CRA to introduce new measurement March 2023

Australia’s Commercial Radio & Audio has announced that it will introduce Radio360 — a new hybrid audience measurement system for the GfK metropolitan radio surveys — from Survey 1 in March 2023.

The enhancement will see the radio ratings produced using audience data collected from predominantly electronic diaries and live radio streaming data obtained from station web server logs and the GfK Sensic tagging system. The system will verify the streaming data with data collected from panels of respondents wearing GfK’s MediaWatch wearable meters and scientifically integrate that into the radio ratings dataset.

The Radio360 system is the most significant investment and change to the radio audience measurement system in Australia since ratings began.

Speaking at CRA’s Audio Unlimited event on Oct. 28, chief executive officer Ford Ennals said the new approach would provide more robust and granular listening data for agencies and advertisers and enable a deeper view of the size of the streaming audience. “This will be the first iteration of the new hybrid methodology, and we will work with GfK to continue to develop and explore further enhancements.

“We also plan to provide additional information on podcast listening by including podcast consumption questions in the diary’s lifestyle questionnaire. These insights will provide information such as podcasting listening frequency, time of day and other data,” Ennals said.

GfK media measurement director Deb Hishon said, “We are excited to work with the radio industry on Radio360, a project that has seen extensive data science and rigorous testing. We are using every available measurement tool to ensure the system is designed to future-proof radio audience measurement for the Australian market. GfK’s Radio360 provides users, for the first time ever, the ability to analyze and plan against radio streaming and linear audiences.”