Rajar Q3 2023: BBC claws back share of listening

The BBC has taken some share of listening back from commercial radio, a small buck of a trend that has been happening for the previous three quarters.

All BBC radio stations registered a 43.8% share of listening, up from 43.2% last quarter and down from 46.7% last year.

This is compared to all commercial radio which recorded 54.1% share of listening, down from 54.5% last quarter and an increase on 50.9% last year.

For the third consecutive quarter, commercial radio reported its highest ever audience reach of 39.3 million, or 70% of the population. This is an increase of 2.9% year-on-year from 38.2 million in Q3 2022.

Meanwhile, BBC radio stations reached 31.7 million, or 56% of the population.

All UK radio’s weekly audience stayed consistent last quarter with 49.5 million people or 88% of the population) for Q3 2023.

Quarterly Rajar surveys also include on-demand music and podcast service listening, with this latest report finding 21.18 million adults aged 15+ listen to an on-demand music service and 11.25 million to a podcast once a week or more.

This marked a small quarterly decline for both mediums, but an increase year-on-year.

BBC Radio 2 remained the biggest individual station in terms of reach, remaining mostly flat on last quarter, and down 6.8% year-on-year.

Global, which comprises Capital, LBC, Heart and Smooth, remained the largest commercial radio group in terms of weekly reach and share, with 24.9 million weekly listeners. This was mostly consistent with last quarter and a 4.2% increase on the same period last year.

Meanwhile Bauer Media Audio UK which includes Absolute Radio, KISS, Magic and Greatest Hits Radio Network, reached 22 million weekly listeners, an increase of 3.2% quarter-on-quarter and 11.3% year-on-year.

Bauer stations like Hits Radio and Great Hits Radio made the largest quarterly and yearly gains in reach ranging between 5.5% and 76.9%.

Please note that all RAJAR listening figures from Q3 2021 have been calculated using a modified survey methodology and this should be considered when making comparisons against historical data. More here.