Bauer Media Audio UK is celebrating reaching 23.3 million weekly listeners (+7.8% YoY) in the Q4 2023 Rajar results. The total reach figure includes partner stations. Bauer says the figures reinforce its position as a leader in the industry, contributing significantly to the overall commercial radio growth of 2.8% YoY to 39.1 million listeners.
Greatest Hits Radio remains the UK’s most-listened-to commercial radio station, gaining 2.8 million listeners in a year. The station now reaches 6.8 million weekly listeners (+69.8% YoY). Ken Bruce has a record audience of 3.8 million a week (+117% YoY). Simon Mayo has the UK’s No.1 commercial Drivetime show with a record 2.5 million listeners (+71% YoY). Rossie at Breakfast has a record 2.8 million weekly listeners (+71% YoY).
Other notable outcomes of the Q4 2023 Rajar results for Bauer include the following:
- The Hits Radio Network reaches 6.3 million a week, with flagship station Hits Radio reaching 1.4 million listeners (+6.6% YoY).
- The Hits Radio Portfolio, which offers advertisers access to the combined Hits Radio and Greatest Radio audiences, reaches 12 million every week (+19.2% YoY) and 14.1 million (+15.3% YoY) when partner stations are included.
- The Absolute Radio Network reaches 5.3 million weekly listeners (+1.3% YoY). The main station is up 11.0% YoY to 2.4 million, and Absolute Radio Country is up 44.8% YoY to 407 thousand. The Dave Berry Breakfast Show reaches 2.2 million listeners (+3.1% YoY).
- The KISS Network reaches 4.2 million, within which KISSTORY remains the UK’s biggest commercial digital station with 2.4 million weekly listeners (+4.5% YoY).
- The Magic Radio Network has increased its audience to 4.2 million (+10.0% YoY), with the main station Magic Radioup to 3.4 million (+18.2% YoY), with another record for Magic Soul with 502 thousand listeners (+20.1% YoY).
Simon Myciunka, CEO of Bauer Media Audio UK, said, “We’re passionate about delivering value to our audiences, and it’s fantastic to see this mirrored in our year-on-year increase of 7.8% in reach and 13.2% in hours. We are attracting more listeners, who are listening for longer thanks to our high-quality content and investment in the presenter lineup. I’m really proud of our teams that have contributed to this sustained growth throughout the last 12 months.”
Ben Cooper, chief content and music officer of Bauer Media Audio UK, said, “Congratulations to Magic Radio, which celebrates its new lineup of presenters with a fantastic increase of over half a million new listeners. And a huge well done to Greatest Hits Radio, up an amazing 2.8 million listeners in a year with Ken Bruce, Rossie and Simon Mayo getting record increases, helping the station achieve its record audience of 6.8 million.”
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