RAJAR Results: Q4 2003: National Commercial Climbs

The latest RAJAR listening figures for the fourth quarter of 2003 reveal a slightly lacklustre performance for All Commercial Radio, which saw its share of listening decline by 0.9% points period on period to just above 45%. Meanwhile, All BBC extended its lead by a further 1.1% points to just under the 53% mark, despite recent predictions that the Corporation would be hit by increasing competition from the commercial sector (see Abramsky Claims Future Of Radio Is Under Threat).

All National Commercial held firm in the three months to December, with its share of listening inching up by a nominal 0.1% point period on period to 9.6%. However, this was tainted by All Local Commercial, which suffered a 1.1% decline during the fourth quarter. BBC Local Radio also saw its share of listening drop during the same period and Other Listening dipped by 0.1% points to 1.9%.

The picture remains largely unchanged in a broader year on year analysis with All Commercial Radio seeing its share of listening dip by 0.2% points and All BBC rising by 0.4% points in the same three month period. However, All National Commercial managed a healthy 2% points increase in its share of listening, against a 2.2% points decline for All Local Commercial. Meanwhile, BBC Local, BBC Local Radio and Other Listening remained virtually static during the fourth quarter of 2003.

Period on period analysis of weekly reach reveals that All Radio inched up by 0.5% to almost 44 million in three months to December. Within this, All Commercial suffered a slight 0.1% decline to 31.5 million and All BBC recorded a more impressive 0.8% increase to just above 32 million.

The fourth quarter of 2003 proved to yet another impressive period for All National Commercial, which experienced a solid 2% period on period increase in weekly reach to 12.7 million. However, All Local Commercial proved less fortunate with a 1.3% decline to just above 26 million during the same period.

BBC Local and BBC Local/Regional both saw their weekly reach increase by fairly significant margins during the three months to December. However, Other Listening faired poorly with its weekly reach slipping by 5% during the same period to just under 2.5 million.

The picture changes quite significantly in year on year analysis with All Radio seeing its weekly reach decline by 1.1% in the fourth quarter. All Commercial suffered a notable 1.3% drop, but this was overshadowed by a sharper 2.1% dip for All BBC during the same period.

Things were notably more positive for All National Commercial, which experienced an impressive 22.6% uplift in weekly reach as the number of new digital stations continued to increase. Meanwhile, All Local Commercial recorded a 4.5% year on year decline during the three months to December and all BBC Local Radio suffered a more significant 6.4% drop during the same period.

Other Listening saw its weekly reach decline by 15.3% year on year during the three months to December 2003.

RAJAR data for the fourth quarter of 2003 paints a positive picture of average hours per listener, which rose virtually across the board in year on year analysis. All Local Commercial experienced a 1.4% decline, but this was offset by a healthy 3.8% year on year increase for National Commercial. Meanwhile, All BBC recorded a 3.5% year on year improvement to 17.8 hours per listener and BBC Local Radio rose by a more significant 5.3% to just under 12 hours per listener. The most notable increase was seen by Other Listening, which improved by 10.8% year on year to an average of just over 8 hours.

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