RAJAR Results – Digital Payoff

Michael Hedges October 27, 2005

In 18 months the percentage of UK households with digital receivers has nearly tripled to 10.5%, according to the Q3 RAJAR radio audience survey released this morning (October 27). Listening via digital TV has risen to 35.1%, internet to 13.5% and mobile phone to 6.1%.

This digital payoff seems to have benefited the BBC. Total listening to BBC channels rose in Q3 2005 to 54.6%, up just slightly, but Radio 1 increased to 9.4% of all listeners from 8.6% one year on. Radio 4 is also up slightly while Radio 2 fell to 15.6% from 16.1%. BBC 1’s increase is at least partially due to better breakfast (morning) show performance. On the digital side, BBC World Service, 1XTRA and BB7 increased audience share.

For commercial channels nationally both Heart and Magic bumped up, Classic FM dropped and TalkSport was essentially unchanged.

In London it’s another flip-flop between 95.8 Capital FM, crashing to a 5.1% share from 7.2% year on year, and Heart, up to 6.4% from 5.4%, and Magic, up to 5.3% from 4.8%. KISS 100 FM also took a hit, dropping to a 3.5% share from 4.5%.

For both Capital FM and Heart the key seems to be those breakfast shows, Capital FM dropping about 10% in weekly reach year on year. With all the other changes taking place at GCap, one or two more won’t be noticed.

The RAJAR Q3 survey period includes June 27th through September 18th 2005.