Commercial radio is ‘force for good’

The public value of commercial radio for audiences is stronger than ever, with the medium standing out as the most trusted of all channels.

This is according to a report, from commercial radio industry body Radiocentre, Commercial Radio: A Force for Good, which was presented at a parliamentary event on Wednesday.

At a time when trust in information and institutions is declining, Radiocentre highlighted how commercial radio stands out as a trusted medium, with 69% of respondents stating they trust news from radio as factual and true, compared with 27% for social media and 42% for newspapers.

Moreover, the medium was underlined as a brand-safe, regulated and reliable environment for both listeners and advertisers.

The report explored five ways that commercial radio provides public value.

Companionship and connection

Commercial radio’s reach was noted as a key pillar, with access to 40m people each week.

The human connection that commercial radio provides was also highlighted, as it is able to fulfil a variety of different needs, in particular companionship and entertainment, with in-car listening accounting for 26% of total radio listening.

Moreover, with 300 licensed commercial radio stations and over 50 brand extensions covering a range of decades and genres, commercial radio is able to appeal to a variety of audiences, with 71% of listeners being from a lower socioeconomic group.

As journalist and The News Agents host Emily Maitlis said at the Commons event: “In an age where we talk about the loneliness epidemic, radio becomes a place that makes your home feel full.”

Supporting economic growth

The report noted that commercial radio generates around £683m in gross valued added to the UK economy and supports 12,340 jobs.

Commercial radio’s total revenue reached £737m in 2024, a 3% increase from 2023, suggesting continued growth.

It also invests in UK talent, skills and content, supports the music industry and promotes live events.

Safe environment for advertisers

Radiocentre noted how the broader advertising-funded audio landscape, which includes radio, podcasts and ad-supported music streaming, reaches 76% of UK adults weekly, with an audience that has grown by 5.3m over the past six years.

Citing data from Thinkbox’s Profit Ability 2 study, the study found that commercial radio offers a short-term profit return on investment for advertisers at £2.49 for every £1, behind only print. This puts commercial radio’s short-term contribution to advertisers at an estimated £1.8bn.

With online accounting for almost a third (32%) of all commercial live radio listening, the report also highlighted opportunities for advanced targeting based on behavioural and in-market data such as location, interests and habits.

Finally, the fact that it is an Ofcom-regulated medium marks it out from channels such as social media. In fact, Radiocentre found that people exposed to radio advertising within a campaign are 32% more likely to trust a brand.

News and information

According to Radiocentre, radio is the number one source for accessing news in the morning, cited by 79% of respondents.

In fact, with news avoidance on the rise, radio’s appeal as a news source has grown — 40% of participants reported relying more on radio for news and current affairs than they did in the past. This is even more so for younger listeners (55%), ethnic minorities (49%) and people who identify as neurodivergent (48%).

Meanwhile, podcasts have become more popular for listeners to consume in-depth audio news and current affairs content. Again, this is more pronounced among younger demographics, who have increased their podcast consumption here more than the average population.

Charitable effect

Commercial radio also plays a major part in supporting good causes.

Radiocentre pointed out that commercial radio raised £27m for charity in 2024, as a strong “call-to-action” medium.

At the same time, stations donate airtime for emergency appeals.

Meanwhile, commercial radio also actively supports initiatives focusing on mental health and wellbeing, and promotes local community events.

Supporting the industry

The commercial radio industry is asking the government and policymakers to support commercial radio and audio in the following ways:

• Secure access to radio online and in vehicles by implementing powers within the Media Act.
• Ofcom should prioritise the quality and relevance of the local news content provided by commercial radio, rather than impose.
• Safeguard the BBC by ensuring it continues to deliver public value in ways that complement — not duplicate — the commercial sector, particularly ahead of the 2027 charter review.
• Unlock further economic growth by streamlining regulation and modernising outdated requirements, including working with the Financial Conduct Authority to simplify rules on terms and conditions in radio advertising.

The report was based on first- and third-party data sources, including Rajar Q1 2025 figures and a quantitative survey conducted by Differentology involving a nationally representative sample of 3,037 regular commercial radio listeners.