Rajar Q2 2016: Round-up

National stations and networks

Global, Bauer and BBC stations continue to reach the greatest number of listeners each week, with a 2.1% increase over the quarter seeing Total Global Radio secure an impressive 22.7 million.

TGR’s performance was modest in comparison to some, however, with Bauer Radio Total – the next best performer – up 7% over the period to 17.8 million.

Similarly, BBC Radio 4 (including 4 Extra) and BBC Radio 4 were up 8.7% and 8.9%, respectively.

Meanwhile, BBC Radio 2’s weekly reach declined slightly over the period (-1.4%), while BBC Radio 1 was down -4.6% quarter on quarter and -9.4% year on year.

Elsewhere, Wireless Group (including national stations) saw an impressive 15.3% uplift in weekly reach after the addition of TalkRadio,T2 and Virgin to its portfolio, while Global’s LBC Network (UK) was up 12.3%.

Read the full breakdown here – including reach, station share and hours per listener.

Digital

Almost six in 10 UK adults now listen to the radio via a digital platform – with digital listening hitting 473 million hours each week.

DAB has a 71% share, while digital TV stands at 11% and online (including apps) an 18% share.

Read the full digital breakdown here.

Breakfast

National

A quarter that featured a historic political decision and a calamitous sporting outcome had a clear impact on the UK’s radio listening figures – for better or worse.

No doubt helped by its coverage of the EU Referendum, BBC Radio 4’s breakfast show was up a healthy 8.7% compared with the previous quarter to 7.35 million, while also increasing its audience by 10.1% over the year.

Those in mourning over Britain’s decision to actually leave the EU perhaps turned to Classic FM for some calm, which was up 14.7% quarter on quarter to 1.7 million listeners.

talkSPORT also did very well in the second quarter, with the Euro 2016 Championship boosting the station’s breakfast audience by an impressive 26.7%.

The UK’s favourite breakfast show, hosted by Chris Evans over on BBC Radio 2, was down marginally – dropping -2.6% of its listeners quarter on quarter and -2.3% over the year. The slot still draws in just under 9.5 million listeners each week.

Meanwhile, Nick Grimshaw’s BBC Radio 1 breakfast show plateaued in Q2 with no quarterly change; however, the three and a half hour slot was down by almost -7% year on year.

Radio X Network, formerly XFM, was down -10.6% QoQ.

London

BBC and Global stations performed well in the London breakfast market, with BBC Radio London up by a huge 41% compared with Q1.

A 20.3% increase in listeners over the quarter saw Global’s LBC 97.3 bump Bauer’s Magic from the third spot, with 741,000 listeners tuning in each week.

Global’s Heart London, the fourth most popular breakfast slot, was up 13.6% to secure 694,000; however it suffered one of the more hefty yearly declines, down -21.8%.

Despite a very small -2.7% decline over the quarter, Capital London remains the top choice for 1.13 million loyal listeners.

Not such good news for Bauer contenders, with Kiss London recording an -11.7% quarterly decline and Magic London down -6.5% quarter on quarter and -25.1% year on year.

Alongside the economy and the hopes and dreams of Britain’s youth, Brexit clearly took its toll on people’s faith, with 62% turning their backs on Premier Christian Radio.

Dilse 1035am is also well worth a mention after reporting a huge 1,250% increase in listeners over the quarter – from 4,000 to 54,000.