Commercial radio back on top according to Rajar’s figures for the first quarter of the year

The total number of commercial radio listeners has edged back ahead of the BBC, Rajar’s figures for first quarter of 2017 reveal. The total commercial radio listeners was 34.5 million a week, or 63.9% of the population, just ahead of the BBC’s 34.2 million a week, or 63.3% of the population.  Commercial Radio’s share of hours is also up, at 44.6% (from 43.2% in the first quarter of 2016).

The BBC’s share of hours remain higher than commercial radio’s, however, at 52.8%. This figure has declined from 54.1% in the first quarter of 2016.

Other notable findings from Rajar include the following:

• Total reach for all radio is flat at 89.3% (same as the first quarter of 2016) but total hours of listening are up slightly – so as a result average hours per listener went up to 21.2 hrs a week (from 21 hrs a week in the first quarter of 2016)

• Total digital listening is 47.2% (up from 44.1% in the first quarter of 2016).

An infomatic illustrating Rajar’s key data for Q1 2017 can be found here.