Commercial radio is continuing to increase its number of listeners,
according to the latest Rajar figures.
An average audience of 32.2 million listened to commercial radio during
the second quarter between April and June, up from 31.5 million year on
year. The 2 per cent rise is the highest recorded by Rajar. However,
commercial radio's share of listening is down year on year from 47.2 per
cent to 46.6 per cent. The BBC grew its share year on year from 51.1 per
cent to 51.3 per cent.
The figures also show that listeners tuned in to radio for an average of
3.48 hours a day. However, for commercial radio this figure was less
than two hours a day.
Commercial radio stations performed solidly with Virgin Radio increasing
its reach from 2.6 million in the first quarter to 2.8 million. However,
it is down year on year by 100,000 listeners.
Capital 95.8 FM increased its audience by 100,000 year on year to 2.8
million.
Listening hours were up by 14 per cent during the quarter.
Capital's Xfm station showed an impressive rise, with a year-on-year
increase of 11.5 per cent to 494,000 listeners, while talkSPORT
increased its number of listeners slightly, up 100,000 year on year to
2.2 million.
Classic FM's audience reached 6.3 million, also up 100,000 year on
year.
The chief executive of the Commercial Radio Companies Association, Paul
Brown, said: "Radio is playing an increasingly important role in the
media diet of the UK population. It is able to do this because of the
innate character of the medium, which makes it a complementary activity
to daily life."
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