Rajar Q2 2024: Top takeaways
Rajar Q2 2024 analysis
The Q2 Rajar figures are out and commercial radio broadcasters have reacted with jubilance over continued growth in commercial radio listening.
Commercial radio increased its audience by 2% compared with last quarter, notably surpassing 40m weekly listeners for the first time.
Global, the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster by listenership, added 1m total listeners across its portfolio for the second quarter in a row — a development that Global founder and executive president Ashley Tabor-King called “simply incredible”.
“It’s fantastic news for our creative industries that radio and audio is thriving in this way, with more people listening than ever before,” he said. “The ease of connected listening on smart speakers and quality apps like our own Global Player is helping to fuel growth, alongside consistent, innovative, quality content.”
Bauer Media Audio UK CEO Simon Myciunka applauded the “reach, resilience and reinvention of commercial radio” in reaction to the record-breaking figures.
During the quarter, Bauer rebranded 16 stations across England and Wales to Hits Radio and debuted an ad campaign to promote the brand starring presenters including Fleur East.
“It’s our team’s commitment to excellence, coupled with smart distribution and investment, that drives our success,” reflected Myciunka.
Here are four takeaways from the Q2 Rajar results.
What next for Bauer and radio? Interview w/ Simon Myciunka, CEO of Bauer Media Audio UK
Commercial’s share of listening grows compared with BBC
Commercial radio now counts a combined 40.5m listeners — a new record.
It has also grown its share of radio listening relative to the BBC. There now exists a stark gap: whereas commercial radio has a record 55% share, the BBC is now on 42.6%.
Commercial radio has substantially increased its share of listening over the past two years amid an exodus of talent from the BBC. Since Q2 2022, commercial radio’s share of listening has risen six percentage points and shows little sign of slowing down.
>> ‘Exceptionally positive’ outlook as commercial radio surpasses 40m listeners
Bauer’s Bruce bonus flatlines
Since Ken Bruce joined Bauer’s Greatest Hits Radio in April 2023 to host its mid-morning show, the station has seen a significant and persistent uptick in audience growth.
Indeed, in the past year, Greatest Hits Radio has grown listenership by 33.7% during the mid-morning time slot.
However, in Q2, Bruce’s show finally saw a dip in audience for the first time since he joined — a modest 2% decline.
The change suggests the “Ken Bruce effect” might well have plateaued a year after he joined Bauer.
Global’s Jordan North effect
On the other hand, Global’s Capital Breakfast may have its own “effect” on its hands, as the show was a big winner in Q2 following the addition of former BBC Radio 1 presenter Jordan North. Since joining at the start of the quarter, that show grew weekly listenership by 10.2% to 2.8m.
James Rea, Global’s chief broadcasting and content officer, offered praise to the effort: “Congratulations to Jordan North and the whole Capital team for a truly outstanding result.”
Overall, The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2 remains the biggest programme in this time slot.
>> Jordan North boosts Capital Breakfast
Smart speaker listening still growing
Smart speaker listening has continued growing over time and now amounts to 17% of all listening.
The proportion of smart speaker listening is higher for commercial radio, now accounting for over one-fifth of all commercial radio listenership (20.8%), according to audio industry trade body Radiocentre.
That is up considerably from the same period last year (+3.4 percentage points).
>> Smart speaker growth leads digital to record share of listening