Last week Rajar announced that 91% of the UK population – 48.3 million people aged 15+ – tuned in to their selected radio stations in the second quarter of 2013, up by approximately 1.5 million adults on Q2 2012. The total average number of weekly hours listened to radio for this quarter is 1.03 billion.
Daniel Todaro of Field Marketing agency Gekko comments:
The latest Rajar figures are incredibly significant for we have reached a moment many never thought would arrive: the official ‘tipping point’ for digital radio. Moreso, we’ve reached it nearly 18 months earlier than Ofcom’s estimates which predicted November 2014 as the moment the UK would pass the 50% threshold.
With radio listening figures absolutely booming, no doubt this will prove the catalyst for the government to push ahead with the digital switchover – which this week also published a new report containing very strong hints the foundations are being laid for such a move already.
However, the steady upward trajectory of digital listening – or the consumption of radio via digital formats – should pique the interests of retailers, particularly with thoughts turning to the festive season in the not too distant future.
28 million people now listen to radio digitally – and increase of 16% YoY. If you couple that with the increase in listeners overall (91% of the population), we’re seeing not just a transition but an actual growth in popularity. Thus, particularly as consumers discover new stations through different mediums (TV, in-car, mobile, desktop), there’s a distinct opportunity for retailers to capitalise on this and drive product sales on the shop floor.
Read the full article at: http://mediatel.co.uk/newsline/2013/08/01/rajar-q2-2013-industry-reaction/
gekkofm 