Today’s radio audience covers almost half of Russians aged 18 and over.
MOSCOW, February 18, 2019. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of a study devoted to radio listening among Russians.
Over the recent ten years the share of radio listeners has dramatically declined in Russia: in 2009 two-thirds of Russians (63%) listened to the radio compared to 48% of listeners today. Every second respondent (50%) does not listen to the radio at all; this share is higher among the 18-24-year-olds (69%).
The Russian people prefer to listen to the music (74%) and news (53%), and often in the car (56%) and at home (41%). Fewer radio listeners opt for popular science and educational programs (28%) and “varied speech” shows (24%). Music is preferred by respondents aged 25-34 (88%); older generations like news (64% among those aged 60 and over). Respondents aged 45-59 are interested in popular science and educational programs (36%).
The list of the most popular Russian radio stations is headed by Russkoe Radio (15%) and Europa Plus (14%). Radio Dacha, Dorozhnoe Radio and Mayak are ranked third (12%, each). They are followed by Avtoradio (11%) and Retro FM (10%).
VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on February 12, 2019. The survey involved 1,600 Russians aged 18 and over. The survey was telephone-based and was carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
Do you listen to the radio or not? If yes, do you do it more often or less often than you did 5 or 7 years ago? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | |||
| 2005 | 2009 | 2019 |
More often | 21 | 14 | 10 |
As often as before | 33 | 29 | 18 |
Less often | 21 | 20 | 20 |
I do not listen to the radio at all | 23 | 36 | 50 |
Don’t know | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Do you listen to the radio or not? If yes, do you do it more often or less often than you did 5 or 7 years ago? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents | ||||||
| Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | 60 and over |
More often | 10 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 11 | 10 |
As often as before | 18 | 11 | 18 | 22 | 23 | 14 |
Less often | 20 | 16 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 19 |
I do not listen to the radio at all | 50 | 69 | 50 | 42 | 45 | 57 |
Don’t know | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
If you listen to the radio, what attracts you most? (closed-ended question, any number of answers, % of those who listen to the radio) | ||||||
| % of those who listen to the radio | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | 60 and over |
Music | 74 | 83 | 88 | 86 | 67 | 56 |
News | 53 | 32 | 44 | 49 | 54 | 64 |
Popular science and educational shows | 28 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 36 | 33 |
“Varied speech” genre, interviews, talk shows | 24 | 13 | 22 | 23 | 25 | 27 |
Sports shows | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Other | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
Don’t know | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
Where do you usually listen to the radio? (closed-ended question, any number of answers, % of those who listen to the radio) | |
| % of those who listen to the radio |
Car | 56 |
Home | 41 |
Workplace, university | 20 |
Dacha (countryside) | 18 |
Public transport (tram, trolleybus, bus, electric train, etc.) | 15 |
In the street (including garden plot, field, while walking, etc.) | 14 |
Café, club, bar | 2 |
At somebody’s place | 1 |
Other place | 4 |
What is your favorite radio station? (open-ended question, up to 3 answers, % of those who listen to the radio; shown are answers by at least 1% of respondents) | |
| % of those who listen to the radio |
Russkoe Radio | 15 |
Europa Plus | 14 |
Dacha | 12 |
Dorozhnoe Radio | 12 |
Mayak | 12 |
Avtoradio | 11 |
Retro FM | 10 |
Chanson | 7 |
Radio Rossii | 6 |
Yumor FM | 6 |
Ekho Moskvy (Echo of Moscow) | 5 |
Vesti ФМ | 4 |
Nashe Radio | 4 |
Radio Energy | 4 |
Love Radio | 3 |
Novoe Radio | 3 |
Radio Vanya | 3 |
Comedy FM | 2 |
Komsomolskaya Pravda | 2 |
Radio Maximum | 2 |
Militseiskaya Volna | 2 |
Radio 7 na Semi Kholmakh | 2 |
Radio Record | 2 |
Serebryany Dozhd (Silver Rain) | 2 |
Local radio station | 2 |
Business FM | 1 |
DFM | 1 |
Radio Zvezda | 1 |
Kazak FM | 1 |
Monte Carlo | 1 |
Orpheus | 1 |
Radio Mir | 1 |
Hit FM | 1 |
Relax FM | 1 |
Detskoe Radio | 1 |
Radio Dozhd (TV Rain) | 1 |
Radio Jazz | 1 |
Other | 20 |
Don’t know | 10 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!