DAB Reaches Over 15% Of Households

The latest RAJAR data shows the digital revolution in full swing in Q2 2006, with increasing numbers of people listening to their favourite stations via a variety of digital platforms.

The potential UK digital radio audience has increased again from 25.5 million adults (51.1%) in Q1 to 27.1 million adults (54.3%) in Q2.

The latest figures reveal that 15.3% of the population live in DAB households, up from 13.6% in Q1, while 22.8% have listened to the radio via the internet in Q2, compared to 20.8% in Q1. Listening via DTV has also grown, by 6.6% to 38.9% in Q2.

In addition, 38.9% claim to have listened via digital television, compared with 36.5% in the previous quarter.

By applying the platform shares from the new RAJAR Platform 2006 Survey to hours reported in digital households on RAJAR Q2 2006 results, RAJAR says that 13.6% of all UK radio listening is now via a digital platform.

Listening via mobile phones also increased, with nearly 10% of adults with a mobile phone claiming to use the device to listen to the radio, an increase on the 8.8% recorded in Q1 2006.

In addition, over a fifth of 15-27 year-olds with a mobile phone listens to music over their handset.

RAJAR also released figures on MP3 player usage, stating that 25.8% of adults now own an MP3 player, compared with 23.7% in Q1, while 2.8 million claim to listen to music or other audio on it everyday, and 8.8 million every week.

For the first time, RAJAR has released data on podcasting, saying that 1.9 million (14.8% of MP3 player owners) use their MP3 player to listen to downloaded radio programme podcasts.

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