Radio listening remains high with 46.7 million adults a week, or 89.8% of the UK population, tuning into their favourite radio station in the last quarter of 2011, according to the latest RAJAR figures released this month. Here is a summary of the results from commercial radio.
Absolute Group
The Absolute Radio Network has significantly increased by over a quarter (+27%) year-on-year, taking the station to 2.8 million reach and steady quarter-on-quarter (-1.0%).
Bauer
Bauer Place Portfolio continues to perform well, led by Magic 105.4 which beats BBC Radio 2, recording second highest ever reach in London. Kiss leads Bauer Passion Portfolio’s growth with 5.8% year-on-year reach rise nationally.
Digital
Listening to digital platforms is now at 29.1%, up 16.4% year on year.
Global
95.8 Capital FM secures a seven year high in listener numbers, with 2.3 million weekly listeners, up from 2.2 million last quarter.
GMG Radio
Year-on-Year growth for Smooth Radio UK and Real Radio brand - almost 5.6 million adults tune into a GMG Radio station each week – an extra 376,000 year on year - and Smooth Radio’s digital audience approaches 1 million adults each week.
Planet Rock
Planet Rock increased total listening hours by 9.5% year on year to 6,186,000 becoming the most listened to commercial digital station in the UK. Planet Rock has now topped 6 million listening hours for 2 consecutive quarters and again shown increased listener loyalty with average hours of 7.6, up from 6.8 a year ago.
Global and Clear Channel Team Up
In other news, Heart and Capital owner Global Radio has recently partnered with Clear Channel UK and US to create an exciting new media opportunity which sees both companies combining their radio and outdoor assets for advertisers.
The first such partnership occurred on Friday 3rd February to premiere Madonna’s brand-new single and video Give Me All Your Luvin.
The campaign includes the new single airing on Global Radio network Capital FM across the UK, Clear Channel and partner radio stations around the world and simultaneously the full music video playing on Clear Channel’s spectacular billboards and more than 1600 digital displays in the UK, US, France, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Singapore, Belgium and Finland.
The partnership means clients reaching more than 150 million people around the world simultaneously.
In the lead-up to the premiere, Clear Channel ran a series of countdowns on over 500 digital displays across the UK and Capital FM ran pre promotions across its network during Friday morning.
Ashley Tabor, Founder & Executive President of Global Radio said: “This is an unprecedented partnership between Clear Channel and Global Radio. The combined worldwide reach of over 150 million people, as well as the innovation of combining radio & digital outdoor, together with the geographical spread of this initiative, is truly eye watering.”
