China’s radio industry is forecasted to demonstrate stronger growth when compared to the United States. Predictions show a compound annual growth rate of 2.8 percent between 2018 and 2023 for China, while the United States is projected to experience a decline of 0.3 percent per year between 2022 and 2027.

According to a statistic from 2018, the most popular radio station in China is Chinese National Radio’s the Voice of China, with an impressive number of about 993 million times of listening in that year. This staggering figure truly reflects the immense popularity and reach of this radio station among the Chinese population. The Voice of China has captivated the hearts and ears of millions of listeners, making it a true powerhouse in the radio industry of the country. Its captivating content and diverse programming have undoubtedly struck a chord with the audience, solidifying its position as the top radio station in China.

The annual revenue of the commercial radio stations in China is not easy to find, as most of the radio stations are state-owned or affiliated. However, according to one source, the total radio industry revenue in China was 2.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2018, and was projected to grow by 2.8 percent annually until 2023.

Another source estimated the revenue of radio and television networks in China to be around 1.24 trillion yuan (about 186 billion U.S. dollars) in 2022, with advertising contributing over 330 billion yuan (about 49 billion U.S. dollars). These figures may include both commercial and non-commercial radio stations, as well as other media services.

It depends on how you measure the size of the radio industry, but based on the revenue data, it seems that the U.S. radio industry is still bigger than China’s. According to one source, the U.S. radio broadcasting companies generated an estimated total revenue of 21.9 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, while another source estimated the radio industry revenue in China to be 2.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2018. 

However, China’s radio industry is projected to grow faster than the U.S., with a compound annual growth rate of 2.8 percent between 2018 and 2023, while the U.S. radio industry is expected to decline by 0.3 percent annually between 2022 and 2027.