Norway’s radio landscape witnessed subtle shifts in 2024, as revealed by Nielsen’s Radio Audio Measurement Report Norway 2024. While overall listenership saw a slight decline, certain demographics and listening patterns demonstrated resilience and even growth in this evolving audio ecosystem.
Nielsen PPM audio measurement made significant development changes in 2024. The PPM Wearables were gradually phased in to the measurement starting in Jan 2023, and they were fully implemented in December 2024, replacing the PPM 360 meter. In addition, an improved algorithm-based methodology for in-car radio listening detection with the PPM Wearable, was rolled out in October.
The daily net reach of radio in Norway experienced a decrease, dropping from 60.3% in 2023 to 58% in 2024. Similarly, weekly net reach saw a slight dip from 84.1% to 83.1%. This trend was consistent across most age groups, with one notable exception: listeners aged 65 and above. This demographic bucked the trend, showing an increase in daily net reach from 72.9% to 73.4% and in weekly net reach from 90.1% to 90.5%.
While the average daily time spent listening decreased from 83 minutes in 2023 to 79 minutes in 2024, the time spent listening among radio listeners remained stable at 136 minutes daily, just one minute less than the previous year. Interestingly, the 65+ age group showed increased engagement, with radio listeners in this category tuning in for an impressive 203 minutes daily in 2024.
Car radio remains a significant platform for audio consumption in Norway. In 2024, an average of 1,626,000 Norwegians (33.4% of the population) listened to radio in their cars daily. Moreover, the time spent listening among in-car radio listeners saw a substantial increase from 38 minutes in 2023 to 44 minutes in 2024.
Podcast listening maintained its popularity, with 40% of Norwegians tuning in weekly and 13% listening daily. The 20-29 age group showed particularly strong engagement, with 25% listening to podcasts daily.
Public service broadcaster NRK strengthened its position as the leading broadcaster, increasing its market share from 64.9% in 2023 to 66% in 2024. The commercial broadcaster P4-group experienced a slight decline, dropping from 23.2% to 22.1%, while the second largest commercial broadcaster Bauer Media maintained its 11.9% market share.
Headphone usage for radio listening remained steady at 9% of the population. However, the 20-29 age group saw an increase in this behavior, rising from 9% to 12% daily headphone usage for radio listening. Conversely, headphone usage for radio listening among 30-39 year old’s decreased from 13% to 9% daily in 2024.
FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) players continued to dominate the radio advertising sector, with four FMCG advertisers solidifying their positions in the top 5 list of largest radio advertisers.
Despite minor fluctuations in overall listenership, Nielsen’s 2024 measurements indicate that radio and audio consumption maintain a strong position in Norway. The medium’s enduring appeal, particularly among older demographics and in-car listeners, coupled with the steady level of podcast consumption, suggests a strong and consistant audio landscape in the country.
