Insight Analysis: Latest RAJAR Figures Show BBC Stations Eating Into Commercial Sector

This is the commercial sector’s lowest share since the new RAJAR methodology was introduced in March 99. At the end of June 99, commercial and state-owned stations were neck and neck, each taking a 49% share of listening overall, but the last eighteen months have seen the BBC eat into the commercial market’s share.

National commercial stations have been the greatest casualty, their weekly audience reach falling 13% since March 99. The decline of the AM waveband is largely to blame: of the four UK national commercial services (excluding digital), Atlantic 252 and Virgin Radio have experienced the worst falls. Atlantic has lost over 50% of its weekly reach since March 99; Virgin Radio’s reach has slipped 27% since then.

Of the two national commercial stations on the FM waveband, Classic FM is the only one to hold onto its weekly audience. In a year on year analysis the station increased its weekly reach by 5.2%. Its share of listening over this period also rose, from 4.3% to 4.7%.

Such an upturn was not mirrored in the fortunes of its parent company, GWR, however. The UK’s largest commercial radio operator with a total 51 stations included in this RAJAR survey, the group saw 34 of these decline in a year on year analysis.

The Wireless Group, which owns the fourth national commercial station, TalkSport, saw 9 of its 17 stations decline over the year. TalkSport lost just 2.3% of its weekly audience, which now stands at 84,000. The biggest decline in this group, however, again came from its AM stations. Yorkshire’s Big AM station lost 34% of its weekly reach while the reach of its sister station in Staffordshire fell 57%.

Of the remaining large UK radio groups, Emap and UKRD saw two-thirds of their stations decline during the period, while only 12% of DMG stations improved their weekly reach in a year on year analysis. Only two of the major UK operators, The Local Radio Company and Chrysalis, saw more improving weekly reaches than declining across their stations.