United Kingdom - Current situation - History

22.05.2013

For the latest RAJAR figures click here.

Digital radio platform listening stands at 31.3% of radio listening hours (RAJAR Q3 2012) – up 6% year on year. DAB maintains its strong growth as the dominant digital platform representing 20.4% of all radio listening hours, up from 18% in Q3 2011. On a weekly basis, DAB now reaches 15.3 million UK adults, up 10% from 13.9 million in Q3 2011. DAB listening hours have reached a record 209 million, up 8% year on year, representing 65.2% of all digital listening hours.

42% of the population now has a DAB digital radio set, up from 39.4% in Q3 2011. This equates to 22 million adults now having a DAB digital radio, up 7% year on year. Latest Q3 GfK digital radio sales data released today shows that digital radio sales were up 10.6% in the quarter to September 2012. 33.3% of new cars currently have DAB included as standard. (CAP/SMMT Q4 2012)

The Digital Economy Act 2010 gave the Secretary of State the flexibility to set a date for digital radio switchover. The Government-Industry Digital Radio Action Plan, published in July 2010, sets out a detailed timetable and tasks to build momentum and prepare for the switchover to digital radio. Switchover will be consumer-led and specific criteria will have to be met before Government decides when it will take place.

Before a date can be set, two criteria need to be met: 50% of listening must be to digital platforms and digital coverage for national services must be comparable to FM and local DAB reaches 90% of the population and major roads.

A Memorandum of Understanding signed by Government, the BBC and commercial operators in 2012 establishes an agreement in principle to fund the build-out of local DAB to FM equivalences over the next five years, with a commitment to consider further funding if necessary. It confirms also the Government’s commitment to a decision on radio switchover in 2013.

08.03.2013

Digital radio platform listening stands at 31 .3% of radio listening hours (RAJAR Q3 2012) – up 6% year on year. DAB maintains its strong growth as the dominant digital platform representing 20 .4% of all radio listening hours, up from 18% in Q3 2011. On a weekly basis, DAB now reaches 15.3 million UK adults, up 10% from 13.9 million in Q3 2011. DAB listening hours have reached a record 209 million, up 8% year on year, representing 65.2% of all digital listening hours.

05.02.2013

Digital radio listening is now one third (33%) of radio listening, up 14% year on year. Over 25 million people (25.2 million) now listen to digital radio, up 2.1 million year on year. DAB listening now accounts for 21.1% of all listening, up 9% year on year. Online listening now represents 4.9% of all listening, up 43% year on year. BBC 6 Music reach has now increased to 1.9 million making it the leading digital-only station.

Digital radio has reached an important milestone and now represents one third (33%) of digital listening in Q4 2012, up 14% from 29.1% last year (RAJAR Q4 2012). This coincides with the latest data from CAP/SMMT which shows that one third of all new cars (33.3%) now has digital radio fitted as standard. In total 25.2 million people now listen to radio via a digital platform each week, up 9% year on year from 23.1 million in Q4 2011. Weekly digital reach is now 48.2% of UK adults, or 53.6% of radio listeners. DAB maintains its strong growth as the dominant digital platform representing 21.1% of all radio listening hours, up from 19.4% in Q4 2011. On a weekly basis, DAB now reaches 15.3 million UK adults, up 10% from 13.9 million in Q3 2011. DAB listening hours have reached a record 219 million, up 9% year on year, representing 65.2% of all digital listening hours. 42% of the population now has a DAB digital radio set, up from 40.3% in Q4 2011. This equates to 22 million adults now having a DAB digital radio, up 6% year on year. Radio listening online and via apps on mobile devices grew by 43% to 4.9% of listening hours in a quarter which saw the successful launch of industry radio apps including Radioplayer and the BBC Radio iPlayer. Listening to radio on a mobile phone was up 28% year on year.

Digital-only stations continued to show strong listening growth. BBC 6 Music grew 31% in reach and overtook Radio 4 Extra to be the number 1 digital-only station with almost 1.9 million listeners. BBC digital stations Radio 4 Extra (+ 7.8%), I Xtra (+2.7%) and Radio Five live (+ 37.5%) all grew, as did leading commercial digital stations Absolute 80s (+7.2%), Planet Rock (+8.0%), Jazz FM (+18.8%) and Absolute Radio 90s (+25.2%). The largest commercial digital station was Smash Hits with almost 1 million listeners, while Smooth 70s delivered another strong performance with over 700,000 listeners. Ford Ennals, CEO of Digital Radio UK, says: “I am delighted with these results. Digital radio continues to transform the way people listen to the radio and one third of all listening to digital platforms represents an important milestone. With a third of all new cars now having digital radio as standard, improvements to national and local DAB coverage and the positive impact of the D Love industry campaign, we are making good progress in the lead-up to a Government decision later this year.”