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Radio New Zealand claims top ratings for 2012

Following on from 2011’s report, Radio New Zealand says it was the top rating New Zealand radio station in 2012, with RNZ claiming a nationwide station share of 10.5 percent (15+ audience) in 2012 according to the All New Zealand Radio Survey conducted by Nielsen.

The station’s morning show, Morning Report, was the most popular radio programme in 2012, according to Nielsen, with a weekly average of 342,000 listeners.

Other shows on its line up like Saturday Morning with Kim Hill, and Sunday Morning also took top spots for their time slots.

StopPress has tried to get its hands on the actual research figures, but has so far been unable to do so due to commercial reasons and black magic (this second one might be made up). However, a spokesperson for Nielsen has confirmed RNZ’s figures are correct.

Given its doesn’t run ads, RNZ doesn’t take part in TNS Research International’s Radio Audience survey like its commercial rivals do, so it makes it difficult to compare ratings with other stations. 

For instance, RNZ says it’s well ahead in popularity to its nearest commercial rival (which rated around nine percent of station share), but doesn’t mention the name of the rival. It’s very likely this rival is Newstalk ZB, which in October topped the commercial ratings in Auckland and Christchurch, and came second in Wellington.

But these figures do show the Government, which has frozen RNZ’s funding since 2007, that it’s being listened to. And Peter Cavanagh, RNZ chief executive and editor-in-chief, says he’s chuffed with the station’s ratings.

“For a national broadcaster like Radio New Zealand – with a strong focus on in-depth news and information programming – to be the country’s number one radio station is a truly remarkable achievement,” he says. “Pound for pound New Zealand is the most competitive radio market anywhere in the world, with more radio stations per capita than any other country.”

Cavanagh, who has been in the role for ten years, recently advised the board he would not be looking to renew his contract, which comes to an end in December. 

“I am announcing my decision now to give the Board as much time as possible to find the best person to lead the organisation into the future. “It has been a great privilege for me to lead a world class public service broadcaster like Radio New Zealand over the past decade, but at the end of the year it will be time for me to move onto other things.”

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