Local commercial radio made gains in its listening share for the March 2000 RAJAR period, rising 0.2% to 38.6% over the reporting period. At the same time the sector’s overall weekly reach was the second highest growth sector, climbing 3.4% to 27 million listeners. Average hours, however, remained static at 14.8 per listener per week.
The following tables shows the best and worst performers, in terms of weekly reach and share of listening, of the local commercial stations broadcasting outside London. The Wireless Group had the best performing and worst performing stations in terms of reach: Big AM, which broadcasts in the north-west of England, showed the greatest increase in reach, climbing 71%; its sister station in the Stoke-on-Trent area came bottom of the list, dropping 29% in its weekly reach figure.
Top/Bottom 10 Weekly Reach (000s) % Change
Station
Survey Period
Ending Dec 1999
Ending Mar 2000
% Change
Big AM (was 1458 Lite AM)
H
52
89
71.2
Classic Gold 1431/1485
H
42
67
59.5
Champion FM
Y
18
26
44.4
Oak FM
Y
17
22
29.4
WABC Classic Gold
H
70
90
28.6
City Beat 96.7
H
108
138
27.8
107.7 The Wolf
H
48
59
22.9
Downtown Radio
H
256
314
22.7
Rutland Radio
Y
14
17
21.4
Pulse
H
202
245
21.3
Magic 1170
H
98
86
-12.2
Ritz Country 1035 (was Country 1035)
Q
158
134
-15.2
Magic 1161
H
106
89
-16.0
Classic Gold GEM Derby
H
98
82
-16.3
96.6 Oasis FM
H
39
32
-17.9
Classic Gold 792 (Bedford)
H
43
35
-18.6
Classic Gold 954/1530
H
43
34
-20.9
Surf FM
H
43
33
-23.3
Magic 1548 AM/MW
H
185
138
-25.4
Big AM (was Signal Two)
H
93
66
-29.0
Top/Bottom 10 Share Of Listening % Point Change
Station
Survey Period
Ending Dec 1999
Ending Mar 2000
% Point Change
Champion FM
Y
8.3
12.7
4.4
Orchard FM
H
24.3
28.6
4.3
Central FM
Y
14.9
18.5
3.6
Rutland Radio
Y
13.7
17.3
3.6
Southern FM
H
19.5
22.3
2.8
Q102.9
Y
19.9
22.6
2.7
Lantern FM 96.2
Y
18.7
20.9
2.2
2CR FM /Classic Gold 828
H
14.8
16.9
2.1
Signal One
H
20.9
22.9
2.0
Metro FM
H
24.4
26.3
1.9
The Pulse/Big AM
H
19.6
17.5
-2.1
Valleys Radio
H
12.9
10.7
-2.2
96.3 Aire FM
H
15.5
12.9
-2.6
Spirit FM
Y
14.0
10.6
-3.4
Lincs FM 102.2
H
28.7
25.0
-3.7
Minster FM
H
16.8
12.6
-4.2
Borders
Y
38.1
33.8
-4.3
Clyde 1 FM
H
28.9
24.3
-4.6
Bay
H
24.9
19.4
-5.5
MFM 103.4
H
17.1
11.3
-5.8
Two stations reported for the first time in this RAJAR survey. Scotland’s Beat 106 took a 5.5% share of listening and had a weekly reach of 334,000 listeners; Ridings FM, which broadcasts in the West Yorkshire area, had a 12.5% share of listening and an average weekly reach of 58,000.
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