BBC Radio 2 Sees Weekly Reach Increase

The latest RAJAR figures, for Q1 2008, show that BBC Radio 2 had the highest weekly reach of all the national stations, at more than 13.6 million listeners, up almost 2.9% year on year and 6.3% period on period.

Not far behind it was BBC Radio 1, with a reach of around 11 million listeners. It too was up both year on year and period on period, by 4.9% and 3.5% respectively.

BBC Radio 4’s reach hit more than 9.5 million, following a period on period rise of around 2.9%.

BBC Radio FIVE LIVE was up more than 2.5% year on year, giving it a weekly reach of around six million listeners.

TalkSPORT enjoyed a year on year increase of around 5.5% year on year, to take its total to nearly 2.5 million listeners.

There was a relatively large dip in reach for Classic FM, down by almost 10.8% year on year to just over 5.6 million, although it was up slightly period on period, by almost 0.6%.

Total XFM (UK) had a tough month, down both period on period and year on year, by almost 7.4% and more than 10.6% respectively, to leave it at just over one million listeners.

There were big period on period and year on year increases for pop music station The Hits, up almost 15.2% and 34.5% respectively. It now has a weekly reach of more than 1.5 million.

Total Heart (UK) was up 9.9% year on year, to 3.4 million listeners, while Total Kiss Network grew by around 6.5% to nearly three million.

Likewise, Total Magic also experienced a year on year upturn, of 1.5%, giving it a total of 3.2 million listeners, not far behind Total Heart (UK).

There was somewhat of a decline for GCap Gold Network UK, which went from more than 1.2 million listeners in Q4 2007, to 913,000 in Q1 2008, a period on period fall of more than 26.5%.

Meanwhile, Total Smooth Radio grew 7% period on period, to almost 2.4 million, while Galaxy Network UK hit 2.6 million after a year on year increase of almost 3.2%.

BBC Radio 2’s share of listening increased both year on year and period on period, by almost 4.5% and 5.1% respectively, giving the station a total share of 16.5%.

There was a slightly larger year on year increase for BBC Radio 1, up 5% to around 10.5%, while BBC Radio 4 remained static year on year, with a share of just over 12%.

Also recording a rise in share was BBC Radio FIVE LIVE, which grew by around 9.5% to reach 4.6%.

Sports, news and current affairs station TalkSPORT now has a share of listening of around 2% following period on period and year on year downturns of 5%.

Classic FM’s share of listening dipped to 3.7%, with a year on year and period on period fall of almost 12%.

Galaxy Network UK remained static period on period, although it suffered a downturn of around 15.8% year on year, leaving its total share at around 1.5%.

It was a pretty good quarter for Total Smooth Radio, which was up 5% on last quarter, to give it a 2.1% share.

Total Heart (UK) recorded a share of listening of 2.3% in Q1, down from 2.4% in Q4 2007.

Total Magic’s share now stands at 2.1% after a dip of around 4.5% year on year, while Total Real Radio was down almost 5.9% year on year, to around 1.5%.

BBC Radio 4 had an average hours per listener figure of over13 hours per week, following a period on period rise of more than 2.3%.

BBC Radio 2, at 12.5 hours, remained static both year on year and period on period.

Speech station Total LBC (inc digital listening) saw its average hours rise more than 7.8% period on period, from 11.5 in Q4 2007, to around 12.5 hours in the first quarter of this year.

BBC Radio FIVE LIVE enjoyed an increase of almost 4% on last period, giving it a total of almost eight hours.

There was a very healthy increase for Sunrise Radio National, which enjoyed a rise of more than 11.8% year on year, to take its total average hours per listener figure to 8.5 hours.

Also on the up in the first quarter were Life, which reported a year on year increase of 44.8% and Gcap Gold Network, which grew 21.9% year on year.

Life now has a total average hours per listener figure of more than 9.5 hours, while Gcap Gold Network’s is around nine hours.

Joining those stations with an increase in its average hours per listener was Total Choice (UK), up 12.3% year on year to almost 7.5 hours.

The Arrow (UK) was up both period on period and year on year, by almost 9.4% and 14.7% respectively. It now has an average hours per listener figure of seven hours.

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RAJAR: 020 7292 9040 www.rajar.co.uk