Double celebration as Bauer’s Scottish stations post strong listener figures according to Q1 2016 RAJAR and win big at Arqiva Commercial Radio Awards
BAUER Media Group’s local radio stations across Scotland have made a brilliant start to the year – according to the latest listening figures from industry body RAJAR* (Radio Joint Audience Research).
It’s been a particularly good week for Clyde 1 and Radio Borders who achieved excellent results in their latest RAJAR figures as well as striking gold at the Arqiva Commercial Radio Awards 2016, with both stations named Radio Station of the Year in their categories.
Clyde 1 took home gold in the 500,000 to two million TSA category with Radio Borders coming top in the under 500,000 TSA category.
Audience stats for the opening three months of 2016 show that Clyde 1 continues to be Glasgow and the West’s favourite station, reaching 627,000 listeners a week, its biggest audience since 2004, a 12.8 per cent increase on the previous year.
Listeners are turning in for longer, amounting to over six million hours a week, a seven year high and a 50 per cent year-on-year increase.
The station’s best loved breakfast show ‘Bowie at Breakfast’ commands 19.9 per cent market share, whilst Saturday’s Superscoreboard is the leader in the field with 22.8 per cent market share.
There was similar success for Radio Borders which posted its highest market share in almost five years, now holding 36.4 per cent of the audience across the Scottish Borders and North Northumberland. Audience reach increased 4.6 per cent over the last quarter to 58,600, a 3.7 per cent increase on the previous year.
Audiences are listening for longer with hours up 3.6 per cent on the previous quarter. The station’s popular Keith Clarkson at Breakfast show has upped its market share to 42.2 per cent, a 2.3 per cent increase on the previous quarter. Breakfast show audience reach is also up six per cent on the previous year amounting to a weekly figure of 41,800.
Alongside Clyde 1 and Radio Borders, Bauer’s local radio stations across Scotland enjoyed an extremely positive first quarter. Also recognised at the Arqiva Awards 2016 were Forth 1’s Shiona McCallum (now Clyde 1) who received the silver award for Radio Journalist of the Year, whilst Boogie & Dingo achieved bronze for Radio Presenter of the Year. Bauer’s MFR waved the flag for Inverness-shire securing a bronze award in the under 500,000 TSA Radio Station of the Year category.
Headline figures relevant to the reported quarter and each of the TSAs (total survey areas) include:
- In Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife, Forth 1 remains market leader for the region, growing its audience share by 2.7 per cent compared to this time last year, holding a 17.4 per cent share of the market. Listening hours grew to 3,346,000, up 1.8 per cent on the previous quarter, the highest figure since June 2013.
- Forth 1’s breakfast show Boogie in the Morning remains the region’s favourite breakfast show with a 20 per cent market share, reaching 220,000 weekly listeners.
- Northsound 1 has celebrated a great start to the year as total audience reach rose by 9.4 per cent on the previous year reaching 139,000 listeners a week. Listening hours were up a tremendous 27.1 per cent compared to last year’s figure, with the total in excess of one million. Micky in the Morning’s breakfast show is still the favourite for the region, with a market share of 19.9 per cent.
- In Inverness-shire, MFR continued its upward trend reaching 117,000 listeners weekly, an increase of 3.5 per cent, year-on-year. Whilst market share has increased to 21.3 per cent. Ginno At Breakfast is the leading breakfast show for the area with 77,000 listeners tuning in every week.
- In Ayrshire, West Sound (including West FM) builds on its positive previous quarter with an audience increase of 10,000 taking it to 187,000.
- In Tayside and Fife, Tay FM saw audience share rise to 19.7 per cent, up one per cent on the previous quarter while listener hours increased by 0.8 per cent.
Graham Bryce, managing director, Bauer City Network, said: “On behalf of everyone here at Bauer, we would like to pass on our heartiest congratulations to Clyde 1 and Radio Borders for being named UK stations of the year at the Arqiva Awards this week.
“It is a tremendous accolade for not only one, but two, of our local Scottish stations to win gold in this category and is testament to the fantastic teams we have in place.
“The Arqiva results and latest RAJAR figures, highlight how Bauer’s local stations are in-tune with what our listeners in Scotland want.
“Our rich heritage of over 40 years in this sector has resulted in an unparalleled understanding of the market. This, mixed with in depth local knowledge and on the ground local expertise, allows us to continue to grow our listenership in a very competitive space.
“All stations across Scotland are managed locally ensuring every region has the power and autonomy to adapt their strategy in line with their particular market, reflecting the needs and wants of each community and resulting in truly relevant content.
“Bauer Media Group’s success across Scotland must be credited to the talented teams, both on air and off. It’s been a great start to 2016 and I look forward to even more success this year.”
* Source: RAJAR / Ipsos – MORI / RSMB, period 28th December 2015 to 3rd April 2016. Some stations do not cover the whole of the TSA (total survey area).
Notes to editor:
About Bauer Media UK:
Bauer Media UK reaches over 22 million UK consumers through a portfolio of world-class, multi-platform media and entertainment brands including heat, KISS, Grazia, Empire, Magic and Absolute Radio. It creates and curates entertaining media content that audiences love whenever, wherever and however they want through a multi-channel strategy and a focus on product excellence and audience insight.
The result is an exciting array of influential brands, content and talent which provide compelling and engaging advertising opportunities with valuable audiences for UK commercial partners.
Bauer Media UK is part of the Bauer Media Group, one of the world’s largest privately owned media businesses with media assets all over the globe.
About Bauer Media Group:
Over 400 digital products and more than 100 radio and TV stations reach millions of people across the globe. The corporate portfolio extends to include print shops, postal, distribution and marketing services. The Bauer Media Group’s global positioning underscores its passion for people and brands. The message, ‘We think popular’, illustrates the Bauer Media Group’s self-perception as an organisation with a range of popular media, creating inspiration and motivation for its global workforce of some 11,000 employees in 20 countries.
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