RAJAR Q3 2012: BBC & Commercial
The latest RAJAR figures for Q3 2012 have dropped slightly compared with the same period last year and on the previous quarter. Total radio reach is down -1.1% YoY and -0.3% QoQ at just under 47 million.
The 47 million listener mark was hit for the first time last year but this year’s quarterly releases of data have just come shy of that high.
All Radio peaked last year at 47.6 million in Q2. The last four quarters of data have been very consistent for radio’s total reach – with levels recorded in a narrow band between 46.6 million and 46.8 million.
Year on year Commercial Radio’s reach was down more than the average for all radio at -1.7%. However, Commercial Radio performed better than the average on the quarter on quarter comparison (only -0.1%). Commercial Radio’s reach is now 33.1 million – down over half a million year on year.
The reach for BBC Radio is 34.7 million which is down -0.6% year on year but up +0.6% on the previous quarter.
Weekly Reach
Like the last quarter, Q3 was a positive period for National Commercial Radio with weekly reach still above the 16 million mark and up +3% YoY and only down -0.4% QoQ.
Similarly to the All BBC Radio figure, BBC network radio turned in a positive +0.4% QoQ increase. However, BBC Local Radio continued to decline with a -5.7% decline YoY to 9 million but a stable comparative performance on the previous quarter. At the start of 2011 BBC Local Radio’s reach was 10.2 million.
This follows the BBC’s decision to drop controversial plans to share afternoon shows between its local radio stations, with the total amount of cuts halved to £8 million a year from the originally proposed £15 million.
All Local Commercial Radio (National TSA) posted an increase of +0.2% during the quarter (but down -2.3% YoY). All National Commercial Radio had a 3% increase year on year to just over 16 million; Smooth Radio 70s is now included in the figure.
The BBC’s total reach now stands at 34.7 million, while Commercial Radio’s reach sits at 33.1 million.
| Ending Sep 11 | Ending Dec 11 | Ending Mar 12 | Ending Jun 12 | Ending Sep 12 | QoQ % Change Jun 12 vs Sep 12 | YoY % Change Sep 11 vs Sep 12 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Radio | 47,137 | 46,677 | 46,676 | 46,782 | 46,623 | -0.3 | -1.1 |
| All BBC Radio | 34,863 | 34,940 | 34,594 | 34,444 | 34,655 | 0.6 | -0.6 |
| All Commercial Radio | 33,719 | 32,821 | 33,201 | 33,182 | 33,148 | -0.1 | -1.7 |
| All BBC Network Radio | 31,723 | 31,635 | 31,196 | 31,454 | 31,590 | 0.4 | -0.4 |
| All Local Commercial Radio (National TSA) | 27,036 | 26,275 | 26,533 | 26,364 | 26,424 | 0.2 | -2.3 |
| All National Commercial Radio | 15,573 | 15,441 | 15,896 | 16,101 | 16,038 | -0.4 | 3.0 |
| BBC Local Radio | 9,499 | 9,604 | 9,895 | 8,962 | 8,958 | n/a | -5.7 |
| Other Radio | 3,062 | 2,937 | 3,135 | 3,387 | 3,241 | -4.3 | 5.8 |
Share
There was little movement in share of listening for Q3 compared to Q2.
Year on year saw All Commercial Radio hold share at 43.3% and BBC Radio lose -0.3 percentage points to 54.2%.
Local Commercial Radio (National TSA) lost -1.2 percentage points YoY to 30.6% and BBC Local Radio lost -0.2 percentage points to 8.1% share.
All National Commercial Radio was the winner in share gains with a +1.3 percentage point gain YoY to 12.8%.
| Ending Sep 11 | Ending Dec 11 | Ending Mar 12 | Ending Jun 12 | Ending Sep 12 | QoQ % Point Change Jun 12 vs Sep 12 | YoY % Point Change Sep 11 vs Sep 12 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Radio | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| All BBC Radio | 54.5 | 55.5 | 55.4 | 54.3 | 54.2 | -0.1 | -0.3 |
| All BBC Network Radio | 46.1 | 46.6 | 45.9 | 46.2 | 46.1 | -0.1 | 0.0 |
| All Commercial Radio | 43.3 | 42.4 | 42.3 | 43.3 | 43.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| All Local Commercial Radio (National TSA) | 31.8 | 30.6 | 30.3 | 30.5 | 30.6 | 0.1 | -1.2 |
| All National Commercial Radio | 11.5 | 11.8 | 12.0 | 12.7 | 12.8 | 0.1 | 1.3 |
| BBC Local Radio | 8.3 | 8.9 | 9.4 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 0.0 | -0.2 |
| Other Radio | 2.2 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
Average Hours
All Radio’s average hours fell during quarter three – down -3.9% YoY and -0.9% QoQ to 21.9 per week.
All BBC radio and All Commercial Radio were down year on year and down quarter on quarter.
Average listening hours for the BBC is 16 and for All Commercial Radio the figure is 13.4.
| Ending Sep 11 | Ending Dec 11 | Ending Mar 12 | Ending Jun 12 | Ending Sep 12 | QoQ % Change Jun 12 vs Sep 12 | YoY % Change Sep 11 vs Sep 12 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Radio | 22.8 | 22.1 | 22.8 | 22.1 | 21.9 | -0.9 | -3.9 |
| All BBC Radio | 16.8 | 16.4 | 17.0 | 16.3 | 16.0 | -1.8 | -4.8 |
| All BBC Network Radio | 15.6 | 15.2 | 15.7 | 15.2 | 14.9 | -2.0 | -4.5 |
| All Commercial Radio | 13.8 | 13.3 | 13.6 | 13.5 | 13.4 | -0.7 | -2.9 |
| All Local Commercial Radio (National TSA) | 12.7 | 12.0 | 12.1 | 12.0 | 11.8 | -1.7 | -7.1 |
| BBC Local Radio | 9.4 | 9.6 | 10.1 | 9.4 | 9.2 | -2.1 | -2.1 |
| All National Commercial Radio | 7.9 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 8.2 | 8.1 | -1.2 | 2.5 |
| Other Radio | 7.8 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 7.5 | 7.8 | 4.0 | 0.0 |
MediaTel has PowerPoint presentations available to download for subscribers, featuring pre-prepared market breakdown graphs for the latest RAJAR data release –click here.