Audience figures covering the last quarter of 2010 into the way people listen to radio in Britain revealed a trend those in the industry are watching with interest. The UK Government are keen to encourage both BBC and the Commercial Radio Industry sector to achieve a date for all radio listening in the country to migrate the familiar analogue FM and Am to digital and to replace analogue listening by 2015, although many believe realistically this will not be achieved until 2017.
Rajar Figures and Methodology
Rajar is the data and statistical gathering organisation of the radio industry in the UK paid for and jointly owned by the Commercial Radio Industry in the guise and operations of the Radio Centre, and the British Broadcasting Corporation, the BBC, so both the commercial and the publicly funded and public licence fee supported BBC sectors are represented. The survey includes:
- Coverage of some 320 individual stations
- Methodology is through a manual system of One Week Listener Diary completion
- Results are determined from a population that could receive the station – the survey area.
- Results are published quarterly
- Reach and percentage reach of individual stations are detailed
- Results can be broken down into half-hour periods
- Results also include average hours per listener, and total hours
- The survey therefore determines a share of listening.
The Initials RAJAR, are the synonym for RAdio Joint Audience Research and it is the officially recognised body, that measures radio audiences and radio listening throughout the whole of the UK. Its findings are used and quoted by the Commercial Sector to justify and in some instances determine share of commercial revenue within the sector, and by the BBC to announce listenership. By including both sectors, which was not always the case, overall radio figures for the country can be analysed with some solidity.
Rajar Data and Digital Listening
The Figures for the last quarter of 2010 show that in the UK the trend in radio listening to both the BBC and the commercial sector stations is increasingly towards listening digitally, through the various digital platforms, DAB radio sets, Digital TV and listening via the internet. The figures show:
- 25% of all radio listening is through digital platforms
- Digital listening, by weekly reach, has increased by 22.1% year on year
- Almost 21 million adults listen to digital radio each week
- Year on year figures show an increase of 3.8 million of adults listening digitally
In hours listening digitally this equates to 262 million hours for the quarter, an increase from 206 the previous quarter
- The most popular way to listen digitally, is through a DAB radio
- 43% of listeners do so digitally on a weekly basis.
Year on year similar growth is reflected in the figures, and respondents to the survey revealed listening via the internet, (up 29%), and through digital TV, (up 19%) This growth is reflected in both BBC and Commercial Radio digital listening. According to the survey, in the UK, almost 35% of the population now live in a household with a DAB radio, and this is 9% more households than the previous year. Listening at work digitally too is up with a 20% increase in such listening.
Digital Radio UK
The switch over from analogue to digital in the radio sector may not be quite so apparent, so imminent or happen as quickly as the on-going switch to digital in the TV sector in the British Isles but it is happening. The body overseeing its development and expansion is Digital Radio UK. The organisation represents a cross-section of interested parties from the BBC to the commercial radio industry trade bodies and from major commercial radio groups to the Society of Motor Manufacturers.
Its stated aim is to:”accelerate digital listening,” and its Chief Executive, Ford Ennals, commenting on the latest figures for 2010 said:
”These are extremely encouraging results and represent a real milestone in the UK’s transition to a digital future.” and he added: ”It is clear that listeners are increasingly enjoying the benefits of digital radio, including more choice, ease of tuning, exclusive content and live text.”
The Rajar figures released at the start of 2011 would seem to herald a digital radio future for the UK. How quickly a complete transition from analogue to digital radio listening throughout the country will take place with analogue broadcasting consigned to broadcasting history and replaced remains to be seen,
Dan McCurdy - Dan McCurdy is a freelance writer producer creative and lecturer. Dan is one of the UK's most experienced radio writers and producers. ...
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