RAJAR Quarter 3 Network Data

The Rajar data for quarter 3 1993 shows commercial radio increasing its share of listening to 41.1%. This is an increase of 3.3 % points since the first Rajar survey a year ago. The latest data also shows commercial radio’s weekly reach increasing from 53% to 56%.

Commercial Radio v All BBC

Despite commercial radio’s increase, share of listening for the 2 INR stations, Classic FM and Virgin 1215, has fallen. Classic has droppped from 2.7%, in quarter 2, to 2.4% and Virgin has dropped from 2.3% to 2.1%. The quarter 3 data is the first to include Virgin for the full survey period. In quarter 2 the station’s data was published seperately to the main survey and was also included in the other stations data within the main survey.

Classic’s weekly reach has remained at 10% while Virgin’s has fallen by 1 % point to 6%. Commenting on the latest figures Virgin’s chief executive David Campbell stressed that the station’s average hours listened has increased from 6.0 to 6.2 and said “After such a high profile launch, for total listening hours to fall back by only 8% shows very strong loyalty to the station.”

Also commenting on the latest Rajar data John Spearman, Classic’s chief executive, said “We are continuing to consolidate our overall listening figures while increasing listeners in the all-important 25-54 age group sector.”

Atlantic 252, which reaches 66% of the UK population, increased its network share of listening from 2.8% to 3%.

Commercial radio’s increase in share of listening appears to have been to the detriment of BBC Local radio, its share of listening has fallen back from 11.3% in quarter 2 to 10.4%. Of the BBC network stations Radio 1 has suffered most, its share of listening has fallen from 22.4% to 19.6% over the past year. Ironically Radio 5, which is to be replaced by a 24 hour news and sports network next April, increased its share to 2%.