BRC’s RAMS reaches 29,380 respondents, surpassing three-wave target and nearing full annual sample of 36,000

the new Radio Audience Measurement Survey (RAMS) has now passed 29,000 respondents (Image source: © 123rf 123rf )

Following the successful completion of the first three waves of fieldwork, RAMS has achieved a cumulative sample of 29,380 respondents, exceeding the three-wave target of 27,000.

This means that more than 75% of the designed annual reporting sample of 36,000 respondents has already been completed.

Wave 4 fieldwork is currently underway and is expected to conclude at the end of September 2026.

Its completion will mark an important milestone for the new measurement system, providing the first complete annual sample on which the new RAMS currency has been designed.

From rebuilding to currency

The completion of Wave 4 represents more than another fieldwork milestone. It will complete the first full annual sample for the new RAMS and provide the industry with the depth of data required for the next stage of the currency's development.

BRC’s CEO Gary Whitaker says the progress represents an important milestone for South Africa's radio industry.

"When we embarked on the new RAMS, our objective was not simply to replace the previous survey. We wanted to build a radio measurement currency that reflects South Africa today and provides the scale, methodological rigour and stability required by broadcasters, agencies and advertisers.

"With almost 30,000 respondents already represented across the first three waves, we are now approaching the completion of the first full annual sample.

“That is an important milestone, not only for the BRC but for the entire radio and advertising industry.

“The focus throughout this process has been on getting the foundations right. A trading currency carries a significant responsibility, and it is important that the industry can have confidence in the methodology, the sample and the governance behind the numbers.”

Building the foundation for a robust radio currency

The new RAMS was commissioned by the BRC to establish a robust, independent and future-focused radio audience measurement currency for South Africa. GfK, an NIQ company, was appointed by the BRC to design and deliver the new service, bringing established audience measurement expertise and experience from markets internationally.

The study has been designed around a large national sample of 36,000 respondents per annum, providing the scale required to measure South Africa's diverse radio market across demographic groups, provinces and geographic areas.

The first three waves of RAMS fieldwork were conducted by GfK between September and November 2025, January and March 2026, and April and June 2026 respectively.

Importantly, the sample has continued to strengthen as successive waves have been added, with improvements in representation among demographic groups that required additional sample development, including White respondents, males and people aged 55 and older.

The RAMS sample is deliberately disproportionate across metropolitan, urban and rural areas to ensure sufficient sample sizes for meaningful analysis within different population groups.

The resulting data is then weighted to restore the correct population proportions and ensure that the final outputs are representative of the South African population.

A picture of South Africa

Beyond its role in measuring radio audiences, the scale of RAMS provides a detailed view of South Africa's population aged 15 and older.

The RAMS universe currently represents approximately 45.3 million South Africans aged 15+.

Of this population:

• 49% are male and 51% female
• 22.4% are aged 15–24
• 23.2% are aged 25–34
• 21.8% are aged 35–44
• 13.9% are aged 45–54
• 9.6% are aged 55–64
• 9.0% are aged 65+

The population is also geographically diverse. Gauteng represents approximately 26.7% of the 15+ population, followed by KwaZulu-Natal at 18.9%, the Western Cape at 12.8% and the Eastern Cape at 10.8%.

Limpopo accounts for 9.4%, Mpumalanga 8.0%, North West 6.5%, Free State 4.8% and Northern Cape 2.1%.

This data set gives media planners, agencies and advertisers a current, evidence-based view of the South African population that extends beyond radio listening alone.

Designed for South Africa

RAMS uses a combination of face-to-face recruitment and digital data collection to ensure that different parts of the South African population can participate in the study.

Across the first three waves, 85.3% of diaries were placed face-to-face, while 14.7% were placed through online panels.

This blended approach is important in a market as diverse as South Africa, where levels of connectivity and digital participation differ considerably across geographic and demographic groups.

The methodology is supported by a comprehensive weighting framework designed to account for the disproportionate sample design and ensure that the final data reflects the underlying population.

What happens next

The BRC will provide further information on the RAMS release programme following completion and validation of Wave 4.

This will include confirmation of the timeline for the next stage of reporting, building on the methodological review process the BRC has followed throughout the RAMS development.No radio audience, listening or station-level data is being released as part of this update.

The purpose of this communication is to provide the market with an update on the progress of RAMS and the development of the population and sample foundation underpinning the new currency.

The BRC thanks broadcasters, media agencies, advertisers and research partners for their continued engagement and support as RAMS is established to the highest standards of audience measurement governance and technical rigour.