Radio listening figures rise in last quarter of 2016

Figures released today show the number of people tuning into their radios every week increased during the last quarter of 2016.

RAJAR, the official body in charge of measuring radio audiences, has released its data for the period from September 19th to December 18th 2016.

There are 48.7 million adults tuning in to their favourite radio stations each week, which is a rise on the previous quarter when it fell to 48.2 million.

This equates to 90% of the UK’s adult population and they are listening for an average of 1.049 billion hours a week.

Almost six in 10 adults are listening to radio via a digital platform – there are 31 million adults who now own a DAB radio and digital listening accounts for 474 million hours. DAB radio has a 73% share of those hours; DTV 11% and online 16%.

This means 58% of the population tune into digital radio every week.

When it comes to where people are tuning in from, it’s made of 61% who are tuning in at home, 23% in their cars and 16% in the office.

The figures, released on Thursday, February 9th, reiterate how important the work of British Wireless is – radio is a vital medium to many millions of people and often even more so when they have a visual impairment.