Public Media And The Dilemma Of Choice

Michael Hedges October 28, 2016 Follow on Twitter

The media sphere is increasingly challenged by identities. What people identify with informs, more and more, their media choices. As media offerings expand to this challenge differences become more pronounced. The smartphone culture of the individual is both a comfort and a curse. Nothing attracts like attraction and everybody can choose.

In another sling at UK public broadcaster BBC the RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research) audience estimates for the third quarter were resoundingly lower for the channels of BBC Radio. Year-to-year its aggregate listening share fell to 51.% from 53.3%. That’s the smallest national share of UK radio listeners in more than a decade. BBC national channels dropped to 44.4% share from 45.9% and local stations on aggregate continued a long, slow decline to 7.1% from 7.4%.

Commercial radio broadcasters were cautiously overjoyed. Aggregate commercial radio listening share rose to 45.8% from 44.1% one year on, biggest in, like, forever. Most notably in the national scores, national commercial channels hit 17.1% share, up from 14.8% and, also, biggest ever. The aggregate share for local commercial channels dropped to 28.7% from 29.2%.

"It is particularly encouraging to see the hard work and investment from commercial radio begin to pay off,” said commercial radio support group Radiocentre chief executive Siobhan Kenny in the compulsory statement, “with the combination of local and national stations available making real inroads into the market share of the BBC for the first time in many years and providing real choice for listeners."

The Q3 survey period ran, as it always does, from mid-June through mid-September. This is summertime, even in the UK, and listening habits are a bit different. Commercial radio typically attracts larger aggregate listener share in Q2 and Q3, BBC doing better in Q4 and Q1. Slightly more folks nationally tuned in to radio during the Q3 period, 48.165 million up year on year from 47.846.

The top spot in the Q3 national survey went, again, the BBC Radio 2. But, oh, did it take a hit. Listening share fell to 16.7% from 17.6% one year on. Several UK observers pointed out, some with glee, a deep drop in listening to the Chris Evans morning show. Long a prominent fixture in UK broadcasting, Mr. Evans dropped out as co-host of the BBC television motor-head show Top Gear in July.

Second place went to BBC Radio 4. It, too, took a drubbing; 11.8% listening share down from 12.9% year on year. News-talk Radio 4 has been on a negative trajectory for the last five quarters. BBC Radio 1 ranked 4th, also down, 6.0% from 6.5%. Bashing Radio 1 continues to be popular sport, more so in the last couple of years after the decision to “chase away” its older listeners. That seems to have succeeded.

Other BBC Radio channels were either up a little or not. All-sports Five Live and 6Music were up a little, the rest not. On aggregate BBC Radio channels continue to be deserted by 15 to 44 year olds; 36.7% share total from 39.5% one year on. Earlier this month BBC Radio director Helen Boaden put in for retirement. She was replaced by Radio 2, 6Music and Asian network controller Bob Shennan. A BBC lifer, he’ll take over officially November 8th. He’ll report to BBC director of radio and education James Purnell, who was appointed in July.

UK commercial broadcasters benefitted from the summertime habit change. Spot-loads are certainly lower. Very few national commercial channels moved much, up or down. Global Radio’s talk channel LBC, fairly recently appearing around the country on digital multiplexes, grew to 1.8% listener share from 1.3% year on year. Also up was Radio X, created around former BBC Radio 1 morning show host Chris Moyles and targeting disenfranchised older Radio 1 listeners, bumped up to 0.9% share from 0.5%. Bauer Radio’s KISS brand extension Kisstory, alternative dance oldies, also grew to 0.9% share from 0.5%. Growth of the national commercial radio listener share has been driven, more than anything, by ten new channels in the last year.

The Q3 RAJAR audience estimates for the London market are on their own, separate track. BBC Radio 4 is on top with 15.5% listener share, up from 14.9%. As in the national survey BBC Radio 2, second place, took a licking; 10.9% listener share, down from 12.3% one year on. Established as a London station before national expansion LBC 97.2 placed 3rd, up from 5th. BBC Radio 1 was up in London; 4th from 7th. Kiss London, Capital London, BBC Five Live and Smooth Radio were significantly lower while Magic London and Classic FM were up.

See also in ftmKnowledge

Public Broadcasting - Arguments, Battles and Changes

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Europe’s Radio – Northern Europe

Northern Europe’s radio has a very digital sound. And change is in the air. Economic challenges abound for both public and commercial broadcasters. The ftm Knowledge file reports on Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and the UK. 144 pages PDF includes Resources (November 2012)

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