THE AM stations of the Bauer Media Scotland radio network have registered a broadly similar pattern in its latest listening figures to the last time the radio listening auditing body, RAJAR, published its results.
Last time around – ie figures published in October for the months July-September last year – there was an increase in the reach of Clyde 2, Tay AM and Northsound 2, with a reversal in fortunes of Forth 2. Reach is defined as a person aged 15-plus tuning in to a radio station for at least five minutes during an average week.
And the same trends are broadly in place this time, concerning the final quarter of last year: the months of October, November and December.
Says RAJAR, Clyde 2’s reach increased by 22 per cent between Q4 2011 and Q4 2012, from an average 191,000 to 233,000. Meanwhile, Northsound 2 was up 27.9 per cent over a similar time period (from an average 43,000 to 55,000) and Tay AM was up 10.6 per cent (from an average 66,000 to 73,000). But Forth 2 was down, by 12.4 per cent; in other words, from an average reach of 89,000 to 78,000.
In a media statement, Bauer Media Scotland’s managing director, Graham Bryce, said: “Once again, we’ve reported a strong set of audience figures for Bauer Radio Scotland as we deliver our programming to more than 42 per cent of the adult population each week. Each one of our brands is number one in its marketplace, with a stand-out performance from Clyde 1 in Glasgow and the West.
“We are relentless in our mission to create stations that reflect the mood and lifestyles of our audiences and to be part of the fabric of the distinct communities we serve. Our strong heritage brands combined with our unique content proposition – delivering locally-tailored content specifically targeted at our local audiences – clearly resonates with our listeners and our commercial partners.”
BBC Radio Scotland, meanwhile, registered a reach of 994,000 – up some 3.6 per cent on 12 months previous and 7.1 per cent up on the previous quarter, July-September 2012. Its share of its available audience was 8.6 during the final quarter of last year, compared to 7.6 per cent the previous quarter and 7.8 per cent on the same time the year before.
A delighted head of BBC Radio Scotland, Jeff Zycinski, said, in a media statement: “These are great figures for BBC Radio Scotland – tantalisingly close to one million listeners a week – and we’re encouraged that our evolving strategy of daytime speech and evening music is finding favour with audiences across the country. It’s also good to be part of the wider success story of BBC Radio in Scotland, given that we now make so many programmes for stations such as Radio 4, Radio 3 and Radio 1.”
It was also a good set of figures for Central FM (up 22.4 per cent) and 96.3 Real XS Glasgow (up 37.3 per cent).
However, the figures for Real Radio Scotland and Original 106 were something of a continuation last time, the former showing a Q42011-Q42012 drop of 16.1 per cent (Q32011-Q32012 being 12.9 per cent) and the latter showing a Q42011-Q42012 drop of 17.6 per cent (Q32011-Q32012 being 13.7 per cent).
Says a media release on behalf of the Real and Smooth sister brands: “748,000 adults tune into a Real or Smooth station in Scotland each week – more than one in four of the adult population. Real Radio attracts 547,000 adult listeners each week while sister station Smooth Radio has 260,000. Classic rock station Real XS has recorded a reach of 70,000 adult listeners each week, up 19,000 (year-on-year), with listeners tuning in for 347,000 hours each week, an increase of 91,000 (year-on-year).”
The figures in full, are as follows, for Q4 2011-Q4 2012 ‘reach’:
Radio Borders down 13.6 per cent
Capital Scotland down 6.4 per cent
Central FM up 22.4 per cent
Clyde 1 up 12 per cent
Clyde 2 up 22 per cent
Forth 2 down 12.4 per cent
Forth One up 1.5 per cent
Kingdom FM up 4.8 per cent
Moray Firth Radio down 13.6 per cent
Northsound 1 up 3.8 per cent
Northsound 2 up 27.9 per cent
Original 106 down 17.6 per cent
Real Radio Scotland down 16.1 per cent
96.3 Real XS Glasgow up 37.3 per cent
Smooth Radio Glasgow down 6.1 per cent
Tay AM up 10.6 per cent
Tay FM down three per cent
Wave 102 up 3.7 per cent
West Sound down 4.8 per cent
