China has become the world's second largest radio broadcasting market with more than 1,000 broadcasters for the 1.3 billion people in 340 million families, next only to the United States, according to a recent rating by Nielsen Media Research.

The rating reveals half of China's population 15 or above listen to radio broadcasts every week.

In the nation's capital Beijing, nearly half the residents listen to radio for 14.5 hours a week on the average.

In the nation's biggest city Shanghai, 93 per cent of citizens tune into radio programmes for an average 14 hours each week. The figure is close to that of other international metropolises such as Sydney and Singapore, according to Mark Neely, executive director for Nielsen's Asia-Pacific affairs.

Radio broadcasting remains an important means of communication and advertising in China despite the strong impact of the Internet and television, according to the company's rating.

This is a result of diverse and colourful programmes provided by local radio stations, as well as the growing number of private car owners in China who often tune in for broadcast news, music and other entertainment programmes while driving or riding.

News broadcasting is the most popular radio programming in Beijing and Shanghai, and the Nielsen Media Research rating shows the road traffic news of Beijing Communications Radio and the morning news of Shanghai People's Broadcasting Station draw the largest number of listeners in the two cities.

As China opens its media sector wider in line with its World Trade Organization commitments, more international broadcasters will seek to enter the Chinese market, Neely predicts.

Nielsen Media Research's listener rating is a new service in China and is conducted once a quarter. The rating, which aims to study and analyze listeners' preferences and demands, has become available in several large cities in the northern, eastern and central regions and will extend to 35 cities by the end of this year.

In another development, Nielsen Media Research's audience rating, a service that was launched in China's interior regions in 1994, is now available for television in 56 cities.

In an ambitious plan to enhance its presence in the Chinese market, the company will extend its audience rating service to more than 100 cities and cover 75 per cent of the domestic TV advertising market by the end of 2004, says Mark Grunert, executive director of the company's China arm.

(Xinhua News Agency May 10, 2004)