Radio Australia trying to attract younger listeners

Radio Australia has expanded its outreach by making its content available on mobile and digital platforms. Chief Executive Mike McCluskey says that despite having a loyal audience in the 40-and-up demographic, the company recognizes the need to make its programmes appeal to younger audiences amid changing demographics.

“Our [older] audience is still there and people at that age still tune in to our content,” he says. “[It’s said] the older audience is dying out, but not yet.” Mr McCluskey says Radio Australia’s programing appeals more to older people because much of what it puts out is serious, talk-based content, while the younger audience is more focused on entertainment and lifestyle. “We do have to make content that appeals to younger audiences as well. You can’t rely just on the older demographic listening to traditional media forms,” he says. “This is one reason why we’re making our media content available in digital online and mobile platforms.”

Mr McCluskey, who has been in radio for 28 years, says that while the trend may be shifting, people still have a tendency to become more interested in serious, talk-based content as they get older. “I think one of the challenges is to maintain that high quality and news-focused content and to engage younger people by trying to make news and talk-based content more relevant and more stimulating, more interesting and dealing with issues that matter to younger people,” he says.

(Source: Jakarta Globe via Media Network Weblog)