In a world where people are constantly plugged in, UK broadcast is thriving thanks to a boom in digitalisation. Broadcasters have so many various touchpoints making audio content more accessible than ever. The RAJAR Q3 figures released today are a true indicator that audio is winning loud and clear.
In a race for figures, commercial radio has overtaken the BBC with 35.8m listeners. It is interesting to see 89% of the adult UK population is tuning in to their selected radio stations each week in the third quarter. Meaning there is a real opportunity for brands to extend campaigns to grasp onto commercial radio.
This year has seen a boom in brands opting to use podcasts as part of their PR campaigns. As the BBC sees a decrease in radio figures, they are already investing heavily in podcasts to great success - garnering a total of 26.6m downloads in September. As audiences’ preference and engagement in audio is increasing, PR’s should start looking at capitalising on well-thought out and creative podcasts over short-lived video content.
The RAJAR figures confirm that radio can also prosper in a space where younger audiences can actively engage with the content. The ability to reach younger generations will help broadcasters tap into demographics that have been harder to engage with. It will be interesting to see if younger brands will start to tap into radio broadcast as a viable form of connection to its audiences.
It’s an exciting time for broadcasters, as a strong heritage for radio continues to flourish but evolves with the changing times of digitalisation. Radio broadcast truly resonates with listeners and will continue to be an energetic and active form of communicative content to reach mass audiences.
