Radio listening grows as digital takes hold

The latest radio listening figures are out this morning showing that 90% of the UK population tuned in every week, with almost half having done so via a digital platform.

This survey covers the Quarter between 17th September and 16th December 2012.

RAJAR has also revealed 22m adults now have access to a DAB receiver, up 6% year-on-year, however, the biggest growth is in mobile phone usage. 19% of adults have listened to radio via their mobile, which is up 28% year-on-year.

Locally, this has been demonstrated with Smooth Radio seeing almost half (45%) of its listeners tune in via digital, 28% of those through DAB radios.

For Real and Smooth Radio, the North West continues to attract a big audience with 1.27m adults tuning in. In the North East, Smooth has 439,000 listeners each week, up 29,000 over the Quarter, while Real gained 43,000 listeners to 638,000.

“After last quarter’s extraordinary success I am thrilled we have grown our reach and hours and the group has finished 2012 with record audience figures. Smooth goes from strength to strength and continues to be commercial radio’s runaway success story”, said Real and Smooth Limited group programme director, John Simons.

Bauer, meanwhile has also seen listening figures rise for its Place portfolios in the North. In the North East, reach has risen from 718,000 to 731,000 and in the North West from 1.325m to 1.329m. The Place Portfolio of stations includes Key 103, Metro Radio, Rock FM, Hallam FM and Viking.

Magic has witnessed a decline though with listening figures of 671,000 over the period, down from 711,000 in the previous quarter. Only Magic Hull showed significant growth.

At the BBC, there have been increases in reach for Radio Cumbria, Radio Lancashire, Radio Merseyside and Radio Newcastle.

Survey Period – Q=quarter; H=half year, y=year

Source: RAJAR/Ipsos-MORI/RSMB, period ending 16th December 2012.