Rajar Q2 2014: Digital

Today Rajar announced that 90% of the adult UK population (15+) tuned in to their selected radio stations each week in the second quarter of 2014 – down by approximately 270,000 adults on the same quarter of the previous year.

Listening to radio via a digital platform has played a key role in the increase, with a weekly reach of 27.5 million people now tuning in to radio via a digitally enabled receiver.

In total, 26 million adults have access to a DAB receiver, up 7% year on year.

Digital listening hours remain high for Q2 2014 with 378 million hours being listened to in an average week.

DAB radio is still the most popular device when it comes to listening digitally, accounting for 65% of all digital hours. Listening via a digital television represents 13% and listening online 17% of all digital listening hours.

22% of adults claim to listen to the radio via a mobile phone or tablet at least once per month, up 51% year on year.

36% of 15-24 year olds claim to listen to the radio via a mobile phone or tablet at least once per month, up 25% year on year.

The share of all radio listening via a digital platform now stands at 36.8% compared to 36.6% on the previous quarter. The share of listening to DAB has increased by 1% YoY to 24.1% of all listening (23.9% in Q2, 2013).

In terms of social media, 21% of the adult population currently receive updates about their favourite radio station/presenter, with the figure rising to 38% of 15-24s.

“Digital listening held steady in Q2 2104 but there has been a huge shift in radio listening over the last few years,” said Ford Ennals, CEO of Digital Radio UK. “This is highlighted by the decline in analogue listening to 56.6% which is even more extreme in home, where analogue and digital listening share are now nearly equal.

“For digital listening to increase to the next level will require significantly more growth in digital listening in car, as well as for local DAB coverage to be expanded towards FM equivalence and for more national digital-only stations to be launched.”