OFM listeners indicated that they are likely to consume more radio;
• 65% indicated that they already listen to more radio between 06:00 and 09:00 and that many kept their radio tuned onto OFM from 6 am, in the car, at home and at work. An insight, revealed time and time again from the BRC RAMs, is that OFM has one of the highest instances of time spent listening over 7 days – 20.97 hours;
• and 16% indicated that they are likely to consume more streamed audio offerings.

“The study indicates the absolute strength of radio and audio consumption, listener engagement, and the loyalty OFM listeners have toward OFM. In 2021, OFM turn 35 years young and the station can be proud that radio and audio consumption is getting stronger,” – Nick Efstathiou, CEO of the Central Media Group, holding company of OFM.

This translates to the absolute value of audio. Where there is engagement, there is a prospective solution, and radio sits at the table of this digital revolution. Audio remains inescapable and OFM intends to build on the legacy of its last 35 years in audio.

ENDS

For more info, please contact Lindiwe Mtwentula on 051 5050 900, 082 416 1665, or lindiwe@ofm.co.za.