Digital Proves Popular As Listening Increases

The unstoppable march of digital radio led to some healthy increases in weekly reach for the nation’s national digital stations, with the BBC’s wide ranging portfolio reaping particular benefits.

The Corporation’s comedy and drama station, BBC 7, notched up particularly impressive listening with an increase of 56.19% year on year, pushing its audience to 631,000.

BBC music stations, 1Xtra and 6 Music, also proved successful in Q3 2005, adding 29.81% and 25% to their respective listenerships year on year, increasing weekly reach to 405,000 and 285,000.

Digital success was not limited to the BBC, however. Emap’s Mojo put in an astonishing performance to reach 205,000, adding 78.26% year on year; while Chrysalis’ The Arrow saw its reach level out period on period, but notch up a 132.35% rise year on year to 79,000.

Not all digital stations saw success in Q3, however, with Core seeing audiences dip by 20.42% on 2004. The station’s weekly reach now stands at 113,000, although this represents an increase of 26.97% period on period.

Elsewhere, The Storm saw audiences dissipating, with a 5% dip in weekly reach year on year leaving the station at just 76,000. The station should not be too downhearted, however, as this represents a rise of 15.15% in period on period comparison.

Virgin Radio’s national AM signal saw an 8.38% downturn year on year. However, the station, which has invested heavily in new talent recently (see Virgin Radio Signs Sky Sports Star), saw a 1.01% rise in period on period figures, reaching 1.75 million, and looks set to rise further as more new talent joins its schedule in the coming months (see Virgin Signs O’Connell As New Breakfast Host).

Elsewhere, Chrysalis-owned Heart, which recently rebranded east midlands-based 106 Century FM as a Heart station (see Chrysalis Widens Heart Into East Midlands), saw a 5.72% increase in reach period on period, pushing the network’s total reach to 3.26 million.

BBC Radio 2 remained the nation’s most listened to station in Q3, despite a 0.5% point dip in share year on year. The station now commands a 15.6% share, closely followed by BBC Radio 4 with 11.5%, up 0.2% points year on year.

Elsewhere, BBC Radio 1 saw the largest year on year increase in share, adding 0.8% points to total 9.4%.

The largest share of listening within commercial broadcasters went to GCap Media-owned Century Network, weighing in with 6.6%, despite a dip of 0.5% points period on period.

Chrysalis’ Galaxy Network also proved successful in Q3, adding 0.2% points to gain a total share of 1.9%.

Meanwhile several national stations suffered a decline in share during Q3, with Capital Gold Network seeing the largest downturn amongst commercial broadcasters.

The broadcaster lost 0.3% points year on year, pushing its overall share down to 0.9%, although the decline is less severe, at just 0.1% points in period on period comparison.

Emap’s Kiss also saw year on year decline, with a slip of 0.2% points. Period on period analysis reveals a slightly smaller decline, however, at 0.1% points.

Classic Gold Network’s total share of 2.2% marks a period on period increase of 0.3% points, although their figures are also down on last year.

Digital stations proved popular in Q3, with the majority seeing increased hours per listener as new DAB customers continue to discover niche stations with special interest programming.

Music stations saw healthy increases on the whole, with Planet Rock and Q adding 18.6% and 41.4% respectively year on year. The station’s average hours now stand at 5.1 and 4.1 respectively.

Meanwhile, kids station Capital Disney experienced massive growth in average hours, notching up a 158.3% increase year on year. The station’s average hours now stand at 6.2.

Elsewhere, the BBC’s digital stations saw reduced listening hours, with BBC 7 experiencing a 9.3% dip year on year to rest at 4.9 hours on average. BBC 6 Music also suffered, shedding 27.1% from its average hours in the same period.

BBC Asian Network also saw decline, as more choice for multicultural communities led to a 27% downturn year on year. The network’s average hours per listener currently stand at 6.2.

Speech-based TalkSPORT put in a good performance during Q3, notching up a period on period increase of 6.9% in average hours. LBC also has cause for celebration, with a 26.7% rise on last year’s figures. The stations now command average listening hours of 9.3 and 11.4.

The Arrow saw the largest fall in average hours, losing 53% year on year to total 3.9. The decline is even more severe in period on period analysis, slipping by a massive 61%.

RAJAR: 0207 903 5350 www.rajar.co.uk