Rajar Q1 2015: Digital

Listening to radio via a digital platform – in terms of weekly reach – now exceeds over half (54%) of the UK adult population according to the latest Rajar findings, issued today (21 May).

28.6 million people (aged 15+) now tune in to radio via a digitally enabled receiver – DAB, television or online – each week, with the share of all radio listening via a digital platform now standing at 39.6%, up from 36.6% for the corresponding period last year.

The share of listening to DAB has increased by 8% year on year to 25.9% of all listening (23.7% in Q1, 2014).

Digital listening in an average week now stands at 403 million hours. DAB radio is the most popular device, accounting for 65% of all digital hours (26% of total hours). Listening via TV currently represents 12% (5% of total hours) and listening online 17% (7% of total hours) of all digital listening hours.

22% of adults claim to listen to the radio via a mobile phone or tablet at least once per month, up 20% year on year.

The decision to fit new cars with DAB radios is also paying off, with growth of 52% of digital listening in cars (to 16% of in-car listening).

“The surge of digital listening to almost 40% share is a landmark moment for digital radio, and shows the achievability of the 50% listening criterion set by Government for a radio switchover,” said Ford Ennals, CEO of Digital Radio UK.

“In the UK we are changing the way we listen to radio and you can see the shift to digital listening across dual transmission and digital stations. In London and in homes across the UK, listeners are choosing to listen to more radio on digital than on AM/FM, which demonstrates that radio’s future is definitely digital.”

Top digital stations

The leading dual transmission stations for digital listening are BBC World Service (75%), Absolute Radio (59%), Kiss (52%), Gold (49%), BBC Radio 5 live (47%) and BBC Radio 3 (45%).

The leading digital-only station is now BBC Radio 4 Extra, which increased reach by 31% to 2.17 million listeners, overtaking BBC Radio 6 Music which increased by 7.1% to 2.06 million listeners. BBC Radio 6 Music stayed ahead of BBC Radio 4 Extra in listening hours.

Bauer digital stations Absolute Radio 80s, Planet Rock and Kisstory all recorded record reach levels with 1.45 million, 1.24 million and 1.13 million listeners respectively.

Overall, analogue listening declined to 54.3% (down 6.5%) and in-home analogue listening to 44.2% (down 6.2%), vs in home digital listening at 47.1% (up 4.6%).