89% of UK adults listened to radio each week with an average listening time of 20.4 hours according to the latest figures released by RAJAR, the UK’s official body for measuring radio audiences. The figures are the first to be published since March 2020 when the industry survey was suspended due to the Coronavirus restrictions forcing all face-to-face market research to be suspended. RAJAR has taken the opportunity to revise its research methodologies to include more accurate reporting of digital radio listening.
Key UK radio listening statistics
- 49.5 million adults or 89% of the adult (15+) UK population tuned in to their selected radio stations each week in the third quarter of 2021. The total average number of weekly hours listened to radio for this period is 1.012 Bn.
- 41 million adults or almost three quarters of the population aged 15+ are now tuning in to radio via a digitally enabled platform (DAB, DTV, Online or App) each week. 69% of the population claim to own or have access to a DAB radio.
- 74% of the population tune in to digital radio every week
- 29% of those asked (adults 15+) claim to listen to Live Radio via a Smartphone or Tablet at least once per month.
- 43% of weekly listening hours are listened to via a DAB/Digital Radio, whilst over a third (34%) are listened to via a traditional AM/FM radio set. Online listening including Apps is 18%, whilst listening via a TV has a 5% share.
- Digital listening accounts for 665 million hours; DAB has a 65% share of digital listening hours, DTV 7% and Online 27%.
- For listeners using voice activated speakers, 48% of speaker users claim to listen to radio weekly and 20% of which claim to use it to listen to Radio everyday.
