More Related Content More from Grant Goddard (20) 'Apart From Sudden Public Interest In "BBC 6 Music", Small Audiences Of DAB Radio Stations Exhibit Slow Growth' by Grant Goddard1. APART FROM SUDDEN PUBLIC
INTEREST IN 'BBC 6 MUSIC',
SMALL AUDIENCES OF DAB
RADIO STATIONS EXHIBIT SLOW
GROWTH
by
GRANT GODDARD
www.grantgoddard.co.uk
May 2010
2. The dramatic upswing in 'BBC 6 Music’s listening during the first quarter of 2010 did not
appear to have a knock-on effect on the BBC’s other digital radio stations [see graph]. '1Xtra'
was up slightly but still lower than it was in 2009. 'Asian Network' dropped further and is now
listened to less than part-time station 'Five Live Sports Extra'.
LISTENING TO BBC DIGITAL-ONLY RADIO STATIONS
('000 hrs/wk)
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
2003Q1
2003Q2
2003Q3
2003Q4
2004Q1
2004Q2
2004Q3
2004Q4
2005Q1
2005Q2
2005Q3
2005Q4
2006Q1
2006Q2
2006Q3
2006Q4
2007Q1
2007Q2
2007Q3
2007Q4
2008Q1
2008Q2
2008Q3
2008Q4
2009Q1
2009Q2
2009Q3
2009Q4
2010Q1
BBC 7 BBC 6 Music 1Xtra Asian Network Five Live Sports Extra
In the commercial radio sector, 'Planet Rock' recorded its best quarter yet and cemented its
lead over all its digital-only competitors ('BBC 6 Music' excepted) [see graph]. Its continuing
success only confirms that consumers prefer real programme content to the digital music
jukeboxes whose performances are little more than limping along.
LISTENING TO COMMERCIAL DIGITAL-ONLY RADIO
STATIONS ('000 hrs/wk)
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
2003Q1
2003Q2
2003Q3
2003Q4
2004Q1
2004Q2
2004Q3
2004Q4
2005Q1
2005Q2
2005Q3
2005Q4
2006Q1
2006Q2
2006Q3
2006Q4
2007Q1
2007Q2
2007Q3
2007Q4
2008Q1
2008Q2
2008Q3
2008Q4
2009Q1
2009Q2
2009Q3
2009Q4
2010Q1
Planet Rock The Hits Smash Hits Heat Jazz FM Absolute Classic Rock Q
Even with this most recent quarter’s boost from 'BBC 6 Music' and 'Planet Rock', total listening
to digital-only stations has still shown almost no growth for three years [see graph]. Without the
coincidence of those two successes, the latest quarter would have proven another disaster.
Apart From Sudden Public Interest In 'BBC 6 Music', Small Audiences Of DAB Radio Stations Exhibit Slow Growth
page 2
©2010 Grant Goddard
3. LISTENING TO DIGITAL-ONLY RADIO STATIONS ('000
hrs/wk)
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
45,000
2003Q1
2003Q2
2003Q3
2003Q4
2004Q1
2004Q2
2004Q3
2004Q4
2005Q1
2005Q2
2005Q3
2005Q4
2006Q1
2006Q2
2006Q3
2006Q4
2007Q1
2007Q2
2007Q3
2007Q4
2008Q1
2008Q2
2008Q3
2008Q4
2009Q1
2009Q2
2009Q3
2009Q4
2010Q1
TOTAL (commercial + BBC) COMMERCIAL RADIO BBC RADIO
The question is what the next quarter will look like. We have seen listening to 'BBC 6 Music'
rise temporarily before at times when the channel has been in the press. Attracting listeners is
only half the job. Keeping listeners is the much harder part.
Does the 'BBC 6 Music' listening blip change the bleak outlook for digital radio stations? Not at
all. Why? Because, even after this sudden upswing, '6 Music' still attracts only two-thirds of the
volume of listening to 'Radio 3', the BBC’s least listened to analogue national network. 207% of
almost nothing still equals very little.
[First published by Grant Goddard: Radio Blog as 'Digital Radio Station Listening: A Blip In Time Saves 6?', 13 May
2010.]
Grant Goddard is a media analyst / radio specialist / radio consultant with thirty years of
experience in the broadcasting industry, having held senior management and consultancy
roles within the commercial media sector in the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia. Details at
http://www.grantgoddard.co.uk
Apart From Sudden Public Interest In 'BBC 6 Music', Small Audiences Of DAB Radio Stations Exhibit Slow Growth
page 3
©2010 Grant Goddard