Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) continues to attract a larger digital radio audience than any other radio group, with four of its stations in the top 10 of GfK’s DAB+ Digital Radio Report 3 for 2016.

According to the report, which was released today, SCA’s Buddha Radio has experienced the largest audience rise and is again the most listened to non-retail aligned digital radio station (Coles Radio took top sport with 151,000 listeners), with an audience of 139,000 across the five mainland state capital cities.

The 80s iHeartRadio (Australian Radio Network) finished third with 119,000 listeners, followed by SCA’s Classic Rock Digital (113,000 listeners), and ARN’s The Edge Digital (104,000 listeners).

Despite only being in the market for only 65 per cent of the ratings period, SCA’s Oldskool Radio and Easy Radio finished sixth (96,000 listeners) and seventh (91,000 listeners) respectively.

Koffee (NOVA Entertainment) was eighth with 91,000 listeners, while ARN’s The 90s iHeartRadio came in ninth with 82,000 listeners and Macquarie Media’s News Talk Sport rounded out the top 10 with 76,000 listeners.

The report also revealed that the audience reach each week for digital radio is now at 27 per cent of Australians (3.6 million) in the five mainland state capitals – up from the last report’s figure of 26.3 per cent (3.5 million).

SCA’s head of digital radio, Adam Willscroft, said it is very encouraging to see a further increase in audience for digital radio across the country.

“SCA’s suite of digital radio stations provide a unique offering for our listeners, with Buddha sounding worthy of a ratings rise,” he said.

“Our two newer stations, Easy Radio and Oldskool Radio, have done tremendously well given they were launched during this ratings period, and we expect further growth as they continue to build an engaged and connected audience.”