What a change

Since 2020, the radio audience numbers are:

• NewstalkZB +110,800 listeners, a 20.7% gain
• Radio NZ -186,600 listeners, a 29.5% drop

Each one individually is remarkable. A 21% increase is listeners in five years is massive, especially at a time when most media is losing audiences.

But equally a 30% drop in listeners in just five years is also massive – the other way. If that was a commercial media outlet, they would be having to change things to stay afloat.

The difference between the two is huge. NewstalkZB has gone from 118,000 fewer listeners than Radio NZ to 180,000 more listeners. A new change of almost 300,000.