When RAJAR* day comes round each quarter, stations hope to see increases in both reach (the number of people tuning in each week) and total listening hours.
In the latest figures just released, comparing the performance of NI stations year-on-year, only the Q Network and U105 achieved this, with respective reaches of 146,000 (up by 49,000) and 189,000 (up by 10,000), and hours increasing by 2% and 19%.
Citybeat boosted hours by 15% while reach dropped by 15,000 to 133,000.
Downtown saw reach increase by 7,000 to 297,000 as hours dropped by 12%, and with sister station Cool FM it was the converse with reach down by 7,000 to 354,000 while hours went up by 10%. The new DAB service, Downtown Country, was only on air for part of the survey period so its figures are not available.
BBC Radio Ulster experienced declines in both reach - down by 7,000 to 504,000, and hours - down by 11%.
However, local broadcasters can take comfort from the fact that despite a decrease of 8% in total radio listening hours in Northern Ireland, national services account for virtually all of this.
Given that it's now exactly 2 years since the arrival of Digital One here with 14 additional DAB stations, this result will be a tad underwhelming.
*RAJAR is compiled by Ipsos-MORI. The figures for each station relate to its own Total Survey Area.
More RAJAR analysis:
The national picture from Matt Deegan: http://www.mattdeegan.com
Paul Easton with the London perspective: http://www.pauleaston.blogspot.co.uk
In the latest figures just released, comparing the performance of NI stations year-on-year, only the Q Network and U105 achieved this, with respective reaches of 146,000 (up by 49,000) and 189,000 (up by 10,000), and hours increasing by 2% and 19%.
Citybeat boosted hours by 15% while reach dropped by 15,000 to 133,000.
Downtown saw reach increase by 7,000 to 297,000 as hours dropped by 12%, and with sister station Cool FM it was the converse with reach down by 7,000 to 354,000 while hours went up by 10%. The new DAB service, Downtown Country, was only on air for part of the survey period so its figures are not available.
BBC Radio Ulster experienced declines in both reach - down by 7,000 to 504,000, and hours - down by 11%.
However, local broadcasters can take comfort from the fact that despite a decrease of 8% in total radio listening hours in Northern Ireland, national services account for virtually all of this.
Given that it's now exactly 2 years since the arrival of Digital One here with 14 additional DAB stations, this result will be a tad underwhelming.
*RAJAR is compiled by Ipsos-MORI. The figures for each station relate to its own Total Survey Area.
More RAJAR analysis:
The national picture from Matt Deegan: http://www.mattdeegan.com
Paul Easton with the London perspective: http://www.pauleaston.blogspot.co.uk