The latest radio audience figures, for the three months to March 2001, showed BBC Radio notching ahead its lead over the commercial sector quarter on quarter. This is a continuation of a trend that began around a year ago when then BBC stations took their share over the 50% mark and commercial dropped back to around 46-47%. In this survey, BBC Radio’s share moved up slightly from 51.7% to 52.1%; commercial held steady at 46.0%.
For the commercial sector, this remains the lowest share of listening 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 overall listening. BBC weekly reach in the Q1 2001 survey was up 8.0% to 31.1 million, whilst commercial’s grew by 0.5% to 31.0 million.
It is useful then to look across the commercial sector and note which operators are performing strongly and which are denting the average for the industry. Since most radio operators do not report a group-wide RAJAR figure, one way to see how a group as a whole is performing is to look at how many of its stations improved or declined across the period.
This analysis shows that EMAP had the strongest portfolio amongst the large radio owners, with half of its stations improving reach. London’s Magic 105.4 did well, as did the Magic stations in Teeside, Hull and Newcastle. The Magic brand performed poorly, however, in Liverpool, Preston and Sheffield.
Of the other large groups, Scottish Radio saw 40% of its stations grow audiences. Forth AM’s reach was up 24% to 172,000, while Forth FM dipped 4% to 345,000. The group’s largest station – Clyde 1 FM – lost 22,000 listeners across the period.
The largest blow to the commercial sector came from the UK’s largest operator, GWR, which saw 71% of its 42 stations report falling audiences. Flagship national station Classic FM held steady, but Worcester’s Wyvern FM lost 23,000 listeners (19%) and Derby’s 102.8 The Ram shed 20,000 (13%).
Excepting the good performance from the national TalkSport, the Wireless Group portfolio lost more listeners than it gained, with over half its local stations showing declining audiences. Capital’s set of stations saw a slight overall growth in reach – helped significantly by London’s Xfm and Manchester’s Century 105 – but nevertheless lost listeners at 55% of its stations.
