The figures – which cover Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide – put the average number of weekly listeners at around 700,000 and the number of radio receivers at 400,000.

Part of the CRM Digital Radio Industry Report 2011, the reports compares July 2009 to December 2009 listener figures with new ones for January 2010 to January 2011, showing an increase in digital sales of 185 per cent in 2010/11 and a rise in digital radio listening to 5.6 per cent (691,000 people) up from 3.7 per cent (449,000) in 2010.

‘We’re very pleased with these latest figures but recognise there is still much work to be done, particularly in relation to the roll-out of digital radio to the rest of Australia,’ says CRA CEO, Joan Warner. ‘Our priorities over the next 12 months will be to build the growing metropolitan audience and the range of receivers available to them, to work on specific promotions with retailers, to work with car manufacturers to get DAB+ radios into cars, and to work with the Government to plan the regional roll-out.

‘The commercial radio industry has spent more than A$25m (US$25.2m) on an ongoing and extensive digital radio marketing strategy and campaign and continues to work with digital radio retailers and manufacturers to build the awareness with listeners,’ she adds.