Why Radio Needs To Be Part Of Your PR Plan

By Monique Dews, Director of Accounts and Strategy, Adoni Media

As a Capital City Newsreader, Presenter, and radio professional for more than 20 years, I admit my bias on the incredible power of this traditional medium.  

AM FM Radio is the rarest of offerings – it can provide vast reach, but also a deeply personal and intimate listening experience. It’s dynamic, immediate, flexible, and easily accessible. Just about everyone has a radio, be it a portable transistor radio, a digital radio, car radio or access to specialist radio apps on phones and laptops.  

When we consider the rise of DAB radio channels, which use digital technology for distribution, there is no denying its ever growing impact across the globe.  

World Radio Day

UNESCO has announced “legacy” as the theme of this year’s annual World Radio Day on February 13 – “a century of informing, entertaining and educating”.  

Among the 2024 observances is the “indelible history of radio” and its impact on news and sport, as well as its “utilitarian value” in offering free and portable public safety messages during emergencies and natural disasters.  

UNESCO is also highlighting the “democratic value” of radio in offering connection and a voice to everyone, including immigrant, religious, or minority communities.  

Here in Australia, there are almost 300 commercial AM and FM licensed radio stations as well as 60 local radio stations run by our national broadcaster, ABC Radio.  

These have all made an incredible impact on our lives over generations and provide distinct advantages in strategic storytelling. That’s why it’s vital radio remains a key part of any successful PR plan. 

Strong radio listenership

While some have argued that “radio is dead”, the stats beg to differ.  

Radio is part of the DNA of many Australians. Commercial Radio Australia says 95 per cent (%) of Australians listen to radio each week. That’s more than 14 million people across markets in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth.  

Audiences are at an all-time high, with the number of listeners tuning in growing by nearly 14% over the last five years, representing an increase of 1.4 million listeners across all key age demographics.  

The rise of DAB

Digital audio (DAB) is growing in Australia at a rapid pace and is often a complementary offering to traditional Broadcast media. It consists of digital stations but may perhaps best be known for podcasts. The use of DAB can enhance and magnify radio coverage and attract a wider audience.  

Infinite Dial research has found 81% of Australians listened to digital audio each month last year, with 43% tuning into podcasts every month, up from 40% in 2022.  

Radio is still also the most preferred in-car audio, with 80% choosing AM/FM/DAB radio, over personal music collections, CDs, streaming services, and podcasts.  

Radio can also help drive social media engagement. Compelling video images coupled with great audio ensures another level of audience interaction. 

The impact of targeting local audiences

Broadcast media looks to actively foster and maintain a strong connection with the audience in their designated coverage area.  

Pursuing local stories, addressing local issues, and interviewing local people, is a key driver of programs in the never-ending mission to cultivate authentic connection with their audience.  

Radio hosts become trusted friends, that not just entertain but deliver valuable and topical information to help listeners get through the day.  

This local engagement is particularly important in smaller regional markets, which operate under the added pressure of mandated local content rules.  

Boosting PR with Radio

Adoni Media has long understood the power of radio in helping people reach their PR goals.  

Part of our strategy for clients is looking for opportunities to attach audio grabs to press releases that act to amplify and enhance the message. 

“Sound bites” from key spokespeople can be quickly downloaded by radio newsrooms for use on air. It’s easy to do and saves the journalist valuable time as they don’t have to put a call into a PR agency to arrange an interview. 

Given the pressures on busy (and sometimes under-resourced) radio newsrooms, providing ready-to-go audio grabs enhances the likelihood of securing coverage.  

Over 2023, Adoni Media implemented successful radio campaigns for multiple clients including the Salvation Army, InfoTrack, NTI, Lighthouse Foundation and Rino Recycling.  

We reached a combined audience of more than 6,286,000 people with the stories representing an Advertising Space Rate (ASR) of more than $670,000.  

Why radio is vital to your PR Plan

A PR Plan that includes radio is a vital component of any media strategy.  

Radio can help maximise your message, shape public opinion, and drive debate while offering opportunities for multi-channel integration, like no other medium. 

In addition, traditional and digital channels can deliver wide reach or more geo-targeted coverage, as required. 

If you would like to discuss your communication goals for 2024, please get in touch for a confidential discussion with a member of the Adoni Media team.  

Let the Adoni Advantage, including our deep understanding of the power of radio, be your advantage this year.