Interview with Janine Escribano from Swiss Radioworld
“Why Radio is and remains indispensable in the media mix”
In mid-January, Mediapulse AG published the semester figures on Radio usage for the second half of 2025. We asked Janine Escribano, Head of Operations Swiss Radioworld, what the figures mean for the Radio market in general and for advertising clients in particular.
The new Mediapulse figures are available. From your perspective, what is the most important message for the advertising market?
The most important message is clear: Radio works – and very consistently. Despite the partial FM switch-off at the beginning of 2025, Radio reaches 93% of the population over the age of 15 every week. That’s almost 7 million people. At the same time, those who use Radio listen for an average of 110 minutes per day. A compelling combination of Reach and usage intensity.
Many had expected stronger slumps after the FM switch-off. How do you classify the development?
The figures clearly show that these concerns were unfounded. Across all individuals, the daily listening time is around 76 minutes – roughly the same as in the previous year. This shows that Radio is firmly anchored in everyday life. The distribution channels are changing, but usage remains robust. For advertisers, this primarily means planning security.
There is talk of a market shift in favor of private Radios. What does that mean specifically?
We are seeing a sustainable shift, not short-term effects. Private Radio stations were able to expand their Reach compared to the previous year and continue to gain in importance. This is a strong signal for the commercial Radio market. Private programs impress with proximity, relevance and clear profiles – and that is exactly what appeals to the audience.
And what does this development mean specifically for the Radio market?
That the trends that were already visible in the first half of 2025 have been confirmed for the rest of the year. Even after the structural changes in the distribution channel, Radio remains a strong medium with high Reach and broad, intensive and stable usage. At the same time, private stations are clearly benefiting from the market shift and have been able to expand their Reach compared to the previous year. And because the stations are currently delivering more performance than is fully capitalized in the market, Radio advertising is becoming even more attractive.
How would you describe the role of Radio in the media mix in 2025?
Radio is a strategically relevant channel. It reaches people every day, accompanies them over long periods of time and builds trust. In a fragmented media environment, Radio delivers exactly what brands need: reliability, Reach and impact. The current Mediapulse figures impressively confirm this.
Your conclusion for advertising clients?
Radio is and remains a strategically relevant channel in the changing market environment with high planning security, stable usage and attractive performance values: Reliable, effective and with a high impact.
The current figures are a clear argument that Radio advertising is indispensable in a successful media mix.
