Radio Audience United Kingdom Overview Audience Research Audience

Radio Audience United Kingdom

Overview • Audience Research • Audience Interactivity and Democracy • References

UK Audience Research • RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research) – Official body in charge of measuring radio audiences in the UK – Partially owned by the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) – Partially owned by the Radio. Centre • On behalf of the commercial sector • Represents interest and views of commercial radio – Latest Data release was on 2 February 2012 • Quarter 4 of 2011 • October – December 2011

UK Audience Research – 310 individual stations on the survey and results are published every quarter. – 46. 7 million Adult weekly listeners • 89. 8% of the UK population • Adult = 15 years and older • Listens at least 5 minutes a week – Platforms • FM and AM transmissions, Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB), or the Internet. – RAJAR is based on a diary, where a listener records (either on paper or online) their radio listening.

UK Audience Research • Top 10 Stations (Most amount of listeners) 1. BBC Radio 2 (14. 3 m) 2. BBC Radio 1 (11. 7 m) 3. BBC Radio 4 (10. 8 m) 4. Heart (7. 5 m) 5. Capital (7. 0 m) 6. BBC Radio 5 live (6. 3 m) 7. Classic FM (5. 4 m) 8. Kiss (4. 2 m) 9. Magic (3. 9 m) 10. Smooth Radio (3. 3 m)

Audience Interactivity “Public voting is a central factor in many BBC television and radio programmes. It is an extremely popular way for our audiences to interact with BBC content and programmes. ” - BBC © 2012 • Audience is encouraged to interact – Favourite Song to most loved children’s character. – Raising money for charitable purposes. – Interactive radio programming and drama. – Competitions, talent search, BBC awards.

Audience Interactivity • Methods – – – Online Mobile Fax (or letter) Digital Radio Digital Television • Importance – “Multiplier effect” – Radio is “a friend” – Immediate – Selective – Credibility

Audience Interactivity and Democracy • Public Participation – Political Process – Broader Listening – Political Debates • Radio contributes to democracy – – – Anytime Anywhere Be in contact Let your voice be heard Societal integration Learn to deliberate

References • http: //www. radiocentre. org/membership • http: //www. rajar. co. uk/ • http: //www. mediauk. com/article/32695/the-most-popular-radio-stations-in-th -uk • http: //www. bbc. co. uk/editorialguidelines/page/guidance-interactivityvotes#introduction • http: //www. bbc. co. uk/commissioning/radio/what-we-want/interactive. shtml • http: //ripeat. org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/hibbert. pdf • http: //www. onadvertising. co. uk/Radio-Advertising-Benefits. html