Page 13 - Sphere No.5 (Feb 2002)

University of Hong Kong Public
Opinion Programme, the channel
ranked top in October 2001 in radio
audience numbers (27% of respon-
dents). The channel also scored the
highest ratings for its performance in
terms of speed of news delivery and
the level of professionalism of its pro-
gramme hosts—far higher than com-
peting channels.
Advertisers are happy to know
that a significant proportion of the
channel’s audience is aged between
30 and 49 (59%) and nearly half of
them are professionals, managers,
executives or owners (47%) with high
incomes and greater purchasing
power. About 48% has a personal
monthly income of HK$20,000 or
above while 43% have a university
education.
The survey results, Sung reveals,
match the forecasts. “Our focus
groups were spot on. They provided
us with a precise picture of what our
future listeners should look like—and
we got them.”
Apart from on-air programmes,
the younger generation. The partici-
pants, all university students, played
simulated stock-buying games and
performed company analysis, dis-
playing deep knowledge and savvy
investment sense.
Metro Finance is constantly build-
ing on the success of its brand and
listener loyalty. “We would not be
surprised to hear a Metro Finance
Club in the future,” envisages Sung.
“That would be our long-term goal.”
Metro Finance has made an impact
not seen before in Hong Kong’s broad-
casting industry. What makes it all the
more remarkable has been the speed
with which it has achieved its goals. But
even as the champagne corks pop to
celebrate its first anniversary this
February, Metro Finance has no inten-
tion of resting on its laurels.
“We’ve made some aggressive
growth forecasts for 2002 that far
exceed our already booming ratings,”
Sung says. As The Year of the Snake
draws to a close, the Year of the
Horse will see Metro Finance gallop-
ing to a higher level. Stay tuned.
Metro Finance also organises many
off-air events to foster loyalty among
listeners. Three investment seminars
held in 2001 were jam-packed with
over a thousand people attending,
hungry for personal investment advice
from high-profile hosts and speakers.
The channel also hosted a Young
Investor Gala competition in August
last year to capture the attention of
The channel
also scored
highest for
the level of
professionalism
of its programme
hosts .
MILTONWONG