As voters in Northern Ireland make their way to the polling stations today for the Local Council Elections, RAJAR* has published the most recent radio listening figures.
Downtown Country is the clear star of this release, year-on-year almost doubling its reach (those who tune in each week) and hours, from 105,000 to 193,000 adults and 687,000 to 1,289,000 respectively with its share of all radio listening upping from 2.5 to 4.6. Stablemates Downtown Radio increased reach from 285,000 to 289,000, but hours fell to 2,470,000 from 2,759,000 (share now 8.8 from 10.1); and Cool FM hit the upward trend with 489,000 from 440,000 in reach and 3,446,000 from 3,104,000 in hours (share 12.3 from 11.4).
Elsewhere in the Commercial sector, U105 increased its reach from 198,000 to 221,000 in Greater Belfast with hours down from 1,955,000 to 1,520,000 (share 5.4 from 7.2). In their DAB-only area, a 28,000 reach (was 29,000) and 156,000 hours (was 176,000); and share there went from 1.5 to 1.3.
Q Radio had similar mixed fortunes, with reach at 216,000 (was 228,000) and hours up from 1,151,000 to 1,220,000 (share 4.3 from 4.2).
BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle saw significant falls by all three measures compared with the same time last year; a new reach of 456,000 from 527,000, of particular note as this cedes the leader in reach position to Cool FM, with hours being 5,079,000 from 5,780,000, and share 18.1 from 21.2.
The combined performance of the aforementioned stations allows their percentage figure of all radio listening hours to be calculated. This now stands at 54%, a drop of 3 percentage points on a year ago.
My next RAJAR blog, due in August, will mark exactly ten years since the very first one, and comparisons across the decade should be illuminating. During that time I also provided links to a blog published by Paul Easton, who in turn graciously directed his readers to mine. It was a shock to learn that Paul passed away suddenly earlier this year. He was one of the early pioneers in Independent Local Radio, working behind the scenes in the major London stations and subsequently as a programming consultant. We met and chatted often at Radio events where his extensive knowledge and dedication to the medium shone through. A good guy who will be greatly missed.
*RAJAR is compiled by Ipsos-MORI
Note: each station is quoted within its own Total Survey Area.
Downtown Country is the clear star of this release, year-on-year almost doubling its reach (those who tune in each week) and hours, from 105,000 to 193,000 adults and 687,000 to 1,289,000 respectively with its share of all radio listening upping from 2.5 to 4.6. Stablemates Downtown Radio increased reach from 285,000 to 289,000, but hours fell to 2,470,000 from 2,759,000 (share now 8.8 from 10.1); and Cool FM hit the upward trend with 489,000 from 440,000 in reach and 3,446,000 from 3,104,000 in hours (share 12.3 from 11.4).
Elsewhere in the Commercial sector, U105 increased its reach from 198,000 to 221,000 in Greater Belfast with hours down from 1,955,000 to 1,520,000 (share 5.4 from 7.2). In their DAB-only area, a 28,000 reach (was 29,000) and 156,000 hours (was 176,000); and share there went from 1.5 to 1.3.
Q Radio had similar mixed fortunes, with reach at 216,000 (was 228,000) and hours up from 1,151,000 to 1,220,000 (share 4.3 from 4.2).
BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle saw significant falls by all three measures compared with the same time last year; a new reach of 456,000 from 527,000, of particular note as this cedes the leader in reach position to Cool FM, with hours being 5,079,000 from 5,780,000, and share 18.1 from 21.2.
The combined performance of the aforementioned stations allows their percentage figure of all radio listening hours to be calculated. This now stands at 54%, a drop of 3 percentage points on a year ago.
My next RAJAR blog, due in August, will mark exactly ten years since the very first one, and comparisons across the decade should be illuminating. During that time I also provided links to a blog published by Paul Easton, who in turn graciously directed his readers to mine. It was a shock to learn that Paul passed away suddenly earlier this year. He was one of the early pioneers in Independent Local Radio, working behind the scenes in the major London stations and subsequently as a programming consultant. We met and chatted often at Radio events where his extensive knowledge and dedication to the medium shone through. A good guy who will be greatly missed.
*RAJAR is compiled by Ipsos-MORI
Note: each station is quoted within its own Total Survey Area.
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