As per the latest IRS data released recently, Radio Mirchi has once again emerged as the number one FM broadcaster in Delhi and Mumbai, as well as in the top 8 metros taken together. IRS 2017 was released recently by industry non-profit Media Research Users Council (MRUC) after a gap of nearly 4 years.
In Mumbai (including Vasai-Virar), Mirchi is heard by 25.4 lac people weekly while in Delhi NCR, it is heard by a whopping 44.6 lac people, leading its nearest competitor in these two cities, Big FM, by 21% and 20% respectively. Taken together, in the top 8 metros that include Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune and Hyderabad, Mirchi leads with 1.45 crore listeners, 32% ahead of the number 2 player Red FM. In the 7 metros that Radio City is present in (except Kolkata), Mirchi leads it by 46%. In the 7 metros that Big FM is present in (except Pune), it leads it by 28%.. In the 6 metros that Fever FM is present it, Mirchi leads it by 65%
Mirchi also leads nationally with 2.9 crore listeners. In Bangalore and Hyderabad, Mirchi’s second channel, a Hindi onecalled Mirchi 95, pulls in an9.6 lac listeners. In Ahmedabad, Pune, Jaipur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Surat and Nagpur, Mirchi’s second channel, Mirchi Love has pulled in 19.5 lac listeners.
As per MRUC, nearly 20 crore people in India listen to FM radio every month, split nearly half-half between urban and rural areas. Radio listenership grew by 13% in urban areas since the last research in 2014.
An important highlight of FM radio’s listenership is its premium listener profile. As many as 45% of listeners in the top 8 markets belong to the premium class, NCCS A. These listeners are the most prime audiences for advertisers. Even at a national level, NCCS A listeners are at 29%, nearly double of their share in the population. A reason for the high profile of radio listeners is listenershipinside cars. As many as 25% of listeners in the 8 metros consume radio on their car stereos, a big jump since 2014.
