Commercial radio listening hits record level as online audience grows
Commercial radio stations secured record audience numbers in the second quarter, thanks to a surge in online listening.
More than 36.1m people tuned in to commercial radio in the UK over the three-month period, with share of listening hours rising to 48 per cent.
Read more: UK ad spend defies economic gloom to hit £6bn as online radio drives growth
The growth was driven by the surging popularity of online and in-app listening, as more and more people use mobile devices and smart speakers to listen to the radio.
The share of listening on connected devices rose by more than a third year-on-year, according to the latest figures from Rajar.
UK commercial radio has enjoyed a boom over recent years, with top stations splashing out to lure in big-name talent and celebrity hosts.
Heart raised eyebrows last month when it tapped Britain’s Got Talent start Amanda Holden to co-host its breakfast show, despite her lack of experience in radio.
But the investment in star hosts appears to be paying off, with media giants Global and Bauer both increasing their reach.
Global subsidiary Capital boasts the largest breakfast commercial show by audience, and is now only 1.5m listeners behind the BBC’s hit Radio 1 breakfast show with Greg James.
“It’s turning out to be a yet another good year for commercial radio, with consistently strong audience numbers,” said Siobhan Kenny, chief executive of Rajar parent company Radiocentre.
“Of course, this is also good news for advertisers, who will see the growth in online and in-app listening as opportunities to reach their audiences in newer, often more tailored ways.”
Figures released earlier this week by Warc and the Advertising Association revealed a 26.5 per cent in advertising spend on online radio in the first quarter, as brands tap into burgeoning radio audiences.
It comes as the BBC ramps up its investment in podcasts as it looks to adapt to changing listener habits and fend off a decline in listener numbers across the majority of its stations.
“The national broadcaster’s total share of listening has dipped to just under half for the first time since records began, which could signal a consumer shift to commercial stations,” said Howard Kosky, founder and chief executive of broadcast agency Markettiers.
“Meanwhile, major commercial players such as Global and Bauer have been strengthening their offerings to include a strong emphasis on digital.”
Read more: BBC appoints new Radio 4 controller as it doubles down on Sounds
Separately, a report by Ofcom warned that more work must be done to improve diversity across the UK’s radio industry.
The regulator found that women are still under-represented at senior levels, while the representation of disabled people and people from minority ethnic backgrounds in radio has changed little over the last year.
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