February 13 is World Radio Day, the day that United Nations radio was established in 1946 and the day that since 2013 is now celebrated annually across the globe. Proposed by the Director-General of UNESCO, the objectives of the day are to raise greater awareness among the public and the media of the importance of radio.
Radio is the mass media reaching the widest audience in the world. It is also recognized as a powerful communication tool, specifically suited to reach remote communities and vulnerable people while offering a platform to intervene in the public debate. Radio also has a strong and specific role in emergency communication and disaster relief, which we have heard countless of examples of this Summer alone across Australia.
Vision Australia Radio is acknowledging this World Radio Day by celebrating the tireless work and hours that our 800+ volunteers put in right across our network of ten stations and five digital radio services.
We thank all who give their time by researching articles, presenting the radio programs you love and rely on, voicing our audio books and making other important information accessible as well as those that are with us side-by-side at events such as Vision Australia's Carols by Candlelight. Without our volunteers who contribute to our service each and every day, we would not be who we are today.
It’s timely that we also mention some great statistics that have come through from McNair Yellow Squares research. Just in time for World Radio Day this year, our average monthly audience reach has increased from 608,000 people tuning in across Australia in July 2018 to 701,000 listeners to Vision Australia Radio per month in the most recent survey period for January 2019.
An estimated 450,000 people aged 15+, or 11% of all Melbourne people aged 15+, listen to Vision Australia Radio Melbourne at some time in a month.
Within the same period, an estimated 82,000 people said they listen to our Adelaide service (a massive 32% increase since the last survey).
The results also revealed a 16% increase in listeners to our Perth service taking the total monthly listenership to 120,000 and 49,000 people are accessing our radio services across regional Victoria.
Last but certainly not least we thank you - our listeners, our sponsors, our radio partners. We look forward to another year of making great radio and hope you will be there with us for the journey. Happy World Radio Day 2019!