The Media Club · 27 October 2021 · 50 min

Times Radio, Greatest Hits & more in ratings shock - the RAJARs are in!

With Phil Riley, Anne Charles, Stig Abell

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• RAJAR Ratings
• Radio Listening Trends
• Digital Radio Adoption
• Decline in Young Listeners
• Times Radio Launch
• Boom Radio Launch
• Commercial Radio Competition
• BBC Local Radio Recovery

In this RAJAR special episode of The Media Club, host Matt Deegan is joined by Phil Riley (co-founder of Boom Radio) and Anne Charles (Radio TechCon) to analyse the first set of UK radio listening figures in 18 months, released after a pandemic suspension. The episode covers the performance of new stations Times Radio (637,000 weekly listeners) and Boom Radio (233,000), the decline in younger listeners (15-24), the rise of digital and online listening, and the impact on major players like BBC Radio 1, KISS, Virgin Radio, and Greatest Hits Radio. It also includes interviews with Stig Abell (Times Radio launch director) and a media quiz.

Key takeaways

• RAJAR released its first listening figures in 18 months, covering Q3 2021.
• Times Radio launched with 637,000 weekly listeners, exceeding its 500,000 target.
• Boom Radio, aimed at baby boomers, attracted 233,000 weekly listeners in its first survey.
• Online listening grew 40% year-on-year, while analogue listening declined.
• Young listeners (15-24) declined significantly, affecting stations like Radio 1 and KISS.
• BBC Local Radio added a million listeners, reversing a long-term decline.

In this episode

• Intro and RAJAR overview0:00 · Matt introduces the RAJAR special and the guests.
• Interview with Phil Riley on Boom Radio2:00 · Phil discusses Boom Radio's first RAJAR results and strategy.
• Interview with Stig Abell on Times Radio15:00 · Stig reacts to Times Radio's first RAJAR figures.
• Analysis of broader trends30:00 · Discussion on young listeners, digital platforms, and methodology changes.
• Media Quiz45:00 · A quiz on media news clips.
• Outro55:00 · Wrap-up and thanks.

Notable quotes

“I had a very, very restless night. I woke up this morning and went shopping to do some displacement activity to try and just take my mind off the fact that we were so close to radar numbers.”

Phil Riley · 0:00

“It's way more than we expected. I had said it to myself and to David: if we get a six-figure number, we'll be okay, given that we are a start-up, a bunch of old-age pensioners in our bedrooms, basically doing this.”

Phil Riley · 0:00

“I think it's slightly beyond my expectations. I mean, you never know because it's our first radar. It's very strange times.”

Stig Abell · 0:00

“We are happily staying away from the great cement. Although I see that they're so happy that they keep tweeting about it, talk radio. We actually played a bit of it on our breakfast show because we do a lot of viral stuff and it was clearly the viral thing. But we want to achieve growth even greater than cement can achieve. That's the aim of Times Radio.”

Stig Abell · 0:00

“All PR is good PR.”

Phil Riley · 0:00

Discussed

Boom Radio · Times Radio · BBC

Also mentioned: Graham Norton · Chris Evans · Simon Mayo · Matt Chorley · Laura Kuenssberg · Michael Grade · Mike Graham · David Lloyd · Global · Bauer Media · Virgin Radio · Greatest Hits Radio · KISS · BBC Radio 1 · BBC Radio 2 · BBC Radio 4 · BBC Local Radio · TalkRadio · LBC · Radio TechCon · DAX · The Times · The Sunday Times · Channel 4

Mentioned or recommended

• RAJAR Q3 2021 · event
• The Media Quiz · other
• Radio TechCon 2021 · event