Today’s RAJAR results demonstrate the enduring popularity of commercial radio, with 38.1m listeners and 507m hours (+5.3% YoY) each week (+3.6% YoY). Bauer Media Audio UK is celebrating record numbers again this quarter, having grown its total audience to 21.6m (+5% YoY), including a record performance from the Hits Radio Brand Network.
The Bauer network includes 3 of the Top 5 digital only commercial stations (KISSTORY, Absolute 80s & Planet Rock), and standout performances this quarter include:
- The Hits Radio Brand Network, which is comprised of the Hits Radio and Greatest Hits Radio Networks, grows its reach to 10.1m (+20.2% YoY). When partner stations are included, it is the UK’s biggest commercial network, with record reach of12.2m (+22.3% YoY)
- The Hits Radio Network grows audiences 17.3% YoY to reach 6.6m and with Fleur East securing her finalist position on BBC 1’s Strictly Come Dancing, the Hits Radio Breakfast Show grows to 455k (+28.5% YoY and +13.2% QoQ)
- The Greatest Hits Radio Network has another record performance at 4.4m (+31.4% YoY), with Simon Mayo growing the reach of his Drivetime show to 1.5m (+18.7% YoY)
- The Absolute Radio Network has 5.2m reach and is home to the No.1 commercial Drivetime Show which reaches 2.1m (+1.7% YoY), and the ARIA award-winning Dave Berry Breakfast Show which grows reach to 2.2m (+1% YoY)
- The Magic Radio Network is up on the quarter to 3.8m reach, with record reach for Magic Chilled at 448k (+70.3% YoY) and brilliant performances for Magic Soul at 418k reach (+45.6% YoY) and Mellow Magic at 556k (+37.6% YoY)
- The KISS Network has 4.2m reach, including No.1 commercial digital station, KISSTORY and KISS Breakfast with Jordan & Perri has increased reach this quarter to over 1m
“This RAJAR offers further proof that this is an ambitious new era for commercial radio,” said Dee Ford CBE, who earlier announced that she would be stepping down as Group Managing Director of Bauer Media Audio UK, to spend more time with family. “Bauer Media Audio’s record success is built on the unique spirit of radio –creative content, amazing talent and authentic connection with audiences – supercharged by digital innovation. We are perfectly placed for a hugely exciting future.”
Ben Cooper, Chief Content and Music Officer, Bauer Media Audio UK, added: ‘I’m delighted that Greatest Hits Radio, the new home of Ken Bruce, has just achieved a record-breaking number of listeners, increasing its audience by nearly a third, with huge wins for Rossie on Breakfast and Simon Mayo on Drivetime. And Fleur East enjoys her Strictly Come Dancing success as she helped Hits Radio reach a record 6.6million listeners.’
Alongside the addition of Ken Bruce – who takes PopMaster with him – Bauer also recently announced the creation of Scotland’s first national commercial radio station, with the merging of a number of existing platforms under a local rebrand.
Custody of PopMaster aside, it was also a strong RAJAR quarter for the BBC, which saw live and on-demand listening growing for BBC Radio and BBC Sounds, including 7.1m listeners alone tuning in for the Zoe Ball Breakfast Show.