The BBG has released its audience estimate for 2013. With 206 million people tuning in or logging on each week, the audience is at an all time high — more than doubling in the past ten years…
BBG Broadcasters include Voice of America, Middle East Broadcasting Networks’ Alhurra and Radio Sawa, Radio Free Asia, Radio and TV Marti, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
BBG broadcasters reached an estimated 206 million people each week in 2013, up from 175 million in 2012.
Providing news and information in 61 languages across more than 100 countries, the audience estimate is an all time high — and represents a more than doubling of the 100 million people the broadcasters reached in 2000.
The year-over-year increase of 31 million was fueled largely by increases in Latin America, where Voice of America adopted a new strategy, and in Pakistan, where VOA’s Urdu service successfully launched new programming initiatives.
But increases also came as a result of BBG broadcasters offering content on more platforms. For the first time, the BBG’s television audience outweighed its radio audience – 110 million and 109 million, respectively. Further, the BBG’s digital and mobile audience increased to 22 million, up from approximately 12 million in 2012.
Affiliations and syndication continue to play a major role in reaching audiences worldwide. 65% of the BBG’s television audience and 45% of it’s radio audience is reached via affiliates.
The audience estimate takes into account that some audience members consume news on more than one platform, and in some cases, more than one BBG broadcast brand. Thus the 206 million is an unduplicated reach figure.
In terms of regional composition, 28% of the BBG’s audience comes from sub-Saharan Africa, with Europe/South-Central Asia next at 24%, South East Asia at 19%, Middle East/North Africa at 15% and Latin America at 14%.
Each estimate features year-over-year gains and losses in various countries as conditions change in the local market. For example, audiences have slid somewhat in Afghanistan and throughout much of the Middle East as the media market has become more crowded and competitive. Elsewhere, political turmoil can result in the loss of BBG affiliates or the ability to measure audiences altogether. It is, for example, not possible to research in Cuba, and some Central and South East Asia countries at the level needed to provide statistically sound audience estimates.
Largest Audiences by Country
Largest Audiences as a Percentage of Population
The data for the 2013 audience estimate come from surveys of adult (age 15+) populations in more than 90 countries conducted around the world over the past 5 years. More than 80% of these surveys were conducted with the previous two years. Additional information available at BBG.gov.