RAJAR Results Q4 2004: Radio Market Steady As Listening Hours Decline

The latest RAJAR listening figures for the fourth quarter of 2004 reveal few overall changes, with neither the BBC or commercial radio’s share of listening breaking the 1% points change barrier in either growth or decline.

The BBC saw declines period on period, however, with All BBC and All BBC Network Radio dipping by 0.4 and 0.5% points respectively. Meanwhile, All Commercial managed a 0.5% points gain period on period, pushing its total closer to 50%, while All National Commercial radio added 0.4% points to break the 10% mark. Elsewhere, both All Local Commercial and BBC Local/Regional remained relatively unchanged, adding 0.1% points to their totals.

The tables were turned in year on year analysis, however, with all BBC and all BBC Network Radio adding 1.1 and 1.0% points each, at the expense of All Commercial and All Local Commercial, which saw their share of listening dip by 1.1 and 1.5% points.

Again, BBC Local/Regional remained relatively unchanged with a rise of 0.1% points year on year, as did Other Listening, while All National Commercial saw its total rise by 0.4% points in the same period.

Period on period analysis of weekly reach shows a slight increase of 0.1% for All Radio, pushing its total to just under 44 million. Within this, All National Commercial notched up a 2% rise, topping the 13 million mark, while all Local Commercial was less fortunate, losing 1.3% but keeping its total above 25 million weekly listeners.

The BBC failed to increase its overall weekly reach in quarter four, with All BBC dipping by 0.1% while All BBC Network Radio lost 0.7% to push its total to just over 28.4 million. Other Listening saw the largest decline, losing 5.1% of its total, which now sits at just under 2.6 million.

Again, the fortunes are reversed in year on year analysis, with the BBC managing 1.4% increases in weekly reach for both All BBC and All BBC Network Radio. The Corporation’s commercial rivals were less fortunate, however, with All Commercial seeing its reach dip by 1.2% year on year, while All Local Commercial lost 3.1%, pushing its total below the 26 million mark.

The BBC’s local radio operations saw a mixed performance, with BBC Local Radio adding 1% year on year, while BBC Local/Regional saw a dip of 0.3% in the same period. Other Listening was more fortunate, adding 4.4% to its total.

The latest RAJAR data shows a downturn in average hours per listener year on year across the board, with only All National Commercial managing to avoid negative growth.

All Radio suffered a 2% decrease in listening hours, with Other Listening the worst hit, with a decline of 9.8%. All Commercial was also bruised, losing 3.2% to push its total just below the 15 hour mark. The BBC lost 1.7% of average hours from All BBC and 1.2% from All BBC Network Radio, while BBC Local/Regional escaped with the least damage, losing a comparatively minor 0.9% year on year.

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