The National Campus and Community Radio Association (NCRA/ANREC) says a new national survey it’s commissioned affirms that campus and community radio is a growing source of trusted media.
Conducted by Abacus Data from June 26 to July 2, the survey of 1,500 Canadians found that nearly one-third (32%) regularly (10%) or occasionally (22%) listen to campus or community radio—a significant increase from 2017 when that number was at 19% and up from 26% in 2022. Among Canadians aged 18-29, regular (15%) and occasional (33%) listenership rises to 48%, which NCRA/ANREC Executive Director Barry Rooke says illustrates its unique appeal to younger audiences.
“These numbers show that our sector is more relevant than ever,” said Rooke, in a release. “We reach listeners that mainstream media often doesn’t—including newcomers, Indigenous communities, youth, and people who prefer to hear local voices and languages.”
By gender, slightly more men than women are listening to community radio, with 12% of men regular listeners and 23% occasional vs. 9% and 21% respectively. Listenership is also higher among immigrants to Canada with 13% of newcomers listening regularly and 26% occasionally vs. 10 and 21% of those born in Canada. Regular and occasional listeners are also more likely to identify as a visible minority (45% vs. 29%).
By province, those in B.C. (14%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (13%) and Ontario (12%) regularly listen the most. Those in Alberta listen the least regularly at eight per cent. Campus and community radio listeners also tend to be higher income earners, with 28% of occasional and 15% of regular listeners making $75,000 to $100,000 annually. Forty-seven per cent of occasional and regular listeners hold union membership, while 14% of regular and 26% of occasional listeners are university educated.
The study also found the majority of regular listeners are active in their communities (23%) and lean slightly to the right politically (13%) vs. 10% (centre) and 9%, who said they are politically left on the spectrum.
The Abacus survey indicates that campus and community radio is a destination for news among regular listeners with 18% turning to it as their lead choice for world affairs, 20% for local news, and 16% for national news.
NCRA/ANREC is calling on parliamentarians to recognize the sector’s unique contribution to Canadian media and support the Community Radio Fund of Canada (CRFC) proposed Community Radio Initiative (CRI) calling for consistent federal support for the sector.
“We aren’t just playing music. We’re building community resilience, fostering local journalism, and helping keep democracy accessible,” said Rooke. “Every dollar invested in this sector is a dollar invested in media that reflects Canada’s full diversity.”
