Commercial radio grows as Radio 1 loses ground

Claire Billings,

October 25, 2001

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Commercial radio grows as <BR>Radio 1 loses ground

LONDON - The latest Rajar figures for the July-to-September period show a general increase in listeners for commercial national radio, eroding former ratings juggernaut Radio 1's audience, which continues to slip away.

BBC Radio 2 ratings continued to rise, hitting 12.2m from 10.2m last year, while its market share increased 1.7%, as the combination of old favourites such as Terry Wogan alongside younger names such as Jonathan Ross, Jools Holland and Mark Lamarr continues to appeal to a wide audience.

The recent rebranding of LondonLive to BBC London 94.9 appears to have helped reverse the decline which has beset the station since its relaunch from the much-loved GLR. Its weekly reach rose 115,000 on the September 2000 quarter and its market share increased by 0.2%.

Shares in Capital Radio Group climbed 2.6% to 692.5p as Capital 95.8fm and Xfm stations appeared to be reaping the benefit from the decline of Radio 1, which has lost 249,000 from its weekly reach falling to 11.2m.

Capital 95.8fm gained 99,000 rising to 2.9m, up from 2.8m on the last September quarter's figures, and London alternative music station Xfm increased its reach by 48,000 to 443,000 from 395,000 following a TV advertising campaign.

Capital announced this morning that it has acquired a 19% stake in Tainside, which owns black urban radio station Choice FM. Choice's weekly reach rose to 356,000 from 271,000 last year, while its market share increase by 0.9%.

Chrysalis-owned Heart FM's weekly reach rose to 13,741, while GWR's Classic FM achieved its highest reach of 6.4m, sending GWR shares up 13.2% to 210p.

Virgin Radio increased its weekly reach to 3.7m from 3.6m. This was helped by the news that Steve Penk, who took over the breakfast show from former presenter and station owner Chris Evans, has attracted an audience of 2m and 300,000 more listeners than Evans did during his first quarter at the station. This news nudged parent company SMG's shares up 0.5% to 106.5p.

Emap rose 1% to 648.5p as Kiss 100 FM saw its reach grow marginally by 29,000 to 1.5m and Magic's reach rose to 2.4m nationwide, while their respective market shares increased by 0.8% and by 0.3% to 5% each.

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