A Monash University report has for the first time quantified the economic contribution of community radio to Australian music, estimating that community radio music stations generate about $153 million in added value to the music industry each year.
The report, titled Community Radio and Australian Music: Building the Music-Media Ecosystem and dated May 2026, found that community radio stations broadcast more than double the volume of local music played by commercial networks.
According to the figures cited in the witnesses, 1.6 million Australians discovered a local or emerging artist through community radio last year, and more than 1.3 million of those listeners went on to buy merchandise, music or gig tickets.
More than one million Australians say community radio is the only broadcaster playing the music they want to hear, the report's figures show. Listeners described in the research are not passive audiences, and the report characterises them as people who feel genuinely connected to what they hear.
The report also records 136,687 volunteer hours logged across the study's case stations in an average year. The witnesses state that this volunteer training is equivalent to the cost of a one-year Diploma qualification.
Monash University Associate Professor Shane Homan described community radio as the vital infrastructure holding up the broader Australian music industries. He said that, as global streaming algorithms prioritise what is popular over what is meaningful, community radio remains one of the few spaces where local voices are genuinely heard and where artists at the start of their careers get a chance.
Homan's comments point to a distinction between the two kinds of listening the report describes. Listeners on community radio are not simply fed what an algorithm has decided they want, and the stations give emerging artists exposure that streaming services do not reliably provide.
Separate research cited in the witnesses, the 2025 Radio and You Survey coordinated by CMAA and carried out with Compass Polling, examined the views of listeners, employees, volunteers and sponsors of Christian radio. The survey states that listeners report growth in faith, deeper engagement and stronger spiritual habits, and that others describe improved wellbeing, a greater sense of hope and more confidence in their decisions.
The survey also found a sense of connection among listeners, who described feeling part of something bigger, building relationships and responding in practical ways to what they hear on air. It states that Christian radio continues to provide trusted information and reassurance during challenging times.
The survey reports that employees and volunteers speak of increased confidence, new skills and a deeper sense of purpose through their involvement. For sponsors, it says, the findings reinforce Christian radio as a meaningful and effective way to reach audiences and build relationships.
The report's findings put a measurable figure on a contribution that has previously been described mainly in qualitative terms. Its value for Australian music lies in the combination of the $153 million estimate, the audience reach and the volunteer labour that sustains the stations.
5
