Jordan North’s Breakfast Show on Capital experiences continued growth in listeners, showcasing his broadening appeal.
- Capital, under Global’s umbrella, maintains its momentum with steady audience increases across various stations.
- Bauer Media strengthens its position with hits like Greatest Hits Radio and Absolute Radio Network hitting record numbers.
- BBC Radio 5 Live celebrates its 30th anniversary with the largest audience in a decade, highlighting its robust sports and political coverage.
- The evolving landscape of radio listening sees significant engagement through smart speakers and digital platforms.
Jordan North’s new Breakfast Show on Capital has added 151,000 listeners in the last quarter alone, reaching a total audience of 2.96 million. This boost underlines the show’s growing success and popularity. North’s strong performance is reflective of Global’s wider success, where Capital, alongside Heart, Smooth, Radio X, and Capital XTRA, contributes to a weekly reach of 29.2 million listeners in the UK, marking five consecutive quarters of growth. The network’s successful smart speaker strategy also shows a commendable 22% year-on-year increase in this segment.
Bauer Media’s presence in the commercial radio sector is solidified with their Hits Radio Network achieving a record audience of 7.2 million weekly listeners, marking a 10% increase from the previous year. Greatest Hits Radio emerges as the most listened-to commercial station with 7.4 million weekly listeners, growing by 12.9%. Simultaneously, Absolute Radio Network sets a new peak with 5.7 million listeners, reflecting a 3.7% increase year-on-year.
BBC Radio 5 Live, based in MediaCity, marks its 30th year with an impressive audience gain to 6 million listeners. Its sister station, BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, attracted 1.8 million listeners. The summer filled with sports events and major political happenings drove more listeners to these stations, supported by a strategy that invites audience participation in national debates.
The shift towards digital platforms continues to shape the radio landscape, with Global and Bauer Media reporting significant portions of their listener base accessing content through connected devices such as smart speakers, apps, and digital radios. This evolution enhances how listeners engage with radio content, offering them flexibility and convenience. BBC Sounds also reflects this trend, reporting over 622 million plays across its content this quarter, showcasing the rising consumption of radio through digital mediums.
The latest RAJAR data reveals how radio remains a dynamic and evolving medium, adapting through digital innovations and audience engagement.
