U.K. radio listening up in Q1, led by digital platforms

rajar infographic q1 2014 250wRadio Joint Audio Research (RAJAR), the official body in charge of measuring radio listening in the U.K., today released the latest in its series of quarterly updates on the where, how, and how much of radio listening. RAJAR is co-owned by the BBC and RadioCentre.

The headline bullet point of the Q1 2014 report is that radio listening is up year-over-year, with a trend to use of digital platforms.

Radio consumption as a whole is up by 1.6% (800,000 listeners) over the same quarter in 2013. RAJAR’s measurement of the total U.K. radio audience is 48.1-million adults — 90 percent of the population. that group listens to an average of 21.5 hours per week.

Digital platforms, which include DAB (the U.K.’s digital radio platform, analogous to HD Radio in the U.S.) and radio station webcasts, grew four percent year-over-year, to a 36.6% share of all radiio listening in the U.K. (a 7% gain).

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Speaking of DAB, the share of listening to digital radio broadcast was up 5% in the quarter to a 23.7% share. Ten percent of respondents indicated they have access to a DAB receiver.

The migration to mobile in underway in the U.K., with 43% more respondents listening to radio via phones asnd tablets than in Q1 2013. Eighteen percent of adults listen via mobile at least once a month.

Where to U.K. radio lovers listen? Mostly in the home (62%), but also in cars (21%). the remainder of listening happens mostly at work.

See the study’s infographic here.

Brad Hill