Q4 Rajar Figures: National Radio Stations

The latest Rajar figures reveal that the BBC has extended its lead over commercial radio to 1.3%. The BBC obtained 49.6% of total audience share, compared with commercial radio’s 48.3%. BBC’s radio share is up more than 2% year-on-year.

Year-on-year each of the five BBC national networks experienced a share rise. Radio 1’s share is up amongst the target 15-24 year olds by a percentage point quarter-on-quarter and 4 percentage points year-on-year. However, Radio 1’s reach was down to 10.7 million from 11.2 million in the previous quarter. Sue Farr, controller of marketing at the BBC, said that some listeners in the 25 to 34 age group had defected to Radio 2, but not to commercial radio.

Radio 2 share is up to 12.8% this quarter. This is a rise of half a point on the previous quarter result. Radio 2’s year-on-year share is up 1.2% and its reach rose to a two-year high of 8.8 million. The station’s strategy to attract more ’40-somethings’ has paid off; an additional 250,000 45-54 year-olds tuned into its programming this quarter.

It was also a good quarter for Radio 3, its reach remains stable at 2.6 million and the audience share hit 1.2%, the highest-level for any non-Proms quarter for three years. Meanwhile, Radio 4 continues to attract over 8 million listeners every week. Share is up 10.7% and the total amount of listening is up 3% year on year. 5 Live has seen its reach rise quarter on quarter from 4.8 to 5 million and its share remains steady at 3.1%.

Overall all, national commercial radio saw its share of listening fall from 10.7% to 10.1. Atlantic 252 and Virgin Radio both saw their listener shares fall. Atlantic’s share fell by 0.6% to 2.7% and Virgin’s share fell from 2.9% in quarter 3 to 2.4% in quarter 4. Classic FM’s share was down 2 percentage points quarter-on-quarter to 3.2%, while Talk Radio increased its share to 1.9% an increase of 0.4% on the previous quarter.

Subscribers can access the Rajar figures for this quarter by clicking here.