Feature: BBC Fights Back

Radio listening in the UK is on the up. On average, each listener now tunes in for a shade under 24 hours a week, according to latest data from RAJAR. The figures show a steady rise since the beginning of 1999, when average listening was 22.4 hours. Total hours listened has risen by 10.4% in the same period, and the number of listeners has increased to around 44 million a week, up from 42.6 million in Q1 1999.

This is all good news for the industry, but as the commercial sector readies itself for the Communications Bill, it is the BBC that has made the greater gains recently. Since commercial radio nudged ahead in terms of weekly reach in 1999, the BBC has fought back strongly, led by a resurgent Radio 2. Since Q1 1999, commercial’s total hours are up by a commendable 5.2%, but the BBC’s have risen by 15.4%; commercial’s weekly reach has grown by 1.0%; the Beeb’s by 6.7%.

Commercial radio’s advertising revenue increased by 3.2% year on year during the third quarter of 2002 to £140 million.

This feature, which has been prepared and written by MediaTel Group, recently appeared in the Financial Times’ Creative Business supplement.

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